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.
Most of the mail that we take out is sorted ahead of time into trays, but there is always some "residual mail" that has to be hand sorted and sometimes collated in with the mail that has already been sorted. It is rare that these trays would be more than 20 lbs. in my estimation. Some offices have more automation than others meaning some offices still have to do a lot of manual sorting. While there are sometimes heavy packages to lift, I think the max. Is 70 lbs. and i don't see a parcel that heavy too often. The mail that I mentioned earlier comes sorted into trays is done by automated sorting machines located at a larger processing facility.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20was%20reading%20articles%20about%20mailmen%20and%20one%20person%20said%20he%20lifted%2075%20pound%20trays%20to%20take%20mail%20from%20%28for%20sorting%20into%20bins%20or%20trays%29%20before%20he%20goes%20out%20on%20his%20route.%20%20Do%20you%20do%20that%3F%20or%20is%20your%20mail%20already%20sorted%20for%20you%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9678)
I am not sure why they would leave the mail in the mailbox at the bottom of the hill. One reason is that if there is nowhere to securely put the mail at the top of the hill outside of the elements the carrier wouldn't want to leave the mail outside.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20was%20just%20wondering.%20If%20the%20mail%20carrier%20delivers%20a%20package%20to%20your%20door%2C%20is%20there%20a%20reason%20why%20he%20chooses%20to%20leave%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20mail%20in%20the%20mailbox%3F%20I%20have%20a%20long%20driveway%20atop%20a%20hill%2C%20so%20why%20not%20bring%20it%20all%20up%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10097)
The Missing mail would likely be returnEd to the sender and not kept at the PO. if I were the carrier and I saw mail with a name I wasn't familiar with, I think I would deliver it and if each time the letter was not returned to me with a notice saying "not here", I would assume it was a valid delivery. Unless you live on a rural route, there is no obligation that I'm aware of to notify what names are valid at a specific address. I generally deliver it until told otherwise.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Our%20mailbox%20has%20no%20names%20on%20it%2C%20the%20other%20day%20on%20one%20of%20our%20letters%20was%20written%20%22do%20they%20live%20here%22%20%0A%0ADoes%20that%20mean%20the%20mailman%20has%20not%20been%20delivering%20that%20persons%20mail%3F%20Would%20the%20missing%20mail%20be%20held%20at%20the%20post%20office%20or%20sent%20back%20to%20sender%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9178)
Generally, no. The reason is that if an item shows up after the mailman has left for their route, the new incoming mail may not even have been sorted yet. Furthermore, most POs have policy against giving out mail over the counter that is intended to be delivered by a letter carrier. I can't speak as to what your specific PO would do, but generally the answer would be no as stated above.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=can%20you%20go%20to%20your%20local%20post%20office%20to%20see%20if%20something%20you%20were%20waiting%20for%20showed%20up%20after%20the%20mailman%20left%20to%20deliver%20your%20mail%20that%20day%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9217)
Fashion Model
How much do promo girls at convention booths get paid?
Bracketologist
Where do you think the Selection Committee needs the most improvement?
Border Patrol Agent
When you catch an illegal alien crossing the border, is he deported immediately?
As long as the letter carrier knows that the unit is vacant and doesn't deliver it there, the SSI ck will eventually find its why back to the issuing govt agency where it will probably stay until they get a valid address from you as to where to send the SSI cks in the future.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Ok%20I%20receive%20ssi%20but%20the%20apt%20I%20have%20my%20cheek%20going%20to%20is%20vacant%20now%20so%20will%20my%20check%20go%20back%20to%20the%20post%20office%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13324)
Generally if the item fits in your mailbox and doesn't require a signature it would be put in your mailbox. This includes First Class Mail with Delivery Confirmation (which rarely would require a signature unless the sender requests it). I hope that is what happens in your case. You may not have read my other replies on this forum but I do a lot of hedging in my answers due to the lack of consistency in delivery and procedures which I hear about both where I work and other places around the country. Also, I don't like to give misinformation or mislead anybody. As much as I know how things should be done with regards to mail delivery, the reality is it doesn't always work out that way. Thank you for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20expecting%20an%20envelope%20that%20was%20shipped%20via%20First%20Class%20Mail%20with%20Delivery%20Confirmation.%20Will%20it%20be%20delivered%20to%20my%20mailbox%20or%20to%20my%20door%3F%20I%20am%20asking%20because%20I%20would%20like%20it%20to%20be%20delivered%20to%20the%20mailbox%20because%20I%20won%27t%20be%20home.%20Thanks%21&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11948)
If the package is supposed to be delivered Monday, I would see if you could somehow contact (via phone or email) your local PO early Monday AM and see if they could "intercept" the package before returning it to the sender. I know some POs would be very helpful and others not at all. This is a sad aspect of the company that I work for. We are sometimes overwhelmed and feel we don't have the time to go the extra step to help out in a situation like yours. Somebody would need to go look at the parcels for the route which covers your house and try to find the parcel and correct the address. If you don't know how to contact your local PO, please call 1-888-ASK-USPS to see if they have any suggestions. I wish you well.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20ordered%202%20items%20and%20stupidly%20but%20the%20wrong%20house%20number%20on%20the%20delivery%20information.I%20just%20checked%20my%20tracking%20and%20it%20says%20being%20returned%20to%20sender%2CI%20have%20another%20package%20being%20sorted%20at%20the%20moment%20probably%20out%20for%20delivery%20Mon.How%20do%20I%20stop%20same%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12722)
-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
