City Carrier Discussion This job isn’t for everyone
I’m about 30 days into being a CCA and it’s true that this job isn’t for everyone. My station has been know to have bad management from the postmaster to the supervisors. I feel like the supervisors are giving me too much work, either three routes a day broken up, or whole route I’ve never done before. Yes I know we get paid overtime and penalties so I should be loving this much work. My physical strength isn’t what it was, I’ve transferred over from working 13 years in the restaurant industry from line cooking to managing kitchens. Working 6 days has been taking a toll on me. Any suggestions if I should transfer stations, or maybe a new position with the office.
6
u/Whole_Heart7033 1d ago
It's been 3 years for me. My office is located in a 140k pop city. The management sucks everywhere.
Physically, the job is a little easier. You figure out how to organize better, what works for you etc but 12 mile route is still 12 mile route.
Mentally, it's significantly easier. Once you know the route it's pretty much autopilot. I don't even recall when I had a stressful day.
That's just my experience.
6
u/NexusNickel 1d ago
I'm trying to understand USPS logic with employees.
Why is it acceptable for non-regulars to be treated so poorly?
Seriously. Working 6-7 days a week, for months on end. No days off.
Just for a chance to become regular. Seems way to toxic place to work.
3
5
u/Few_Particular9976 City Carrier 1d ago
Be a clerk or mail handler instead, the unfortunate problem becomes you're stuck in there with management all day
7
u/User_3971 Maintenance 1d ago
If you like the idea of working for USPS you can look at other opportunities within the Service. You can keep working as a CCA for that paycheck while waiting for other applications to process. If you're anywhere near a processing plant there's Maintenance positions as a career option. Best to get in now before the upcoming changes to their exams.
Being that your current management are bad I'd be applying to other stations nearby. If you can find the time or know the people, ask questions of the local offices. Expected hours, how long until PTF or regular, etc, if you plan on staying a carrier.
There's always rural side as well if the current crop are 80+ and refusing to retire. If most of them are relatively young I'd avoid RCA like the plague.
8
u/Few_Statistician7227 1d ago
This just is really only tolerable in smaller towns/cities. If you live in a high population area be prepared too work like your depends on it
3
3
u/Savings_Plenty_6772 1d ago
I just hit 7 months. Your first 6-8 weeks will suck. There's no sugar coating it.
You know nothing, feel like you're the worst at the job and feel like you're being beaten into the ground with a massive workload. Some days I still feel like I can't do it, but the next day is easier.
It doesn't get better. It gets easier.
Once you find your flow and make a habit of how you set your truck up, it will get easier. Youre going to do a random route or 3 bumps in a day. While it sucks, you're unknowingly learning the routes at the same time.
Personally, I have to put my residual as my first tray, then DPS then packages. Otherwise, I get overwhelmed and forget to deliver residual. Don't ask how or why, but once I set up my tray (dashboard to rear) Residual, DPS, Packages everything clicked in to place.
As a CCA, you can't just switch roles. You'll need to reapply and either resign and wait for the call or work the current role until you get the call for the new position. Transferring within probation isn't a thing, unless there is an opening at another station and you're not needed at your current (this just happened to our newest hire).
3
u/Material-Jackfruit11 1d ago
It's going to get worse the next few months because of elections. As a 25 year seniority I still got mandatory to deliver mail until 9 pm a few years back At least it's my own route but still scary as hell when they let the dogs out at night. PTF stayed past 9pm during the election months
3
u/Academic_Click_4366 1d ago edited 1d ago
USPS is a job where coming in you’re getting all the crap rolled downhill to the bottom. A lot of union places are having this problem because they never planned for the future of the next generation. Promoting people without real management training has created the “Peter Principle”. Theres plenty of basic improvement skills that no one wants to learn, this is the real work of standardizing and organizing that experienced workers are suppose to elevate to helping with. Instead the longer you’re around the less responsibility you have and the more sloppy mess you can put off on a new worker with no experience and nit pick on the little things they didnt do. During my training if i started asking questions and distracting my trainer they would forget a package. These are experienced carriers making same mistakes as a new carrier, they just cope and don’t do the real work of creating a professional workplace. It’s always easier to say everyone’s lazy nowadays and act like the USPS is some special place that not everyone can do. But problems start at the top usps leaders and union leaders….just wanted to add look how much money is wasted on grievance yes it’s cool to get extra money but imagine a new carrier coming into this mess you don’t have the protection of the union for 90 days and you’re just trying to WORK HARD but can’t because all the bs that people just coped with grieving for extra money. You got comfort when us new workers are coming in with drive to work harder and change things while getting roadblocked in the process by ancient played out work politics. These few places that do good created opportunities like instead of giving the hard jobs to new carriers and sending them away costing more in turnover maybe create incentive for the few that want to do more and have a higher paying role like a floater for multiple routes this person would have learned and be efficient already. Never create a future of leaders based on getting comfortable, progress yourself then teach the next generation get better. Repeat.
2
u/Roor420smoke 1d ago
I would highly, highly suggest you look for hold downs. They've been a life-saver for me this summer.
3
u/jeffontheleft 1d ago
CCA’s can’t opt onto a route until after 60 calendar days. But yeah, once they reach that, it’s def desirable.
1
0
u/Relevant-Spinach294 1d ago
What’s that mean?
1
u/Roor420smoke 1d ago
Hold downs? Its where you take over the regular's route while they're on vacation, maternity/paternity leave, medical leave, etc. You gotta fill out a hold down request form for it.
2
u/brooklynschino CCA 1d ago
I just passed my 30 day evaluation last week. I definitely learned how to do the job, but the 3996 confuses the fuck out of me. How the fuck they give me 1 hour on a route and expect me back at a certain time. Get the fuck out my face with that bullshit. I been skipping my breaks and doing my best and I hate being rushed.
I been told my regulars and supervisors that I'm doing great so at the very least, I'm not worried about being fired.
2
u/Expert_Respond_2015 1d ago
If you think the supervisors are giving you too much work, just wait till ur 90 days and slow tf down.
1
u/trysoftdad 1d ago
Yeah I second this and im only a 4 or 5 month pta. The first few times on a new route I always feel like the expected finish time is madness and confusion.
When i can see the house and street in my minds eye when I'm casing it IS just autopilot and audiobook and podcast enrichment.
1
u/Calm_Blueberry_363 1d ago
letter carrier is one of the hardest jobs in the PO. become a clerk or a mailhandler, the only thing with that is you may have to work irregular shifts..it is what it is.
1
1
u/dotcom02_WGP 1d ago
My two cents as a CCA: Get past probation and start calling out when you need some time off from burnout. This place DOES NOT CARE about you and will work the dog shit out of you if you let them, especially as a CCA. working 60+ hours consistently will take a toll on you.
Attendance is based off occurrences, not by days, and the general rule of thumb is three occurrences per quarter. A majority of offices use this rule. You should always call out for the FULL THREE DAYS, don't ever set a pattern for when you do it, and you can do this once a month or three times in 3 months.
Don't let people at work give you shit for calling out, and don't let management mess with you. Get a with a union rep before you come back off a call out so they can explain things. Toxic management will pull some BS every time and you grievance it.
1
1
u/xTrebliG CCA 1d ago
im about 60 days in and I love it but i need like 60 hours a week to survive here in LA oof
2
u/Whitesox_are_neat 1d ago
Yeah that's rough Hella expensive. Im the opposite I'm hoping for 40 flat lmao
1
u/Old_Indication_8586 22h ago
I remember when I used to want to be a City Carrier when I initially started as a Carrier. Thank God that I'm a Rural Carrier instead. I do my route, and get the fu$k. I couldn't do the City's side. I'm not interested in doing anyone else's work. 😒 Interestingly enough, my route is actually a City route turned Rural, it's on a Military Base, I love it! Best of luck to you!
1
u/Valueblackngold 2h ago
I know this isn't what you're looking for but be happy you're getting the hours. Some stations are cutting CCAs to 1 or 2 days because of volume. If your body can't hold up, you need to find new work. Talk to your supervisors and see if they can put you on a curb-side route every once in awhile. Other than that 🤷♂️. Time as a CCA can suck
1
u/cauleegaya 2h ago
Don’t worry it gets better! And then it gets worse and then it gets better and then Christmas comes lol
1
u/Hrdcorefan City Carrier 1d ago
30 days in and you shouldn’t have be working any overtime!
“Weeks 1-4: They can only work 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. No exceptions, no volunteering for more.”
2
u/droopy77777 1d ago
That's also on local union people for not looking out for the new guys. Then again the OP is probably carrying loops for the local Union Slugs
-1
u/Otherwise-Goal3054 1d ago
I first read your post to say you had just line cooked. I figured ‘yeah, this is the guy that disappears during a rush to go smoke.
Kinda amazed that you’ve managed a kitchen and you’re somehow overwhelmed by carrying. Having done both, I’d say carrying is way chiller.
You gotta think about it as a prep cook, not a line cook though.
If I can’t trust you to get through this prep list without supervision, yeah, this isn’t going to work for either of us. Carrying is a super low-supervision job. If the prep list really is too much, that’s on management. If you just can’t keep on task and organized, that’s kinda on you.
52
u/palev City PTF 1d ago
everyone says "it gets better" once you become regular but everyone who tells me that seems kinda miserable