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.
It doesn't make sense why a USPS letter carrier would put a question mark on one of the envelopes that is identical to the first one. It's common for people to get multiple letters from the same company. I would only put a question mark on the envelope if I wasn't sure if the name on the envelope was correct for the address it is to be delivered to. In your example, I don't think I'd put a question mark on either piece of mail. Also, if other mail to your address has your name on it, I don't see any reason for the question mark. If it only happens once or twice I wouldn't think about it. If it happens each month and it concerns you, you could cal the local PO and talk to the delivery supervisor to see if they have any insight.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20get%20two%20letters%20from%20the%20same%20company%20a%20month.%20They%20arrive%20together%20on%20the%20same%20day%2C%20why%20would%20the%20usps%20of%20postman%20put%20a%20question%20mark%20on%20the%20second%20envelope%3F%20Everything%20is%20exactly%20the%20same%20as%20far%20as%20the%20printing%20of%20address%20for%20example.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14961)
Jason, I'm no expert on the rules and regulations with reference to our union contract (NALC/USPS National Agreement), but I can give you my take on it and anecdotal experience. I feel that if the supervisor hasn't scheduled you before you left work on your previous work day to work your day off you have zero obligation to answer the phone or to come to work. I would probably recommend not even responding if you feel that there will be a conflict if you refuse to go to work. It makes perfect sense that you already had other plans, you are away for the day, had a MD's appt, etc, and you can't come to work. Just to be sure, you never have to tell mgmt what you were doing on your day off. My anecdotal experience is that nothing can be done with regards to discipline for not answering the phone or going to work on your NS day if you haven't been previously scheduled or mandated. I've never heard of an attempt to discipline someone for this.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20happens%20to%20a%20regular%20carrier%20on%20the%20ODL%20if%20his%20supervisor%20calls%20him%20in%20on%20his%20day%20off%2C%20but%20the%20carrier%20doesnt%20answer%20his%20phone.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14533)
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.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20you%20notice%20a%20broken%20mailbox%20what%20do%20you%20do%20with%20the%20mail%20and%20how%20do%20I%20get%20it%20as%20soon%20as%20possible&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15585)
It sounds suspicious or odd that your letter carrier is speeding past your house and skipping delivery with nothing apparent to block their access to your mailbox. It could be that you have no mail addressed to your house that day, but you would know better than me if you should be getting a delivery daily. I would call or somehow contact your local post office and ask to speak with a delivery supervisor or manager and mention it to them. Out of 6 delivery days a week, I would guess about 4 of them have some type of mailing that goes to each address which I service. I can't say it's the same for your town. It is also a bit strange that when you have another mail carrier they deliver the mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20does%20it%20mean%20when%20the%20mailman%20skips%20your%20house%3F%20My%20mailman%20deliberately%20speeds%20pass%20my%20house.%20Theres%20nothing%20blocking%20the%20mailbox.%20This%20has%20been%20going%20on%20for%202%20wks.%20Every%20other%20day%20or%20so%20theres%20a%20mailman%20who%20does%20deliver%20the%20mail.%20Why%20isn%27t%20he%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15629)
SWAT Team Commander (Retired)
How do you decide whether to try and kill a hostage taker?
Chick-fil-A General Manager
What's the back-story behind the cow mascot and eat-mor-chikin campaign?
Emergency Room Manager
What is the most bizarre thing you've seen in your ER?
I am not sure. If the letter carrier is using a postal delivery vehicle like a 2-ton truck or LLV (long-life vehicle), they will usually deliver a parcel before or after they deliver the mail and smaller parcels on that street or area. If they are a foot carrier with a walk-out route that means they don't drive a delivery vehicle and another postal employee, usually a Parcel Post carrier, would deliver the large parcel separately. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Will%20a%20mail%20man%20come%20back%20afyer%20his%20route%20if%20there%20is%20a%20package%20to%20large%20for%20him%20to%20carry&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14897)
When a route goes up for bid due to a vacancy, it is usually first offered in the office or city (if there are multiple stations combined into one bidding unit). If nobody bids that assignment and there are no unassigned regular letter carriers in the bidding unit, the assignment might be posted as available through the eReassign system. This is the way that letter carriers can move between districts.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20a%20mail%20man%20bid%20on%20a%20route%20that%27s%20not%20in%20his%20%20district%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15429)
It depends when you drop the letter in the blue collection box. If it is before the daily pickup time (which is usually posted on a label somewhere on the box) then it is likely going to be on the same dispatch truck as if you put the letter in a box at the PO. The truck then goes to a centralized mail processing facility. If you put the letter in a blue collection mailbox after the daily cutoff time posted on the mailbox, but the local PO is still open, you'd probably be better off bringing the letter there for mailing. At most POs you can probably bring in letter up until 1700 for same-day processing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=is%20it%20quicker%20mailing%20a%20letter%20at%20the%20post%20office%20versus%20dropping%20it%20in%20a%20local%20mailbox%20to%20get%20to%20the%20recipient%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14179)
-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
