23 Things Your Mail Carrier Won’t Tell You
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022Postal workers from around the country reveal the secrets of their profession and why mail is still the country's best bargain.
Mail makes the world go ’round
Ever wonder what mail carriers think about while on the job? Well wonder no more, and instead, scroll through to see inside the mind of your typical mail carrier. From dealing with dogs to battling snowy weather, the work of a mail carrier isn’t as simple as you might think. And with the U.S. Postal Service in danger of debt and decline, it’s now more important than ever to understand just how integral the mail is to our society.
Remember this on Valentine’s Day:
It takes our machines longer to read addresses on red envelopes (especially if they’re written in colored ink).
Why stand in line?
At usps.com, you can buy stamps, place a hold on your mail, change your address, and apply for passports. We even offer free package pickup and free flat-rate envelopes and boxes, all delivered right to your doorstep.
Media Mail is a bargain!
But most of you don’t know to ask for it. Sending ten pounds of books from New York City to San Francisco through Media Mail costs $7.43, compared with $19.95 for a Large Flat Rate Box. Besides books, use it to send manuscripts, DVDs, and CDs; just don’t include anything else in the package. Check out these surprising facts about the post office.
We put good-news mail on top
Paychecks, personal cards, letters—anything that looks like good news—I put those on top. Utility and credit card bills? They go under everything else. We can’t just stop giving you bills altogether, but they can be a little less stressful. Just follow these 11 tips to save on every household bill.
Sorry if I seem like I’m in a hurry
But I’m under the gun: Our supervisors tell us when to leave, how many pieces of mail to deliver, and when we should aim to be back. Then some of us scan bar codes in mailboxes along our route so they can monitor our progress. Find out what ZIP code really stands for.
Please dress properly when you come to the door
A towel wrapped around you doesn’t cut it. And we definitely don’t want to see you in your underwear—or naked!
Most of us love our jobs and the people we serve
I met my wife and my best friend because I was their postal carrier. Adorable, right?
Is it hot enough for me?
The heat index is 110°F. What do you think? Here are 10 of the craziest things people have ever shipped.
Icy conditions can be a dealbreaker
Despite the “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” motto, we’re instructed not to deliver to a mailbox if the snow and ice around it isn’t cleared. Most of us take the motto to heart, though, and do our best to deliver in even the most hazardous conditions.
We form strong bonds with the people we serve
One day while I was delivering to a woman who had been very sick, her daughter met me by the mailbox and asked me if I wanted to say goodbye to her mom. She was unconscious and didn’t know that I was there, but I held her hand and said a silent prayer for her and her family. It wasn’t even an hour later when another customer met me at his door. He was a new father, overjoyed, telling me that his wife had just given birth to his son. The whole cycle of life, in just one day.
It’s a small thing that makes my job so much easier:
Please park your car in the driveway instead of in front of the mailbox. Here are 12 of the funniest summer camp letters.
