Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

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.

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Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Best Rated

I want to know if I have primary residence in one place and I realized that I need to send a piece of mail out but I'm out of town and I need to send this mail immediately. Can I put my primary address but be able to send it out in a different city?

Asked by daushund Iover about 11 years ago

Certainly. You may mail a letter from anywhere to anywhere as long as you apply the proper postage. You also can put your primary residence as your return address even if you mail the letter out from a different address. 

If you notice a broken mailbox what do you do with the mail and how do I get it as soon as possible

Asked by Heem about 10 years ago

I usually will continue to deliver the mail as long as the mail can be sheltered from the rain and other elements and hope that the customer will fix the mailbox in a reasonable amount of time. Some letter carriers will not deliver the mail to a mailbox that has fallen to the ground or is broken in some way. I suppose that is their option. If the mail isn't being delivered, it is likely being held at the PO for a certain amt of time (I don't know how long). You can probably go and pick it up there as long as you present identification that matches your address and if the clerk can find the mail that is being held.

Can a mail carrier write my house number on the outside of my mailbox with a sharpie?

Asked by Steven over 10 years ago

I don't know if they can do that, but I would do it if it weren't clearly posted on the house or on the mailbox. This is important so that the letter carrier can deliver the mail properly. I am very big on communication so that anybody can fill in on any route and deliver the mail properly. As far as marking the house number on the outside of the mailbox, I don't know that it is necessary. A sticker on the inside lid or inside the box that clearly states a house number should be fine.

I have read a lot of comments over mail men not delivering if there is obstruction impeding safe delivery without getting off the truck. But can the mailman leave my mail on the windshield of the car impeding access to my mailbox?

Asked by Sergio about 11 years ago

That is true Sergio. When a letter carrier is delivering from their truck and they can't access the mailbox due to a vehicle in the way or garbage cans blocking the mailbox, they can opt not to deliver the mail. I don't think they can just leave the mail on the windshield of the car impeding access to the mailbox. If there is a note on file saying explicitly that they can do this,maybe it would be allowed, but I wouldn't count on it. Generally, however, mail must be delivered to a mailbox or doorslot.

We have a neighbor who we don't get along with.they have recieved some of our mail and instead of returning it to USPS to send back they held onto it for 1 mo. &placed it on our recycletrash bin with a rock on top. Is there any rule they can do that?

Asked by Brownie over 10 years ago

I don't know of any rules of what the recipient of errantly delivered mail is required to do. Ethically it would be correct to put it in the outgoing mail to be (hopefully) delivered correctly the next time. Since it seems you probably don't speak with your neighbor, my suggestion would be to call the delivery supervisor at your PO and explain the problem. I don't know that there is much that can be done about except for an alert to be given to your letter carrier to be more careful with mail for your address. We shouldn't be misdelivering mail with any great frequency, but I know it is a problem in some areas or with some personnel.

I mailed an document from new york to china by global express guarantee service via USPS. But it said my destination address was wrong. However the shipment wasn't even sent oversee, how could they tell the address was wrong?

Asked by Daniel almost 11 years ago

I am not sure how the global express guaranteed product works. I am not sure if there is a database that the USPS uses to know this. The transportation and delivery is provided by FedEx Express so it's possible they also know that the address was wrong. Hopefully you will get the document back, but I'm not sure that you qualify for a refund. That information can be find on the website about.usps.com and do a search for money-back guarantee for GXG.

Im a new CCA and im wondering what the uniform regulations are if we dont have an offical uniform yet. Do i wear board shorts, collared shirt or what? How about shoes? Leather shoes are expensive, what can i wear instead?

Asked by mike almost 11 years ago

Mike, I believe it takes several months before your probation is over and you receive a uniform allowance. I don't know for sure what the uniform regulations are, but the CCAs in my office where jeans and t-shirts mainly. They should tell you at orientation what is acceptable and not acceptable. The shoes must not be open-toed. I may have worn sneakers during my probationary period. The shoes that are purchased with the uniform allowance can easily cost $80 and up. Good luck to you and work safely.