Community Chat

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I have problems with mis-delivered mail. I'm always getting my neighbor's mail and they are getting mine. We've told the mail carrier numerous times and he still can't get it right. How hard can it be to deliver mail to the correct addresses? The house numbers are right next to the mailboxes. I'm trying hard not being sarcastic but excluding aggressive dogs how hard is it to be a mail carrier and do the job right? Am I missing something that's a part of their job description and that I'm not aware of that makes their job exceedingly difficult and makes it impossible to sort and distribute the mail properly?

*sigh*

[Marianne1]

Well, my friend has been a mail carrier (on foot, winter, summer, rain, heavy stuff) for 20 something years.

He finally got a motor route-- but, that is also interesting around here in the winter.

So, they may not all be careful with getting all the mail correct, but I know my friend works very hard. I would imagine he is careful too, knowing him--but since I am not with him I can't say for certain.

My mail woman is great.

[Lipstickdiva]

Do they sort the mail for their route or is it sorted for them?

We don't have too much of a problem getting mixed up mail and I have to say I am very, very surprised. My mail carrier walks our entire development talking on his cell phone.

[ShowMe]

Heck, I live in an apartment complex.....4 apartments per unit.....and we each have a mailbox in the front hall......and yet, the mail person refuses to separate the throwaways and just throws them on the floor. Someone has to pick them up.

Also, we do have a vacant apartment on the first floor, and there is no name on the mailbox, and yet I noticed there is mail in that mailbox.......

They don't always pay attention to their jobs. I have even heard the mail person talking on a cell phone numerous times while out in the hall. Guess that is what keeps him/her going during the day.

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You're lucky you have a great mail carrier.

Mine is never without his cell phone to his ear. He obviously isn't paying attention to what he's doing

[Allegheny]

To me it seems to be centered on the work ethic of each individual. Some people will do just enough to not get fired and others go above and beyond.

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On 2/18/2014 ShowMe said:

Heck, I live in an apartment complex.....4 apartments per unit.....and we each have a mailbox in the front hall......and yet, the mail person refuses to separate the throwaways and just throws them on the floor. Someone has to pick them up.

Also, we do have a vacant apartment on the first floor, and there is no name on the mailbox, and yet I noticed there is mail in that mailbox.......

They don't always pay attention to their jobs. I have even heard the mail person talking on a cell phone numerous times while out in the hall. Guess that is what keeps him/her going during the day.

Must be an epidemic

[Kachina624]

As with workers in any industry, some are more efficient and accurate than others. I'm lucky to have a good one except on Saturday.

[dooBdoo]

Hi, Gato! I'm lucky -- we've had the same letter carrier for years and she does a wonderful job.

When mail gets mixed up, I think part of it comes from the fact that they sort and organize it at the post office before going out to deliver. The carrier might be sorting their own, but in some cases someone else does the sorting.

Also, it's my understanding they have fairly strict policies about when they must return from the route, so they have to work quickly. In our case, some weird zoning caused a small portion of our neighborhood to be included in a route that's not even close to us. So, the carrier has to cover her main territory, cross over an area with a different zip code, and come to us for our deliveries. This tells me it can vary a lot from one route to another, the challenges they face.

Then, you add the fact that each person is different in their work ethic... I think it's not an easy job, some do it well, some do not.

[millieshops]

Interesting question - I can see that my mail carrier just arrived. On my street there are about 75 mailboxes for her to sort the mail into. Then there are maybe 10 other streets in this development and 2 of them are larger than mine. Right now, the development is the last stop for her on her daily rounds, so to finish for the day, she could be working another 2 hours into the darkness. Just last week one of the neighbors told me she'd been told to quit at 5 and just deliver the leftover mail the following day. I can't see she'd ever really catch up.

The job itself wouldn't have to be terribly difficult, but as the PO sinks further and further into debt and the carriers routes become larger and larger, I suspect the job is harder than I think it is.