OT - Problem with mail carrier

[tmarquez]

I was just looking for some opinions on what you guys would do...

I ordered alot of Christmas gifts online this year and alot seem to be arriving by USPS mail. I am very concerned about receiving some of them! We are having problems with the mail carrier. On 12/7 a package was to be delivered to my home. Instead of the package, we got one of those little green cards that you fill out and either have it redelivered, left at the door or go to the post office to pick it up. I filled it out, asked for the package to be left at the door and put it back in mailbox that day.

Well yesterday, 12/14, I was driving by the post office so I decided to just drive by and check if my package might still be there since it had yet to be delivered, its been 7 days. After being yelled at for not having my green card the guy comes out from the back with my package. It was marked in sharpie to be returned to sender on the 18th.

When I got home last night, there was another little card in the mail that said they attempted to redeliver the package again. This is not possible since I had already picked it up AT THE POST OFFICE! Plus my mother was at my house all day with my daughter who was sick, and nobody ever even came to the door. I know the mail carrier is lazy because I've seen her just stop on the road and honk her horn for people to come out of their house when she has to bring something to the door. But I don't believe she was even going to make an attempt at delivering my package.

On a previous occasion we had put some checks for bills in the outgoing mail and then found them ont he ground accross the street in a grassy area about a week later. I let that go because I thought maybe kids did it or it was an accident...but now I'm not sure. I no longer put any outgoing mail in my mailbox

I'm usually not the type of person to complain to a manager, but to me this is crazy, I've never had this sort of problem with a mail carrier. I want to say something but I'm afraid it could make the problem worse. What would you do?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I live in an area where there are rural-type mailboxes. They face the street and are not lockable.

I use a Post Office Box for all my mail. It is locked. It is accessible 24 hours a day. They also have package lockers and will put most packages in the locker and a key in the mailbox. If something needs to be signed for, or is oversize I do have to go when they are open to get it. I never worry about losing outgoing mail.

I do check the mailbox at home once a week or so, just to clear out all the junk mail. About the only thing I cannot get vial my PO Box has to do with my Driver's License. Everything else, including property tax related and utility bills goes to the PO Box.

 

[~Kathie]

I would go to your PO and ask to speak to the Postmaster. He/She is the "manager" of your PO.

If you don't get anywhere with that person, there is a comment card you can send to your state's MAIN headquarters. You can pick it up at the PO. Make sure you put the zipcode of the Main PO............otherwise your PO Postmaster will get it. Or call the 800 number and speak to someone about your issues.

I live on a Rural Route. I was told the carrier is not supposed to get out of the truck or pull the truck into the driveway because of the Rural Route thing. I too get a lot of packages and my carriers are wonderful. My regular guy even comes back if he has a package for me and I wasn't home the first time he came. He's a sweetheart.

I did have one who tooted the horn.....never waited for me to get to the door and never left a package. I did speak to her one day and told her I am always home....please come to the door and I will be happy to clear out her truck for her.

Like any other job there are mail carriers that should not deal with the public but should be kept in the back stuffing mailboxes.

Hope you get it straightened out.

 

[ohiominnie]

Wow. I feel really lucky. My mailcarrier will pull into my driveway and then blow the horn. Usually I hear him and go out the front door. I usually intercept him as he's getting out of his truck. If I don't hear him, he will come to the door and knock. If I'm home he gives me my package AND all of my regular mail. If I'm not home, he'll leave the package by the door and put a note in my box saying it's there. If I need to sign for something, obviously, he won't leave it, he'll try the next day. Today I was out shovelling snow and he pulled in. We exchanged boxes--Christmas presents delivered for me, outgoing ebay auctions for him. He was cheery and smiley and talked about all the snow we have out there.

Now, my sub mailcarrier, that's another story. She has a tendency to put my mail in my box, THEN come into the driveway, honk and then come to the door. So when I get to the door she gives me my package and I have to schlep to the box to get the rest of my mail. She usually makes a comment like "oh, I didn't know you were home so I left your mail in your box."

 

[swilshire]

I would definitely do as suggested above. If the carrier is not doing what she should be doing, the manager may never know unless someone complains. If that doesn't work and you fill out the yellow complaint card, that is tracked and it MUST be responded to, so it gets attention.

If you have another option, it's never a good idea to mail checks in an unsecured mailbox at your house. We've had a terrible time through the years with kids (teens) stealing outgoing mail from our local mailboxes. I just take mine to work and drop them in the mail there.

My neighbors bought a very nice locking rural box for their incoming mail. I just try to make arrangements to get the mail out of the box fairly soon after it's delivered.

Sheila

 

[jennifer293]

I live in a rural postal area also, and it got so bad that my postal carrier was leaving my packages beside my mailbox on the street. My mailbok sits about 6 inches off the road so my package was in the road. IT MADE ME SOOOO MAD!!

I had to go to the post office and file a complaint. Ever since that week she now drives to the house honks the horn to let me know she is there because we have a dog, and she brings my package to my door step.

I would go file a complaint!!

 

[soccerchick]

While I understand the security of a PO box, for me at least, it would be a huge inconvenience. I also don't see why I have to spend $$ on one because the carrier refuses to do her job the right way. I don't think OP should have to do that route yet. I vote for talking to her supervisors first.

My carrier said if we want to, if we have to sign for a package, we can sign the green slip, leave it in the mailbox and he will then leave it the next day. Depends on what we ordered if we will do that.

 

[disneymom3]

I would talk to the PostMaster too. Hadn't thought of going to the state level, but that is probably what we are going to have to do here as I have complained several times in the last few years about our carrier. Make sure you have the specific dates of these instances as they will ask since they may try to excuse it by claiming there was a sub that day.

Our carrier has tried the "tried to deliver and no one was home" bit too many times to even count. Usually she will just leave packages on the door step, but anything you have to sign for, forget it. She will not be delivering that and will claim she tried.

Every single package we receive absolutely reeks of smoke. We NEVER put outgoing mail in our box because I cannot even tell you how many things have disappeared that way.

Good luck.

 

[pattyT]

recently having problems with a carrier I have had for years I have gotten others mail and delivered it myselfd - and recently I have not recieved some important bills -
so I went to the new town we are moving to and opened a PO box...

 

[~Kathie]

Someone above mentioned not getting anywhere with the local Postmaster after complaining several times.

Be sure to put it in writing via the comment card. As someone else mentioned, they have to respond.

 

[branv]

You can also call/email and file a complaint at a main service center. I wasn't living in a rural area, but I had a mail carrier who, even after calling the local post office several times, was STILL occasionally giving my mail to some random man who didn't even live close to us (don't ask me how they finally tracked down who it was going to). We even lost a check that way. So I called the main 800 # and they logged my complaint. Problem fixed. I think they really didn't like having their mistakes permanently etched in computer stone for their superiors to see.

Here's what the usps.gov site says:

"The United States Postal Service® is currently using a method of capturing customer complaints and eliminating the complaint card used at Post Office™ facilities. This new and expanding program will permit you to submit complaints in one of three ways:

Filing a complaint online by visiting http://hdusps.esecurecare.net/cgi-bin/hdusps.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php
(Please select the Topic, Sub-Topic and Comment Type that most closely relates to the complaint you have this will allow
us to route your issue to the appropriate department or group.)
-or-
Calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777).
-or-
Speaking to the Station Manager at a local Post Office