Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Hi. When forwarding requests are no longer active, is there anything at the sorting case/facility that automatically designates the mail as UTF? Also, how are letters with "return service requested" endorsements handled by letter carriers or PO?

Asked by Old Address Follow Up almost 12 years ago

I don't think there is any automation involved after 18 months from when a forwarding order started. At the sorting case, a carrier has pink cards with stickers on them which can say when a particular forwarding order started. I keep those cards for about 2-3 years and once the forwarding order has expired (18 months), I put a line through the sticker and maybe a little marker at the address in the carrier case indicating UTF. "Return service requested" AFAIK means that if the letter was going to be forwarded to a new addrees, the sender would like the letter returned to them with the new address info. The carriers handle them just as they would any forward and the CFS (Computerized Forwarding System) will know that the sender wanted the letter returned. The sender does pay an extra fee for this service.

826 Votes

So I sent my Boyfriend a care package and I forgot to put his apartment number on the address. As I tracked it, it said it was delivered, yet he hasn't received it. I also didnt put a reture address on it. Where do you think it could be?

Asked by Tera over 11 years ago

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.

826 Votes

Is it common for mail carriers to deliver all day and into the night? For example, my mother who works for usps recently worked from 6am until after 10pm. It is holiday season but still...that is a horribly long day!

Asked by Lili over 11 years ago

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.

825 Votes

I live in an apartment building ( in Canada ) with locked mailboxes for each apartment at the front.of.the building. My neighbor moved out and left a letter for the mail person to put her mail in my box... is this legal?

Asked by Pepper almost 11 years ago

I don't know anything about the rules/laws in Canada about redirecting mail to another address just with a note. Are you okay with this? If so, then if it happens, so be it. If you don't want this or the Canada Post doesn't operate that way, then I guess it's more of an issue. I know I wouldn't abide by a letter like this. In the United States for mail to be put in another addresses mailbox (legally), a forwarding order has to be submitted with the US postal service and then the mail will be properly redirected, even if it is just a next door neighbor. I have one customer on the route I deliver that owns 2 houses adjacent to each other. One of them is for sale. Once that house is sold, I will need to have a forwarding order submitted to have mail forwarded from the sold house to the unsold house (if that's what they want). Thanks for the question.

825 Votes

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I just got hired as a CCA and start orientation next week. Go me! The current CCA (9 years) that delivers to my house is still trying to go FT. That seems a very long time to wait. IYO, how hard is it to go FT in the Los Angeles metro area?

Asked by FF almost 12 years ago

I don't have any inside knowledge on how long it would take to make a FT regular carrier in the LA area. I agree though that 9 yrs is a long time to wait. Congratulations and good luck to you!

825 Votes

Someone who lived here several years ago (before the previous owners) has Secretary of State mail being delivered. I wrote return to sender as I have no idea where they live. It was returned and says unable to forward. What do I do?

Asked by BG almost 11 years ago

BG, I'm not sure why you got that mail back when you wrote on it "return to sender". I have 2 suggestions for you: 1) maybe write "person doesn't live here, return to sender" instead of just "return to sender" on mail.

2) Discard/recycle any mail you get for them. You did your part by trying to return the letter to the sender (which is very nice and appropriate IMO), and you don't have to try again to return it. It wouldn't be a bad idea to try again, but I just don't want you to have to play the "revolving door" game with that letter when you shouldn't have to.

Thanks for the question.

824 Votes

I bought something on ebay and I have A P.O. BOX BUT ALL I PUT DOWN IS MY ADDRESS NOT MY P.O. BOX NUMBER WHAT WILL HAPPED?

Asked by Vincent over 11 years ago

If the PO or letter carrier can figure out what the address corresponds to and there is a secure place to leave the item, the carrier may just leave it at the corresponding address. I don't think the item would go the PO Box # if it weren't stated!but I can't be sure what will actually happen to the item. I have rarely encountered this situation so i don't have any great insight.

823 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Hi. When forwarding requests are no longer active, is there anything at the sorting case/facility that automatically designates the mail as UTF? Also, how are letters with "return service requested" endorsements handled by letter carriers or PO?

So I sent my Boyfriend a care package and I forgot to put his apartment number on the address. As I tracked it, it said it was delivered, yet he hasn't received it. I also didnt put a reture address on it. Where do you think it could be?

Is it common for mail carriers to deliver all day and into the night? For example, my mother who works for usps recently worked from 6am until after 10pm. It is holiday season but still...that is a horribly long day!

I live in an apartment building ( in Canada ) with locked mailboxes for each apartment at the front.of.the building. My neighbor moved out and left a letter for the mail person to put her mail in my box... is this legal?

Also on Jobstr...

I just got hired as a CCA and start orientation next week. Go me! The current CCA (9 years) that delivers to my house is still trying to go FT. That seems a very long time to wait. IYO, how hard is it to go FT in the Los Angeles metro area?

Someone who lived here several years ago (before the previous owners) has Secretary of State mail being delivered. I wrote return to sender as I have no idea where they live. It was returned and says unable to forward. What do I do?

I bought something on ebay and I have A P.O. BOX BUT ALL I PUT DOWN IS MY ADDRESS NOT MY P.O. BOX NUMBER WHAT WILL HAPPED?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Hi. When forwarding requests are no longer active, is there anything at the sorting case/facility that automatically designates the mail as UTF? Also, how are letters with "return service requested" endorsements handled by letter carriers or PO?

So I sent my Boyfriend a care package and I forgot to put his apartment number on the address. As I tracked it, it said it was delivered, yet he hasn't received it. I also didnt put a reture address on it. Where do you think it could be?

Is it common for mail carriers to deliver all day and into the night? For example, my mother who works for usps recently worked from 6am until after 10pm. It is holiday season but still...that is a horribly long day!

I live in an apartment building ( in Canada ) with locked mailboxes for each apartment at the front.of.the building. My neighbor moved out and left a letter for the mail person to put her mail in my box... is this legal?

Also on Jobstr...

I just got hired as a CCA and start orientation next week. Go me! The current CCA (9 years) that delivers to my house is still trying to go FT. That seems a very long time to wait. IYO, how hard is it to go FT in the Los Angeles metro area?

Someone who lived here several years ago (before the previous owners) has Secretary of State mail being delivered. I wrote return to sender as I have no idea where they live. It was returned and says unable to forward. What do I do?

I bought something on ebay and I have A P.O. BOX BUT ALL I PUT DOWN IS MY ADDRESS NOT MY P.O. BOX NUMBER WHAT WILL HAPPED?

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