Tough here in the summer
Being a postmaster for the United States Postal Service has been a great career but like any job it's not without its challenges. The only part I never liked was delivering mail in the summer. It's hot and there isn't much that can be done except to drink water, lots and lots of water. I also had a little fan in my carrier that saved me more times than I can remember. Make sure to thank a postal employee when you see them. We do work hard for you!
Keep trying and never give up.
I got denied carrier position. Had 2 minor violation on my driving record within 12 months. Guess it’s not for me.
Must be nice to have a job.
My mail carrier Amanda is great. I was just thinking a few days ago that if everyone on a carriers route would give them $20 at Christmas that could a small amount multiplied by hundreds of customers. That could really make a great gift.
Mark Parrish Working outside in the summer is DEFINITELY a struggle. Thank you for doing such a great job as a postmaster and sharing your experiences! I will make sure to thank the next postmaster when I see them. I worked as a camp counselor during the summers and I can relate to you. I was outside all day every day and water was definitely a huge help.
I empathize and sympathize, Mark. I'm a rural carrier in central Texas. Summer is always a bit of a challenge, but I knew what I was getting into when I signed on. After a single encounter with heat exhaustion a few years ago, I started carrying cold water and Gatorade by the gallon.
Postal carrier work - heck, any postal work - is absolutely a physically demanding job, but there it is. And to just to compliment Mark's post, while your USPS carrier in all likelihood works hard for you, I also want to acknowledge the faith and support of our customers. Like any worthwhile service, mail delivery is the simply the apex of two columns of support - the people performing the service, and the people who pay for that service.
For me, it's easy to focus on the customer service aspects of the job because I know that without customer dollars and trust, the US Postal Service would dwindle to a memory. While the Federal government still maintains bureaucratic control of the USPS, we have not received the benefit of a single taxpayer dollar since 1982. This is why I take certified mail and Signature Tracking parcels to the customer's front door, instead of leaving the PS 3849 (the "Sorry We Missed You" form) in the customer's mailbox and making them drive out to the station. It's why I try to get a Priority Mail parcel with an incomplete address to the right customer by myself instead of taking the easy way out and dumping the problem into my supervisor's lap. And I know for a fact that there are tens of thousands of fellow postal workers out there with the same drive. Maybe it's in the hundreds of thousands; (shrug) like I would know.
The point is that, whether or not we say it out loud, we know that our customers' loyalty is what keeps the USPS afloat. I would ask only one thing of my customers, and it is this: Keep the faith coming. While it may be the task of the media to focus on that single USPS dirt-bag who got caught on camera dumping their load into the nearest ravine, please remember that the other 99.999 (repeating)% of us will never willfully fail you.
Regards, Pat (USPS Rural Carrier)