Every day, millions of letters and packages make their way around the world. For most of us, the process usually starts at a post office counter or with a few clicks online, followed by repeatedly checking the tracking code until the parcel finally arrives. Everything that happens in between often remains a bit of a mystery.
But for the hard-working employees who make those deliveries possible, that behind-the-scenes world is their everyday reality. On Reddit, postal workers opened up about the things they believe the public should know about their jobs. You can read their eye-opening posts below.
#1
Postal workers are human. When it snows and you can’t go to work, they don’t have special powers to get to your house you couldn’t get out of. Also your regular mail person knows everything about you and still smiles and says hello.
**Edit to respond- Fun fact the motto came from one of the first POs built in NYC. It is the motto of the Roman Couriers during their sieges, the architect thought it was fitting….They know based on what companies send you mail, looking in your window to see if your home, the cars you drive and the companies you order stuff from. They appreciate a kind gesture, they are often under insane pressure from management to get done timely, not to tell about the elements they may not want to be in. Source 22yrs of service.
Image source: Genco99, Rebecca Hansen
#2
Former USPS employee here. Here’s a couple major things.
1. Mail slots are the bane of a carrier’s existence. Seriously. If you have a slot please consider getting a box. Trying to fit letters and magazines into those tiny things often leaves knuckles bloody and bruised.
2. Watch your dog if it’s outside. If you see a postal vehicle on your street bring your dog inside. I know you don’t think he bites. I know you think he’s the sweetest thing in the world. Dogs are very protective of their territory and are a huge threat to carriers. Most mail carriers have dog mace, so please please just keep your dogs away from them.
3. If your box is on the side of the street please don’t park in front of it. Tell your friends not to either. Don’t leave garbage cans or anything else on front of it. Carriers on mounted routes are told not to get out to deliver to any boxes.
4. If you don’t want your packages stolen or damaged from the weather, have the post office hold them so you can pick them up yourself. Or you can leave a note in your box telling a safe place to put the package. One guy had a recycling bin on his back porch that he had me put packages in. Easy, safe and simple.
5. If you see a carrier on your street they can give you your mail if you have proper ID to show them. However it’s a lot easier for them if you just leave them to deliver at their own pace, because their route is sorted in delivery order. So to get your mail they’ll have to sort through a bunch of other stuff and that takes unnecessary time out of their day.
I was a CCA for about a year so feel free to ask any other questions if you have them. :).
Image source: mrpallo, Alan Levine
#3
All your mail is getting tossed around 24/7 and runs the risk of getting crushed. They try to be careful, but the pure volume of packages and letters that go through the plants means stuff is gonna get thrown and smashed by other mail or torn up by sorting machines.
Image source: macaronifox, Getty Images
#4
As a mail carrier, simple nice human interaction can make my day. Leaving me a bottle of water, or a “have a great day” and a genuine smile, is an awesome way to make my day.
Other than that, a cool fact is that, Benjamin Franklin was the very first Poatmaster General. Also the USPS has always been eager to adopt new technology (at least a while ago) anytime it would mean faster and more efficient delivery. First automotive? We strapped a mailman to it and told him to get at it. First train? Mobile post office. Intercontinental railroad? Guess who some of the first trains down it were?
Image source: mcdonaldsdick, Mick Haupt
#5
Been working for the Usps for 7 months. I like it a lot but I’ve been getting sent all over the county lately so that’s annoying. Here’s some things you should know.
Working for the post office is hard work. I’ve lost 35 pounds since I’ve started. I walk 8 to12 miles a day, depending on the route.
CCAs like myself usually do a different route everyday. So I don’t know who you are. I go by street address. I don’t know who lives in your house, sorry if you got the previous tenants mail.
If I pass your house and realize I missed a piece of mail, you’ll get it tomorrow, if it’s a check I’ll double back but if not, tomorrow.
Mail slots are trash. They were designed for mail 30 years ago. Not the gigantic magazines and all the other ads that I have to leave hanging out of the slot because my knuckles are already bloody and I’m done trying. Get a box.
I hate your dog. Your dog wants to protect you, and he doesn’t know me. I hate how much he barks, especially when I’m half way down the block and he’s still barking. Annoying. If they are outside, you get no mail today.
Mounted routes usually get 3 times as much mail as walking routes, or that’s what it seems. I’ve worked in the ghetto and delivered 1 and a half trays of mail for a whole route. I’ve worked in the nice neighborhood and delivered 12 trays of mail and 7 trays of magazines for a route. I’d rather be in the ghetto.
Also make sure you have a clear and easy to see address. It wastes so much time trying to figure out if this is the right house. Big bold numbers, next to the front door or on the box.
Image source: Thicknuts, Getty Images
#6
We do appreciate fun envelopes with drawings on them.
Image source: razzledazzlemaster, Drew Anderson
#7
If it snows, please shovel out your mailbox. If I have to pull my car into snow that’s higher than eight inches, I just skip the box and bring the mail back to the post office.
Image source: Fucks_with_ranch, Filip Mroz
#8
Christmas time is the worst for workers in the bigger hubs. We try our best. But packages get stepped on & tossed around because when we have to meet deadlines, getting the packages on the trucks in time is more important than anything else. I cried a few times but I had to suck it all in.
Image source: brillanax, Pavel Danilyuk
#9
Insure your packages for the provable value of the contents. It’s dirt cheap, and if something bad happens, it’s the only way to get compensation.
Image source: kchristy7911, Claudio Schwarz
#10
Please use legal names, not Grandma/pa or aunt/uncle first name with no apartment number. We really don’t know who that is, also, please include a return address in case we can’t deliver your letter.
Image source: Marmenoire, Getty Images
#11
Mail carrier here, writing after a particularly hard day delivering so take none of this seriously nor personally. No I don’t know if I have a package for you, how would I know, you didn’t bother to give me any information. No I haven’t finished yet I’m still clearly opening this bank of boxes. I don’t care that you’re old, I don’t have time for a conversation about your cousins foot surgery. And this informed delivery stuff where you can see what letters you are getting only emboldens the people who have nothing better to do with their time to come and bother me while I’m working, saying things like “I saw my letter mail today in the email and saw a letter that wasn’t for me.” Yeah I saw it too and removed it before it even left the post office I don’t need you to tell me how to match the addresses. It honestly feels like half the people I deal with think I’m a mind reader and the other half think they know how the job works and they could do it better.
Image source: groznywino, sarah b
#12
The thing that surprised me is postal workers can actually go to prison for a long time for not delivering mail.
Google “postal worker goes to prison for not delivering mail” and you will find an amazing number of people going to prison for this.
Imagine if at your job the punishment for neglecting duties is not only getting fired, but going to prison.
Image source: test0314, Ron Lach
#13
They HATE Amazon. A bunch of (generally overweight) middle aged women trying to organize big or heavy boxes from these retailers are their nightmare. They are NOT careful with your stuff if it’s too heavy to lift. Boxes are kicked and hurled into position, especially around Christmas time.
Also, when they’re at the window and close up when you’re next in line, it’s not because they hate you (most of the time). It’s probably because they’ve been there 10 hours already and will get bitched at if they work any overtime without permission from the boss, and their replacement is hustling as fast as possible cover the window.
I don’t work there. My boyfriends mom has worked there for 30+ years and I routinely hear her drunk screaming about how much she hates her life because of her job….To be fair, she’s also a bit crazy and doesn’t hide her disdain for anyone or anything, so she probably isn’t doing herself any favors a lot of the time.
Image source: goatywizard, Marques Thomas
#14
Please stop asking “Hot enough for you? and Do you have my check?” We’ve heard it millions of times and it’s old.
Image source: Marmenoire, Getty Images
#15
No one has said it so I will. (And I’m not USPS but both my parents are.)
Please do not stop your car in the road, forcibly blocking the mail truck, get out, and ask the letter carrier (who was driving), if they have your mail. It happens way too often.
Also, if you give the letter carrier water or snacks or a tip at Christmas then you will get preferential treatment! (Yes, please tip the mailman at Christmas.)
One last thing: ALL DOGS BITE! Sometimes they don’t bite humans but if they eat food then then they can bite. It can be an accident. But don’t be offended when a letter carrier is scared around your growling dog.
Image source: anon, Jay Wennington
#16
If you’re trying to get hired and you have any (And I mean ANY) convictions or small crimes on your background, even if they’re more than ten years old, they will not hire you. I think they’re ok with old traffic violations but that’s it.
Not a USPS worker but went through the hiring process and got denied. Was told it was because I had a misdemeanor charge from when I was fifteen years old. I got into trouble for drinking a beer with a friend under age. This was twelve years ago. They told me they couldn’t hire me because of that…
Image source: StupidElephants, Mizuno K
#17
Just because I work at the postal service, doesn’t mean I know where your package that you ordered 3 weeks ago and it says it’s still in Kentucky is.
And please around the holidays, use tape to close your envelopes if you’re really against licking them. Because those fancy stickers don’t keep them closed.
And don’t stick candy in an envelope. Nothing is scarier than a mad clerk running the machine the candy was just crushed in.
Oh. And we seem like crabs but we’re really not. We’re friendly just be nice to us. We’re human too.
Image source: Salty_kittenz, Yan Krukau
#18
The number of horribly addressed packages and letters astounds me. It’s like these people don’t want their mail delivered.
Image source: thrwawy_123, Gustavo Fring
#19
When you see me putting mail in at an apartment complex, and you want to check your mail and have your key, don’t bother me. Wait until I get in my truck and drive away. We have to be back at the office at a certain time.
Image source: 123-action, Kindel Media
#20
It is not an easy job. It is one of the most physically demanding, but once you get used to it, it gets easy.
We will discontinue mail delivery to your address if your dogs are repeatedly out. Even if they haven’t bitten the carrier, I will stop delivery to prevent it.
Image source: lawnmowing_llama, Karolis Vaičiulis
#21
The postal LLV is not a Jeep. It was built by Grumman and is in the same family as the Chevy s10. The more modern FFV fleet was contracted to Ford and is based heavily on the frame and engine of the Ford Explorer. Most carriers prefer the more ergonomic LLV despite their age.
The misconception comes from the Jeep Dispatcher, the original fleet vehicle when the postal service was still a part of the government.
Image source: Klondike3, Sam LaRussa
#22
I didn’t graduate from high school. Most of us didn’t.
#23
My local post office isn’t allowed to turn on the AC because that costs money. They have several box fans running all over the place. We live in AZ so it’s a minor inconvenience for me when I go in, but for the employees it’s gotta be like working in Hell.
Image source: Squeezitgirdle, duy duy
#24
I always feel so guilty because I get a few packages that have to be signed for like once a month, is that really annoying for carriers?
Image source: MyFallenAngels, Getty Images
#25
Not USPS, but worked at a facility briefly.
Most people would be surprised to know that you can send live animals through USPS. I’ve seen chicks, geese, etc.
Image source: ispeakdatruf, Missh Hatice
#26
Their 2013 reunion included the release of a deluxe edition of Give Up, featuring unreleased songs and covers.
Image source: NotCurren, Sub Pop
#27
From my dad who has worked for them for +30 years: “It stinks. Our trucks are all old and broken. I have no heating in the winters and no AC in the summers. They’re disorganized and understaffed which leads everyone to working constant extra hours. Please get a desk job.”.
Image source: gayasfck
#28
I delivered a pizza recently to our local post office. When I asked where they wanted their food, one guy just pushed a massive pile of envelopes onto the ground and pointed at that table. It was like that episode of always sunny where Charlie’s losing his mind over pepe silvia.
Image source: Pantsmnc
#29
This is a big one for me. I’ve been on a 700 delivery all park and loop route (walking) for 5 years now.
When you move and have multiple people with different last names you have have to fill out address changes for EVERY last name used, even maiden names and children with different last names. This is very common with school mail (parent of) so and so.
Image source: BuryCrack
#30
The job is more than sticking your arm out the window into a mailbox.
Image source: Yk_Lagor
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