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.
I think it's likely to just come back to you a day or 2 later since it was unopened and didn't say "unknown" or "return to sender". I hope you get back your unopened piece of mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20think%20I%20put%20an%20unopened%20letter%20that%20was%20already%20delivered%20to%20me%20in%20a%20post%20office%20mailbox%20by%20mistake.%20%20What%27s%20going%20to%20happen%20to%20it%3F%20%20Will%20it%20come%20back%20to%20me%2C%20go%20to%20the%20sender%20or%20what%3F%20%20Thank%20you.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9182)
As a regular city carrier, your work day is 8 hours plus 30 min. Or 1 hr. lunch. You can't go home if you finish your route early. Rural carriers can get off as soon as they finish their route. For some that may be as little as 5 hrs/day. they are paid on a different pay schedule which is based more on mail volume than time on the clock.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=You%20said%20you%20work%208%20hour%20days%20from%20roughly%207%20to%204%20with%20breaks%20thrown%20in%20between.%20Do%20you%20have%20to%20work%208%20hours%20or%20can%20you%20get%20off%20as%20soon%20as%20you%20finish%20your%20route%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9111)
Congratulations on being hired as a CCA for the USPS. I would recommend wearing a comfortable shirt and comfortable walking shoes. Shorts should be allowed as well if you are working in a warmer climate. If orientation is at a centralized office the first day and you won't be delivering mail, please ask the USPS employee that question. You may also call the station you are assigned to and they might have a suggestion as well. They may give you a baseball cap to wear or maybe you can bring your own. Be sure to be bring water and a lunch as well. As far as I know orientation is part classroom, part driver-training, and part on-the-job (where you follow or assist a letter carrier on their route). I hope this helps and Good Luck to you!
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=hi%2C%20I%20have%20gotten%20hired%20as%20a%20CCA%20and%20start%20my%20orientation%20on%20the%2029th.%20%20My%20question%20is%20if%20we%20don%27t%20get%20uniforms%20for%2090%20to%20120%20days%20or%20so%2C%20what%20do%20we%20need%20to%20wear%20as%20far%20as%20clothes%20and%20shoe%20wear%20go%3F%20and%20also%20how%20long%20is%20orientation%3F%20Thanks&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/8678)
The rate does seem a bit slow for a residential walking route. I don't know what the rate should be, except I could probably deliver at a rate of 1 house per minute or less. But you being a newer carrier you understandably would go slower than that.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Another%20question.%20As%20CCA%2C%20I%20got%20a%20residntl%20RT%20with%20half%20the%20mailboxes%20at%20the%20front%20door%20and%20half%20on%20pedestals%20in%20the%20landscaping.%20My%20avg%20is%202min%2030sec%20per%20home%20for%20first%20or%20second%20time%20on%20RT.%20Is%20this%20too%20slow%3F%20Should%20it%20be%202min%20or%201min45sec%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9215)
Small Website Owner
What made you go the entrepreneur route after college instead of a typical job?
Programmer
Is Mark Zuckerberg really a genius programmer? Or was he just lucky?
Stand-Up Comedian
What types of crowds are the worst for you to to perform for?
I can't cite any legal regulations here due to my lack of knowledge on this subject. I would recommend that you return any mail that comes to your address with their name or give it to them directly. It sounds to me that you don't want to do either of those suggestions. Technically, I can't see where you are wrong in keeping or discarding the mail/packages you are referring to but I believe it is morally wrong to keep these items and not return them or give them to your neighbor. If you don't have a good relationship with this neighbor, you could just put the mail back in your mailbox or a blue USPS collection box and write on the mail "person doesn't live at this address." Again, in my opinion, the choice is yours what you do with this mail. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Do%20you%20have%20a%20legal%20obligation%20to%20return%20mail%20if%20it%20has%20your%20address%2C%20but%20your%20neighbors%20name%3F%20Even%20if%20said%20neighbors%20are%20aware%20they%20are%20using%20incorrect%20address%2C%20but%20continue%20to%20do%20so%20anyway.%20This%20includes%20bills%2C%20special%20order%20packages.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12586)
I don't have any specific recommendations with regards to brands to purchase fro regular shoes. The shoes that are purchased with the uniform allowance have to bear the SR/USA tag which I believe stands for Slip Resistant/United States of America. I just make sure that I have footwear that will keep my feet dry and warm in inclement weather. If it snows, I wear my regular workshoes but have high rubber slip resistant waterproof boots. The brand of those are Tingley Weather-Tuff Stretch high-top 10"boots, or the Weather-Tuff Stretch Rubber Overshoes (which is good for rain, but not more than a couple of inches of snow to walk through). Thank you for your question as good footwear is vital to making it through a workday comfortably.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20you%20recommend%20particular%20shoes%20and%20snow%20boots%20for%20letter%20carriers%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11176)
Your q came in twice so I deleted the second one. I don't know that you can tell which mailbox a letter was sent from. When a carrier picks up letters from the blue collection boxes or from a residence, they commingle those letters with all of the others thatb have been picked up and generally get sent to a mail processing for sorting.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20it%20possible%20to%20tell%20the%20location%20of%20the%20mailbox%20where%20a%20letter%20was%20mailed%20from%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9083)
-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
