So JoeRR2,

Do you take "non postage bearing material" out of your mail boxes?? I go above and beyond for my customers all the time, but when it comes to non bearing "postage" material in the boxes, I draw the line. There are no exceptions, and I have never waivered on this issue.

I would like to see the JoesRR2 list to "Exceptions" to this rule??

I go out of my way for my patrons. I know my patrons. They like me.
I will stay at that front door for a Long Time waiting to see if anyone is home!!

Consistency Joe is always the key to being a good rural carrier.

Edited by author 11-21-2009 11:34 PM
Older, /m21559, Did I read this correctly??

When delivering I always check for an unlocked door first

I would have to firmly caution you against that. No way no how would I open a customers door to put parcels inside their home.

If their home is every burglarized, you will be on the top of the suspect list.

I know you are trying to provide a service to your customers, but believe me, if something happens, they will say, hey, we do leave the door open and the mail carrier puts parcels in here..

And what if you opened a door and surprised someone and they pulled out a gun or something.. Just seems like a really bad idea in my mind..

I do not go through gates or doors, and I will not put them in a vehicle in their driveway. Doing this could some day open up a can of worms you might not want to get into...

LOL...... Sorry Noreaster, I've allowed myself to be drawn in enough for today, and it has been a long day. Do things as you see fit. My exceptions to the rules.. I don't see where I've I made any, I can see where I've gone beyond the book to get things done for my patrons. I've said absolutely nothing about what YOU should or should not remove from a mailbox that has or has not had postage put on it, nor have I questioned any method you use in anything you do, so just what is YOUR issue? Is your other posting name patS2?

What I can't see is why you continue this line? Are you concerned? Or just being a wise guy? As I said, do what you wish on your route, it's your route!

I'm sure your patrons are perfectly happy with you and do like you. That's a really good thing. I'm well liked on my route too! I've been carrying for these same people since 94, and know the majority of the patrons QUITE well.

I do nothing on my route that my management is unaware or disapproving of. Not that it concerns you to start with.

You are entitled to your opinions, just as I am. But, unless I direct something to you, or take aim at something towards you, you have no issue.

In answer to your request, again, there is no JOERR2 list of exceptions to anything. I look into what is allowable, I look into various interpretations of issues to see what can and cannot be done, without risking a career, and I take issue when things are wrong to try and get them corrected.

Sleep well

Noreaster

Then again, maybe I'm just tired and cranky. If you weren't being a wise guy, I apologize.... I've just had my share of bs from people I don't even know today, such as Pats2. Your post, intended or not, appeared to me to be out of line, and could just be me being defensive after a long day. I'm going to take it as that, rather than be pissed off, because other than that, there is no issue. I hope I am correct in correcting myself at this point.

Again, if you didn't mean for it to be an issue, please accept my apology...BUT.. if you were intending it as any kind of dig.. well, let's leave it at that

i have 2 big e-bay customers ...1 leaves a big rubber trash can at the curb..the other a rubber storage box on the porch (both with lids)..all delivery services can use them to leave parcels :))

Form 50's dated yesterday at liteblue have your new pay. $61860 for a 5 1/2 day part time job not bad. Before I get the bull about "Just wait till after count" let me inform you I was eligable for social security last year and usps retirement 8 years ago. As long as things remain positive for me I will be here. A little negative and an RCA gets his first regular route.

/m21563 Different neighborhoods, I guess. I leave my car keys in my car in the driveway (at home,not at work). I suppose we have keys to our house doors somewhere, but I couldn't tell you where, because we never lock them. I imagine it's pretty much the same for customers on the routes. If I lived in one of the bigger places around here, Ogdensburg or Massena, or even Canton or Potsdam, I might do things differently.

OK let me mod that a bit. I will check garage service doors on urban houses if there is no protected place to leave things. When I get to the true rural part of the route the back door, mud room area is fair game for checking, leaving packages. It is probably a regional thing but the farmers have an out of the weather unlocked mud room and that is where the driveway leads to also. I am an odd duck no doubt. But I do things how I do things, If I get fired it's the PO's loss not mine. I have already been yelled at for doing dismounts for blocked boxes, I still tend to do it. Burglary? Heck I know about every cop in the county. I am not too worried.
When I look in the mirror at night I can say I did my job the best way I know how and can shut off the light and have a good nights sleep. I understand we can't all be so righteous but that's where I am in life.

JoeRR2,

Definitely "not" being a wise guy, but it seems you and other people are talking about what they do in specific situations on their route.

The Black and White thing again?? I appreciate your comments on what "you" do in respect to your customers.

I just wanted one simple question answered by you about "non postage bearing material", and I did not get an answer! Joe, I am not bating you either:)
I've been a rural carrier a heck of a lot longer than you, and am just looking for an honest answer to this question.

The "Exceptions" that I refer to are what gets us in trouble. Most issues which you talk about seem to me to be pretty much standard. The issues we have as rural carriers is when we do things "our way".

My issue with "non postage bearing material" is one that I have disciplined myself, "and my customers" over the years, and I take the issue of USPS revenue to heart, because it influences my job.

Overall Joe, this issue is not directed at just you, but everyone who frequents this board.

Bottom line Joe, "If you don't pull the non postage material out of mail boxes, "you are not doing your job"!! You want to sell it to me otherwise?? It will never fly.

Some may say that this is small time potatoes. I say it all adds up, and the way things are adding up, in my office, we've got a truck load of potatoes in the dump truck!!

FYI Joe- I'll give you another one which I'm sure we all have "our opinions" on. Postage Dues?? 25 years ago Joe, there was a rural carrier in my office who paid for most postage dues upfront for his carriers. He kept a "log" of the postage dues and what his customers owed him. He was one of the nicest guys you would ever meet. You know where I'm going with this Joe?? As the nicest guy in the world, his postage due "bills" to his customers over the years hit the $500. mark!! It effected him so much that he resigned as a rural carrier and became a Clerk!! He used to tell me how he couldn't sleep at night because of the $$ that his customers owed him. I told him to just STOP paying for the PD's, and leave the slip. It was too late at this point.

Joe, By the way- Your statement about having any "exceptions" to the rules, and not seeing where you've made any?? "Do things as you see fit??"
"I've gone "beyond the book to get things done for my patrons??'

These are called "exceptions" Joe:)

I'll let the patS2 question slide Joe:)

If praying for a guy I know as JoeRR2 at church every Sunday during the prayers and concerns time is a "wise guy" MO. I guess I'm that guy.

Have a good Sunday Joe.

/m21567 Congrats to you old timer!!! As a sub...I got to say...we are chomping at the bit behind you ...the regulars in my office joke..that we watch them like wolves!! lol

To your post (as a sub) I would say...why end on a negative? lmao!!! go out on a positive note..at the time of your choice..and while you are young enough to enjoy yourself...arent we awful? bunch of young route grubbers!!!

Dont take offense now..im just goshing with ya..I know sometimes both humor and sarcasm dont come across well on the net..im trying for the former here..not that latter!!

Hey guys , some customers just aren't home when we deliver. We know most places we can leave a parcel, we try for customer service. (not like UPS) If we have to bring a pkg back, we can always just deliver the next day if we know they usually are home. But what it boils down to is we want to supply the customer service we know our customers expect. Do what works at your office. Why the big debate??

Nor...good, glad I was just overtired and over medicated.

Although I understand little Jenny's mom wanting to put the party invitations in all the neighborhood boxes, it is still a no-no. I treat them like anything else that should not be in a box without postage. If I know it was Jenny's mom, and Jenny lives on the route, i take them to her and explain the requirements, and apologize for not being able to accept them as it could be a problem for me.

Other things, like someone leaving business cards, lawn care bills, anything, still get pulled and given to the supervisor, as would Jenny's cards if I did not give them to her mother. It ALL goes back, no exception, because I am not Post Master, and it isn't my decesion to make.

My concern is, over all the years I have brought things back into the office, I have never seen where sup has ever done anything with it. I feel I am wasting my effort to bring it all back, but I do it anyway because it is our job. No exceptions to it.

KNOWN Valuables... If I find something I know is of value, I get on the cell phone and call the sup for HIS instructions... usually which ends up me bagging the item (with one of the bads PATS2 doesn't like me using)trying the door, and then leaving a notice and bringing it in just like a parcel. HIGH VALUE.... on more than one occasion I have found large amounts of cash, someone was leaving for pickup by a landlord or such as a payment for services left in an unsecured mailbox. In those cases, I do not touch, I call management and tell them I am sitting at the box, waiting for them to come retrieve it.

I agree.. I didn't put it in, it hasn't got postage to go out, it don't belong there.

Postage due... I pay alot of postage dues for my patrons, but I limit it, usually I have a stopping point of $1. I do not keep a log, probably because I WOULD be shocked to see how much I have given away over the years. I do look at it differently tho, because I do a great level in Christmas Gratuities. I figure I've been given back much more than I have given away. IF I have a paticular patron that has made a habit of stiffing me on the postage dues, he no longer gets the benefit, and has to come to his door to get his mail. Regs allow us to be nice, but do not allow us to recover losses. That one is for OUR convenience, and if it costs us, it is our loss. I still think I have come out ahead overall.

I look at an EXCEPTION as a negative. If you have a list of DON'Ts in the book, and you do it anyway, you have made an exception to the rules. If it isn't COVERED by the rules, and you do it, over and above the rules, it isn't an exception, it is an EXTRA, a completely different thing. IF my manager were to say, "Joe, you think you are an exception to the rules" he's saying I am not doing proper, and I think I don't have to do as the others do. that gives Exception a negative twist. Therefore, no exceptions...follow me?

Remember, I apologized in the second post and admitted I had read your questions with a jaded eye...which you didn't deserve... I was at a bad moment when I responded the first time, and am sorry. the do things as you see fit and the other... can we call that a shortage of sedatives???

I let the bs from all day build up on me, and I unfairly let you take the brunt of it.

Nor, and the rest of you that pray for me, add a line in there to help me increase my tolerance and understanding...please. :)

Risk level determines what and when I leave anything. Too much risk leaving a box of cd's or dvd's at a multi door entrance at an apartment complex, where I average more than one COA per year per address...lol

Out in the country, where families have owned the property for generations, and if they aren't blood related, they have been in-laws forever, not much risk in leaving anything out for them.

If I leave it, and it is reported lost or missing, I knew the risk when I left it. If I have to answer to the PM because an apartment dwelling gypsy is upset because he has to come to the PO because I left a notice...I guess I'll just have to suck that one up...but at least he WILL get what was mailed to him.

Way to easy in "urban" sections of the route for a "walkby" liberation of postal deliveries.

JoeRR2,

I think we're on the same page. We all need to increase our tolerance and understanding during these trying times as a rural carrier.

Happy Sunday:)

Nor, drop in at the ruralinfo rural connect chat.. can have live discussions on stuff