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.
This definitely happens all the time. I would hope that we try to deliver every package but if we haven't organized our deliveries well enough, we may forget to deliveran online purchase. The parcel would then be brought back to the Post Office and probably be delivered the next delivery day.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20happens%20if%20the%20mailman%20forgets%20to%20put%20an%20online%20purchase%20in%20your%20mailbox%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15407)
The main reasons for a mail route to change for a city carrier is because a route/assignment has come up for bid (Another carrier has retired/transferred/bid to another route) and one carrier decides to bid for the available route so they'd leave their current route. That is the most common reason. It's possible you could have the same carrier for many years or a route may be so large or undesirable that it's like a revolving door as to who delivers your mail. One other reason for a new carrier is if the office restructures the routes and different streets go to different letter carriers. Where I work I've only seen this a couple of times in 15 years. This would be more common if there was a lot of new construction in a town. Assignments or routes are awarded to the carrier with the highest seniority who desire it. That is how the bidding system works. Thanks for submitting your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20notice%20I%20have%20a%20different%20mail%20carrier..%20How%20often%20does%20a%20route%20change%20for%20city%20mail%20carriers%3F%20Why%20would%20it%20change%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15198)
Kim, that is generally what would happen if you came up to my postal vehicle to hand me outgoing letters. I have a small square tray which is raised on 4 sides where I put the outgoing letters and bring back to the post office for dispatch. Some use a bin or a larger tray depending on the outgoing mail volume. So in a word, nothing to worry about it and good question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=The%20mail%20man%20came%20to%20my%20house%20before%20I%20could%20put%20the%202%20letter%20I%20needed%20to%20mail%20out%20so%20I%20chased%20him%20down%20since%20I%20heard%20the%20truck.%20He%20looked%20at%20the%202%20letters%20and%20then%20dumped%20it%20into%20a%20white%20bin%20by%20his%20legs.%20Is%20this%20what%27s%20supposed%20to%20happen%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16231)
They might. If you are on a rural delivery route, I believe it is part of the carrier's job to mail items for the customers (at the customer's expense, of course) and deliver them stamps if they request them and pay for it. If you live on a city delivery route, it's probably up to the individual carrier if they will fulfill your request or not. I believe you can purchase stamps online and they'll be sent to you or there is an option for stamps by mail. In the latter option, you fill out a form and enclose a check and the USPS will deliver your stamps in a couple of days. I don't see any of those options used too often where I deliver mail but I can't speak for other post offices.
Try this URL:
https://store.usps.com/store/
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20leave%20money%20and%20a%20note%20for%20a%20book%20of%20stamps%20in%20my%20mailbox%20will%20my%20mailman%20deliver%20me%20stamp&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15212)
Call Center Employee (Retail)
What's the meanest thing someone's said to you on the phone?
Emergency Room Manager
What is the most bizarre thing you've seen in your ER?
Flight Attendant
What kinds of passengers annoy you the most?
I wouldn't recommend it unless you put a stamp on the envelope. The reason I say this is because the mailbox is only supposed to be used for US Mail with proper postage. That being said, if you leave the envelope in the mailbox clearly marked for the recipient company or resident with no postage it's possible the letter carrier would notice it and just leave it in the mailbox. That is what I would do but I can't speak for another letter carrier who isn't paying attention and just takes an envelope that looks like it could be outgoing mail. If you put the payment envelope in the mailbox with the address and postage it could be taken as outgoing mail but you can rest assured it will get to the recipient within a couple of days as a regular piece of mail. If possible, could you find an alternate place to put the payment or pay electronically?
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20need%20to%20leave%20a%20payment%20for%20a%20company%20and%20she%20is%20not%20home.%20..can%20I%20leave%20the%20payment%20in%20an%20envelope%20in%20her%20mailbox&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15910)
Definitely. It's never been an issue as far as I know to take a bathroom break as needed even if it means leaving the street you are delivering mail on to go use a lavatory at a public business. That's what I usually do. I'll leave my route and go to a gas station or the public library that are near my route as needed. It doesn't have to be an emergency.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20you%20leave%20a%20street%20you%20are%20delivering%20mail%20on%20to%20use%20the%20restroom%20in%20a%20emergency%20and%20then%20return%20to%20that%20street%20and%20continue%20where%20you%20left%20off....%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16174)
I am not too familiar with the outgoing mail gray business boxes. Was it inside a business that was on your run? It's not against any laws to mail a letter from an outgoing business gray box. As long as there is sufficient postage on the letter I don't see why you can't mail that from anywhere. It should be no problem at all. I just wouldn't know the schedule as to when the mail was picked up. If the letter carrier had already taken the mail for the day from the business gray box, it will likely get picked up the following delivery day.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20it%20against%20the%20law%20to%20mail%20a%20letter%20from%20a%20business%20outgoing%20box%3F%20I%20went%20on%20a%20run%20thinking%20that%20I%20would%20find%20a%20Blue%20box%20and%20all%20I%20found%20was%20an%20outgoing%20business%20gray%20box.%20I%20put%20it%20in%20there%20not%20thinking%20anything%20of%20it%2C%20now%20I%27m%20worried.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16451)
-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
