USPS Rant

[CutBaitNBlowSh*tUp4ALivin]

Is a carrier under any obligation whatsoever to get out of their vehicle to deliver mail in a neighborhood that is entirely curbside mailboxes?

We have this new (maybe 6 months on the route) lady that skips alot of the houses on the street every trash day because trash runs first and those guys just toss the cans back to the curb, and they don't care who they inconvenience.
She's also left notes on cars parked at the curb, and marked several of my neighbors packages undeliverable because of a parked car. The trash day delay has happened to me twice or thrice but there's never been a car parked at my mailbox to block her. She usually comes by while I'm outside waiting for the school bus and there have been probably 20 times this school year I've seen her stop next to a parked car, and heard her beep a package, then drive on. The three houses to the right of me seem to miss more mail than they get on the first day it's on the truck.
Just curious

 

[Pstmstr]

Is a carrier under any obligation whatsoever to get out of their vehicle to deliver mail in a neighborhood that is entirely curbside mailboxes?

We have this new (maybe 6 months on the route) lady that skips alot of the houses on the street every trash day because trash runs first and those guys just toss the cans back to the curb, and they don't care who they inconvenience.
She's also left notes on cars parked at the curb, and marked several of my neighbors packages undeliverable because of a parked car. The trash day delay has happened to me twice or thrice but there's never been a car parked at my mailbox to block her. She usually comes by while I'm outside waiting for the school bus and there have been probably 20 times this school year I've seen her stop next to a parked car, and heard her beep a package, then drive on. The three houses to the right of me seem to miss more mail than they get on the first day it's on the truck.
Just curious

The rule when I was there was a carrier is required to dismount to serve a "temporarily blocked" box. It is the customers responsibility to keep the path to and from the box clear so the carrier can serve it from the vehicle. I put my trash can about 20 feet from the mailbox to avoid that problem. Plenty of room to maneuver in to and away from the box even if the can falls over when the trash guys empty it.

 

[CutBaitNBlowSh*tUp4ALivin]

The rule when I was there was a carrier is required to dismount to serve a "temporarily blocked" box. It is the customers responsibility to keep the path to and from the box clear so the carrier can serve it from the vehicle. I put my trash can about 20 feet from the mailbox to avoid that problem. Plenty of room to maneuver in to and away from the box even if the can falls over when the trash guys empty it.

My entire frontage is only about 8 feet long, and when someone parks there they block two driveways, so no one ever parks there. Cul-de-sac life.
The carrier before her delivered for us for nearly a decade and he was the kind of fella nice enough to deserve a Christmas card

 

[Pstmstr]

My entire frontage is only about 8 feet long, and when someone parks there they block two driveways, so no one ever parks there. Cul-de-sac life.
The carrier before her delivered for us for nearly a decade and he was the kind of fella nice enough to deserve a Christmas card

Maybe this carrier will learn who just blocks a box once in a while versus who doesn't care. My neighbor has up to 7 cars at their house. All nice new ones and doesn't seem to care. They don't park in front of my house so to each their own.

 

[elwoodtrix]

What happens when the mailbox is blocked most of the time? Does the mail back up, making for a bigger delivery as the days go on?

 

[Pstmstr]

What happens when the mailbox is blocked most of the time? Does the mail back up, making for a bigger delivery as the days go on?

It's held at the post office for pick up with a letter informing the customer of why. If it's just a couple of days the carrier will probably take it back out. If not, and the customer doesn't pick it up in 30 days the First Class mail is returned to sender and the bulk is discarded. That very rarely happens.

 

[DRC458]

Once again, we wound up with a very good full time carrier serving our route. The part timers/fill-ins ... eh, not so much. Our regular carrier goes out of his way to take care of us. Our mail box is across the street (rural route) and the neighbors frequently put their trash dumpsters out blocking our box. No problem. He'll get out and deposit the mail, get back in his truck, back up, go around and probably do the same thing several times on our street alone!

 

[Chuckie]

Maybe you and I should combine our super powers and come up with another option for the masses

Anyone know what the postal service is like in other countries? Are they private, or gov operated? Is it efficient and trustworthy?

The German Postal Service (Deutsche Post) is government run and is both fast and efficient, but expensive. DHL International shipping is a subsidiary of the Deutsche Post.

 

[Camo]

I’m not sure why we have USPS. All I ever get is junk mail. I go from my mailbox to the trash can. Maybe I should put my trash can where my mailbox is and put my house number on it?

They would put all your junk mail in someone else’s trash can.

 

[Pstmstr]

They would put all your junk mail in someone else’s trash can.

Quoting a post from March actually there is no requirement to have a mailbox if you don't want mail. They will discard the bulk and return any first class mail with a no receptacle endorsement. Problem solved.