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.
To my knowledge rural letter carriers aren't required to wear a USPS uniform and I have never seen a RLC wearing one. There are 2 rural routes that are delivered from the office where I work and I've never seen them in anything except everyday clothes a regular manual worker would wear. Your question of why should a rural carrier wear a uniform is one I don't know. I didn't think a rural carrier could even purchase official USPS uniform items except maybe a baseball cap or other headwear. It's true that they don't get a uniform allowance like the city carriers receive. You could contact the NRLCA if you had a question I can't answer hear. They are the union that represents Rural Letter Carriers nationwide.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20should%20a%20rural%20carrier%20wear%20a%20uniform%20when%20we%20don%27t%20get%20a%20uniform%20allowance%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14250)
I don't believe that UPS or FEDEX do any type of stamping on their envelopes or parcels like the USPS does when processing the mail. I do know that both companies have very good tracking services for each item so the recipient can tell what facilities the item went through before being delivered to them. When they receive what you sent to them, they can likely go online with the item tracking # and find out how the item traveled from you to them. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Hello-%0AJust%20wondering%20about%20mailing%20UPS%20or%20FEDEX%2Cand%20if%20they%20still%20stamp%20the%20city%20name%20on%20the%20envelope%20before%20it%20is%20sent%20out%20like%20the%20regular%20mail%20is%20done%3F%20In%20case%20you%20wanted%20to%20mail%20someone%2Cbut%20not%20wanting%20them%20to%20know%20what%20city%20it%20is%20coming%20from%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12810)
I know I have sort of answered this question already, but I will again. I would say that a letter carrier shouldn't enter a yard where a barking dog is visible and not on a leash and could physically come in contact with the letter carrier. If the owner isn't present to accept the mail, the carrier is best advised to bring the mail back to the post office and notify the supervisor why the mail couldn't be delivered. The USPS wants to reduce the number of dog bites because it is dangerous to the letter carrier and costly to the USPS because of any time off required and any medical treatment needed. Fortunately where I work I don't hear of too many dog/carrier incidents, but I do realize other areas may not be as safe.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20DOG%20is%20barking%20in%20fenced%20in%20front%20yard%2C%20should%20the%20mail%20carrier%20still%20enter%20when%20sign%20on%20gate%20warns%20of%20the%20dog%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12518)
Funny, I had never noticed that to be the case! Just kidding. There is a very important reason the steering wheel is on the right hand side (as one is facing forward). I drive one of these vehicles. They are commonly known as LLV (long life vehicles), Jeeps, or other names. The reason for this configuration is because many mail routes have mailboxes at the street end of a driveway where a mail vehicle can drive right up to it and the letter carrier can put the mail in the box without having to leave his seat. They can just stick their right arm out of the window. On the left side of the letter carrier (where a regular vehicle would have the steering wheel) is a large metal tray where the letter carrier organizes the mail for delivery. This method of delivery is found more commonly in suburban or rural environments. I drive an LLV, and even though the route I deliver has no mailboxes at the end of a driveway (they are mostly by a front door or garage), it is safer for me to exit the vehicle on the right side instead of what is possibly moving traffic. It only took a short time to get used to driving this configuration and it seems none of my co-workers have much of a problem either. You just have to be careful of blind spots and when backing up, not unlike any conventional vehicle. You asked a great question and I may have given you more than you asked for but I hoped it helped Jeff.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20is%20the%20steering%20wheel%20for%20the%20mail%20truck%20on%20the%20other%20side%20aka%20the%20passenger%20side%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12575)
Auto Mechanic
Are mechanics more likely to take advantage of female customers than males?
Bodybuilder
What kind of “primping” is required for competitions?
Call Center Employee (Retail)
When do your policies allow you to hang up on a rude caller?
I Dont know why they would ask for an email address. Is there any type of customs declaration form that is filled out when you mail papers to Canada? That form usually includes what is being sent. I don't know that it's obligatory to provide this information. Sometimes USPS will send out surveys or possibly email them to find out about your retail customer experience. If you call the USPS customer service phone number, maybe they could provide more insight. The phone number is 800-275-8777.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Why%20would%20USPS%20ask%20for%20my%20email%20address%3F%20%20I%20ship%20paper%20pretty%20regularly%20to%20my%20friend%20in%20Canada%20and%20lately%20the%20lady%20at%20the%20post%20office%20has%20been%20asking%20all%20kinds%20of%20questions%20about%20what%20I%20am%20sending.%20%20This%20week%20she%20asked%20for%20my%20email%20address.%20%20Why%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14963)
You may certainly ask a carrier to open the collection box, but I don't know if they will. I don't even have keys to open one of those boxes so it's possible the carrier you ask won't have access to the collection box. If you are able to have a carrier open the box, if there is a lot of mail in there, I don't know that they will take the time to go through it to find the bill you are looking for. Bring ID with you in case they want to match up the unsealed mail with your address. As I said, I don't know what response you will get from the letter carrier, but was just giving you some possibilities. It is also possible that the bill will get to the destination unsealed and all will be fine.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20mother%20had%20a%20bill%20to%20mail%2C%20everything%20was%20in%20the%20envelope%20and%20it%20was%20stamped.%20%20Some%20time%20after%206pm%2C%20I%20walked%20down%20to%20the%20blue%20collection%20box%20and%20mailed%20it.%20%20She%20didn%27t%20seal%20the%20envelope.%20Can%20I%20ask%20the%20carrier%20to%20open%20the%20box%20and%20find%20the%20envelope%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13574)
The forwarding of the mail in your ex's name is understandable. As far as putting a hold on the mail, you may go to the Post Office or contact them by telephone and ask them to remove the hold on your mail and resume delivery of mail to your address in your name. I would think that they would honor that request.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20ex%20put%20a%20hold%20on%20my%20mail%2C%20is%20there%20anything%20I%20can%20do%3F%20%20%28he%20no%20longer%20lives%20at%20home%20and%20had%20his%20mail%20forwarded%20to%20his%20new%20address&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11046)
-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
