MailmanDave
17 Years Experience
Long Island, NY
Male, 43
I am a City Letter Carrier for the US Postal Service in NY. I've been a city letter carrier for over 17 years and it is the best job I've ever had. I mostly work 5 days per week (sometimes includes a Saturday) and often have the opportunity for overtime, which is usually voluntary. The route I deliver has about 350 homes and I walk to each of their doors to deliver the mail. Please keep in mind that I don't have authority to speak for the USPS, so all opinions are solely mine, not my employer.
Andy, I am glad to write this blog of my experiences and advice as a letter carrier for the USPS. To answer your questions:1) I'd wear a suit if you have one, or ar least a shirt and tie with nice pants and shoes. Try to be clean cut, ambitious, professional and polite. I don't know how much appearance counts in a USPS interview, but it can't hurt to take the above advice. Be on time and respectful of the interviewer.
2) Becoming a regular from a CCA is usually just a matter of waiting until there is a vacancy in your office or station that remains unassigned to a regular carrier. Then it may take a month or two to become a regular carrier. The time that it takes for a CCA to become a regular carrier depends on the staffing and turnover where you are assigned to work. I can only speak for my PO, but I've seen it take as little as one year and as much as 8 years (that is when we had PTFs (part time flexibles, a precursor to CCAs) to become a regular employee.
3) When you become a regular employee, the hours get much more stable and predictable. You generally work 5 8-hour days per week with set hours. As a CCA, you pretty much work when they want you and for as long as needed per day. There aren't many rights for a CCA with regards to hours except if they are "holding down" a regular assignment for a rte that is temporarily vacant due to illness or vacation. As a regular employee, you can refuse OT if there is enough staffing to cover all of the assignments in a day. The management can mandate carriers to work OT if they are short handed and those who want to work OT already will be working some amt of OT. The rules for this are a little complex so I won't go into it here.
Thanks for your questions and good luck Andy.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Thanks%20for%20your%20helpful%20blog.%20Few%20questions%21%0AI%20have%20a%20interview%20in%20a%20week%20as%20cca1.%0A1%29%20What%20should%20I%20wear%20for%20interview%3F%0A2%29%20How%20soon%20can%20you%20become%20a%20regular%20employee%3F%0A3%29%20Do%20you%20get%20better%20hours%20when%20you%20become%20a%20regular%20employee%3F%20Can%20you%20refuse%20O%2FT%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15000)
I don't know the policy for whether or not to leave a package inside the door or not. I will leave a parcel inside a mailbox if it fits. If it doesn't fit, then I will bring the package to the front door of the house or put it inside a vestibule. I will leave the item if nobody is home and a signature isn't required because I deliver mail in a very safe,suburban NY community. The suggestion that I have in your situation is to call your PO and speak with the delivery supervisor or postmaster to see if an exception can be made for your situation. I dont know what the result will be or what the official policy is.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20live%20in%20a%20small%20ME%20town.%20For%2013%20years%20the%20postman%20would%20put%20any%20packages%20inside%20my%20front%20door.%20%20They%20called%20me%20a%20few%20months%20ago%20and%20said%20they%20can%27t%20do%20this%20anymore.%20%20I%27m%20old%20so%20it%27s%20hard%20to%20go%20out%20in%20the%20snow%2Fice%20to%20get%20them.%20%20Is%20this%20a%20new%20policy%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10295)
Tera, I am sorry but I don't know where the package you sent your boyfriend is, though I think you knew that already. If a letter carrier can't figure out which apt. # a piece of mail should go to, they often will have it returned to sender though I realize you left off your address as well. The package was either delivered to the wrong apt number or sent to an office that handles undeliverable mail. I am not sure where that office is or what happens to items sent there.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=So%20I%20sent%20my%20Boyfriend%20a%20care%20package%20and%20I%20forgot%20to%20put%20his%20apartment%20number%20on%20the%20address.%20As%20I%20tracked%20it%2C%20it%20said%20it%20was%20delivered%2C%20yet%20he%20hasn%27t%20received%20it.%20I%20also%20didnt%20put%20a%20reture%20address%20on%20it.%20Where%20do%20you%20think%20it%20could%20be%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11638)
I looked on Google Maps how far apart those 2 areas were and it said about 17 miles. In most cases, that piece of mail would be delivered the next day as long as it was put in a mailbox before the daily collection.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=hi%2C%20I%20recently%20put%20something%20in%20the%20mailbox%20today%20going%20to%20Sharon%20hill%20pa%20%20%20from%20%20east%20falls%2019129.%20Wondering%20if%20it%20will%20get%20today%20or%20tomorrow%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11670)
Chick-fil-A General Manager
How often do you have to fire someone, and does it ever get ugly?
EMT
What was the most gruesome trauma you witnessed while on the job?
Debate Coach
Are presidential debates actually "debates", by the traditional definition?
I can't remember a time that I came across any suspicious letters or packages, or at least not as of late. Not long after 9/11 I think there was anthrax sent through mail or something like that to Washington DC. It made me nervous and I think I had some type of reaction that I may have contracted it and had trouble breathing. It turned out to be all in my head and nothing ever came of it. There probably is drugs sent through the mail or maybe other illegal substances but I have no experience with it fortunately.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20often%20do%20you%20encounter%20%27suspicious%27%20letters%3F%20or%20letters%20that%20you%20think%20may%20contain%20illegal%20substances%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12474)
Congratulations on getting hired as a CCA. Even though you may not get benefits and pay like a career employee, I recommend sticking with it because it is a decent job in the long run. To answer your question I really don't know. It likely depends on the needs of the office to which you are assigned. There is no minimum amt of hours per week for a CCA as far as I know and be prepared to work every day including Sundays. Some offices deliver Amazon parcels on Sunday and assign a CCA to work. Once you pass probation (90 days) you can ask to "hold down" assignments for carriers who are either sick long term or on vacation. If you get to have a "hold down" you will then be guaranteed 40 hrs per week (8 hrs per day) for the period that the "hold down" is in effect. Good luck and remember to be professional and organized.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hey%20question%20i%20am%20going%20to%20start%20soon%20as%20a%20cca%20and%20i%20was%20wondering%20will%20i%20at%20leasy%20work%2040%20hours%20a%20week%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13075)
I agree Lili that 0600-2200 is a terribly long day. A normal shift for a regular postal worker is 8 hrs plus :30 lunch. There is often OT available but for most "regular" employees it shouldn't be mandatory. n my office it seems that some of the CCAs (city carrier assistant) have worked as long as 12 hours, but in don't think that is too common. This holiday season seems to have been very heavy with the parcel deliveries which would extend our delivery day. It's possible your mother's office is shorthanded which is why she is working so many hours. During the 4 wks around Christmas, the work/pay rules are suspended which require double time to be paid after 10 hrs of work (8 hours if you are working on your scheduled day off). For this reason, the mgmt isn't as pressured to limit the hours worked, and the truth is that the mail needs to get delivered somehow.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20it%20common%20for%20mail%20carriers%20to%20deliver%20all%20day%20and%20into%20the%20night%3F%20For%20example%2C%20my%20mother%20who%20works%20for%20usps%20recently%20worked%20from%206am%20until%20after%2010pm.%20It%20is%20holiday%20season%20but%20still...that%20is%20a%20horribly%20long%20day%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10256)
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
