Mail Carrier

[holdthegluten]

Can anyone tell me if persuing a carrer for the postal service as a mail carrier would be a low stress job.........Im not concerned with making a lot of money, but looking for a peaceful job that doesnt require constant goal meeting (like sales jobs). Does anyone know of a mailman that loves his job?

[ravenwoodglass]

I know a couple. One just retired and he loved it. He of course didn't need to worry about having a bathroom handy. If I hadn't been diagnosed so late it is a job I would have loved. Do be sure you don't mind walking in the rain or snow though. Most that work for the post office do it for a very, very long time. At least in my city.

[Mom23boys]

Can anyone tell me if persuing a carrer for the postal service as a mail carrier would be a low stress job.........Im not concerned with making a lot of money, but looking for a peaceful job that doesnt require constant goal meeting (like sales jobs). Does anyone know of a mailman that loves his job?

My Dad didn't seem to think of it as low stress. The supervisors didn't know up from down - Dad's supervisor couldn't reason his way out of a cardboard box. Dad was lucky and on a good route with great people but you are still dealing with people. Grandma X expects her mail at 11:00. If you get it there at 11:01 she is calling and complaining. Holiday time was horrible with all the extra work load. He was always home 2-3 hours late at that time. I could go on.

[Darn210]

My grandfather was one for years and years. Now my uncle is one. He was a substitute carrier until a position opened up. This is in my home town of about 3000 people. I can't imagine anything being a high stress job there. In my hometown, it seems the only way a mail carrying job opens up is when someone retires.

You ARE working Saturdays though . . .

[debmidge]

1) also possibly working Sundays if you don't have a route and work inside

2) If you are in icy-winter cold areas and/or are prone to colds and bronchitis it might not be a good idea to deliver mail

3) Top problem however I see is BATHROOM facilities....I'd gladly let my mail carrier use my bathroom if he asked me on the "QT" to use it. I've been there, done that in my life.

4) Our carriers sometimes have to do 2 routes if a co worker is out on vacation or disability - so sometimes the mail is delivered later than normal due to this. This is not the carrier's fault however.

I could never do this job as I am #2 and #3 above.

[home-based-mom]

I retired from the Postal Service after 33 years. I did not carry mail, but worked in facilities where carriers worked. I worked in retail and finance, and also supervised those areas. Stations are usually one huge room so everybody with a brain picks up a lot of info about the "other" craft - in this case letter carriers.

Read my lips: at least when you first start, being a letter carrier is NOT a low stress job.

You have absolutely NO say what hours you work, how many hours you work, what days you work, what route you will have, etc. Mail is delivered 6 days a week and when you first start you might work all six - just not 8 hours a day. Six hours a day six days a week is 36 hours - no overtime.

There are standards to be met, and they are not as easy as some may think. You have 30 day, 60 day, and 80 day evaluations and if you don't measure up to the goals set for you (not just you - set for everyone) then you don't pass probation and you are gone.

Routes (and vacations) are bid on strictly by seniority, so depending on the dynamics of your area and the station where you would work, after 10 years you might get a good route, or if there are enough people younger than you (so they won't retire before you) but have more seniority than you because they are already there, you could work 30 years and never get a good route.

There are some really nice routes out there with nice customers and few dogs (a bigger problem than almost everybody realizes) and plenty of strategically placed bathrooms (usually on business routes) but when you first start you seldom even get to sub on those.

Yes there is that supervisor issue. Some are intelligent and articulate and sensitive to the fact that you are a human being. Some are none of the above.

If you are looking for a job with little or no stress, this isn't it. Trust me.

[Lisa]

Ever heard of the term "Going Postal" When postal workers, overstressed, go crazy.

Other pursuits may be more of an option.

I do certianly admire those who work for the Postal Service. Remembering three years ago when we we hit directly from Hurricane Isabel. You could not manuver through the streets, due to fallen trees, wires and fallen utilitiy polls and flooded streets with a car or by foot, but the darn Postman somehow delivered the mail. Amazing.

[home-based-mom]

Ever heard of the term "Going Postal" When postal workers, overstressed, go crazy.

You have no idea how most postal workers hate that term. If you read the reports, more often than not it was a case if displaced aggression when the crazed person with a gun was angry at family members and took the anger out in the work place. Admittedly not always, but most of the time. Also, when a factory worker or a hairdresser or office manager does the same thing, their occupation is either not mentioned or is mentioned in passing, as an afterthought.

But then who said life was fair!

I do certianly admire those who work for the Postal Service. Remembering three years ago when we we hit directly from Hurricane Isabel. You could not manuver through the streets, due to fallen trees, wires and fallen utilitiy polls and flooded streets with a car or by foot, but the darn Postman somehow delivered the mail. Amazing.

This is the kind of things postal workers like to hear. Most of them are dedicated hard workers who really do care about their customers.

[jerseyangel]

[This is the kind of things postal workers like to hear. Most of them are dedicated hard workers who really do care about their customers.

I agree My uncle was a letter carrier his whole career until he retired. I've had some wonderful mailpeople--when we lived in North Jersey we had a brand new home that we moved into in February. The road and the driveway were not finished yet and were a muddy mess. The lady who delivered our mail went above and beyond her job--at times hand delivering things to my door.

My current mailperson is a lovely older lady who is deaf. Does her job like nobody's business

[Lisa]

While reading this thread, I got the feeling that the mail man (person), may be the last bastion of personal service.

In this age of cell phone, texting, computers, e-taxes, e-everything, I am afraid that mail delivery by foot may lost in the near future. It still rings of 1950's good old days - mail man, milk man, egg man. ( , a VERY VAGUE recall)

Yes, a noble profession.

[Green12]

Yes, a noble profession.

So true.

This thread got me thinking about this charming little Gary Marshall movie that is a favorite of mine called Dear God.

Greg Kinnear stars in it and his character leads this quirky group of postal employees in standing up against the establishment. They decide to answer the "Dear God" letters the post office receives, by the hundreds and thousands that just sit there, and answer people's prayers.

[luvs2eat]

We recently moved to rural Arkansas and today is hubby's first day as the Saturday relief carrier. It's been a ridiculous hiring process and trust me... he is so stressed right now, he's wondering about keeping the job at all!

The hiring process involved:

An Interview

Testing

3... count 'em... 3 trips to the state capitol (a 4-hour drive each way) for a physical, driving test, and 2 orienations that were 4 days each.

On the job training, for which he worked 2 8-hour days but will only get paid for 4 hours.

They told him there that about 75% bail on the job within the first few months.

He's gone in to the post office several times on his own time (no pay) to learn the process cause he wants to do a good job!

His route today is an 8.5 hour route... when he left this morning, he said, "I hope I'm home by 7 pm... which will be 12 hours. He'll get paid for 8.5.

I know it'll get easier, but it's anything but relaxing at the moment. The guy who does the regular route is a great guy who hubby is happy to help out w/ any days off, etc., but hubby says the postmaster is a real jerk.

[jayhawkmom]

When I was in 6th grade, I was "elected" as the Postmaster for our town, during our government days. I got to spend a good portion of my day with the actual postmaster. Then I spent some time in the mail room, but I was not allowed to go out on a route. I remember that day SO well! =)

My cousin was a mail carrier for years and years... up until retirement. He loved it, but claimed it was not an easy job, even in our small town.

I remember our mail carrier from when I was a child. He always brought my sister and I, along with the other kids in my neighborhood, suckers, candy canes, and lollipops every Christmas. =)

[home-based-mom]

For everyone's info (if you care!) luvs2eat is talking about a "Rural Carrier" position which differs a bit from a "City Carrier" position.

If a Rural Carrier's route is determined to be 8

[home-based-mom]

For everyone's info (if you care!) luvs2eat is talking about a "Rural Carrier" position which differs a bit from a "City Carrier" position.

If a Rural Carrier's route is determined to be 8

[luvs2eat]

You're right hbm... the guy who's been there for years can do the route (rural) in 8.5 hours. It's now 7 pm and hubby doesn't think he'll be home for a few more hours yet... cause he's gotta finish, no matter how long it takes!

His poor butt is killing him from trying to drive on the wrong side of the road (no mail trucks here)... I see a hiney rub in my future... haha.

[Generic]

I come from a postal family. My dad started as a mail carrier. He had what was called a walk and loop route. You park the jeep and make a loop on foot. He used to come home with huge blood blisters on his feet. Then there was the dog attacks and the cranky old people like was mentioned. He eventually switched to the BMC (bulk mail center). I worked with him and my brother-in-law there. I was just a "casual" (temp employee"). It is a great job, great benefits etc. But as was mentioned the holidays are a nightmare. You work 7 days a week with mandatory overtime until you work up the ladder.

Side note, for all those who send Christmas packages through the mail. Please for the sake of the sanity of the postal workers, PLEASE DO NOT WRAP THE PRESENTS IN CHRISTMAS PAPER, THEN WRITE THE ADDRESS ON IT! I can't tell you how many packages I had to tape back together. If you think about it wrapping paper is meant to be ripped. LOL