posted on August 19, 2001 02:54:29 AM
The rural type mailbox outside my gate is too small to handle any package more than about 7 inches wide, so my carrier, almost daily, has to get out of his vehicle and place my packages (also take mine) on my porch. I think Friday he just refused to pick up my outgoing Ebay packages. Are carriers required to pick up packages that aren't placed in a box?
posted on August 19, 2001 04:00:48 AM
I don't believe they are required to pick up anything not in the box. A rural carrier is not even required to make delivery if he/she cannot get to the box due to snow, etc. Most make a great effort to deliver and pick up mail as they know how important it is. I guess, if your carrier usually picks up and delivers at your door rather than your box, I'd cut him/her some slack for the one day they didn't. (I'd also consider buying a bigger mailbox. I have the largest they make and my carrier seldom has a problem.)
posted on August 19, 2001 06:02:59 AM
I have found that a nice tip, say $20.00 at xmas time goes a long way. My carrier does me lots of extras, try it this year, see what happens
posted on August 19, 2001 06:06:21 AM
I'd say you have a great carrier for taking your packages at all. Here in northern Virginia, the mail carriers will not take ANYTHING that weighs over one pound "for security reasons" unless it is presented to a clerk across a counter inside a post office building. I don't know what those security reasons are. I have seen plenty of people, who have prestamped their packages, just hand them over the counter to a post office clerk and walk away. Then the clerk puts the packages in the outgoing pile. I don't see a whole lot of security in that as opposed to leaving it for your regular carrier, but them's the rules!
[ edited by squinkle99 on Aug 19, 2001 06:07 AM ]
posted on August 19, 2001 06:06:37 AM
i think it is time for your carrier to get an attitude adjustment. mine has developed an ebay attitude just from delivering the bulk priority boxes i order. the usps provides a pick up service for priority packages, not sure if it is the normal carrier or a special one but the service is available. I personally would contact a delivery supv and find out exactly how pick ups and drop offs are to be handled in your situation. my box is just a tiny house mounted type and my routeman has been directed to put all packages in my porch, i am not rural. i live in a historic district with the houses being 20 feet from the sidewalk, all mailboxes are attached to the houses. every so often my mailman will play games, usually just after he has delivered 20 cases of bulk priority boxes.
there is a usps rule that any pkg over 1# must be handed over the counter to a rep. they don't have to inspect it or anything they just need for the customer to directly give it to them. i had a couple returned that were over 1# that i dropped in the mail box.......
personally i feel that the any and all packages i recv. or send are p[art of the carriers job and i need to do nothing extra. it's their job, do you get a tip from your customers on your job??? beside service industry jobs that is......my guy doies not pick up pkgs. only delivers them. .......these guys have a gravey job as it is, do we need to give them extra??? hell no. if they are unhappy with the amt. of mail on their route they can bid for a different one. i say just do the job you are paid for, period.......now i must admit i do take cookies to the counter clerks at christmas.........i guess that admission just puts holes in my previous statements
[ edited by skeetypete on Aug 19, 2001 06:14 AM ]
posted on August 19, 2001 07:21:37 AM
DEFINATELY get a larger mailbox. You'll be glad you did. I have the largest they make, and love it. I've VERY remote, and my mail carrier doesn't mind leaving oversized packages on our porch, but this will handle even the large priority boxes.
posted on August 19, 2001 07:45:31 AM
Those "security rules " came from the FAA since so much mail is flown by commercial airlines. The idea is a bomber is less likely to actually come in the PO where he could be ID'd. I think a carrier on a route who KNOWS you could pick them up. Of course a bomber could add one to your pile!
posted on August 19, 2001 02:32:19 PM
it's their rule because the FAA Made them make it their rule. It's the only way mail is allowed on commercial airlines.
posted on August 19, 2001 05:01:44 PM
If you have a PC-Postage or conventional meter, the 1 lb limit is waived. You can just drop the packages in a collection box, give it to your carrier, whatever.
Along with the meter stamp, the USPS/FAA unofficially looks for a nice clear *return* address which gives them a warm and fuzzy prior to loading this one a plane. (I got this piece of information by tracking down the USPS/FAA coordinator at SFO Airport).
The reason that meters (and PC-Postage users) are given slack is that any meter "owner" is licensed by the USPS so they theoretically know who and where you are.
Many of our priority mail delivery confirmation users
have worked things out so their carrier will pickup their packages at the same time they deliver mail. Carriers are not supposed to make a special trip for packages (although even that can be arranged if you have a good package volume and you go down an sweet talk your PM), but they will pick up packages if they are already stopping to deliver mail and they have a truck.
posted on August 19, 2001 07:06:48 PM
It's their job to deliver the mail. Though, I know how your carrier feels. My uncle is a postmaster and he complains about how people bring in their ebay packages everyday. And he doesn't even have to lift them into a truck or anything. He's a desk worker!!! lol!!
"Anything the mind of man can believe and concieve, it CAN ACHIEVE!"
posted on August 24, 2001 12:31:07 PM
Well, I got good news yesterday. My mail carrier had to deliver a package to me and I was talking to her about Ebay and how I'll be home most days now. I told her that we bought a cap for our pickup so I could take packages to the post office because I knew she may not have room in her truck. She said, "Oh you don't have to do that, I'll be more than happy to take them for you. There's no reason for you to go to the post office. Just leave me a note in the mailbox and I'll get them out of the truck for you." I was so happy. That will save me quite a bit of time. Of course she will get a nice Christmas gift.
