Rural Carrier Hints & Tips

2008-05-19T21:13:00.001-07:00

Write old names on case - highlight coa's yellow, UTF pink, etc. No need to review pink cards daily.

2008-03-16T11:22:00.001-07:00

Place a rubber band around boxes that just fit in the mailbox to help the customer pull it out

2008-03-12T20:02:00.001-07:00

Place post it notes with the street names on the end of every row to help new RCA learn the case

2008-03-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

Put name of individual to be forwarded on small sticker and tape under address on case

2008-03-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Put the date you receive the yellow coa sticker in my edit book, that I can keep up with 90 days.

2008-01-01T16:30:00.001-08:00

for llv drivers put rubber shelf liners in trays to keep mail from sliding pull liner to slant mail

2007-12-30T10:23:00.001-08:00

the gopher can be purchased to retrieve letters you may have dropped on those windy days out by door

2007-12-29T14:15:00.000-08:00

Pink cards kept at the end of case have one street on one card. keeps from looking at every card.

2007-12-28T19:07:00.001-08:00

Have a calender at case and mark holds and resumes on the corresponding dates to avoid having to look at every hold order every day

2007-12-28T19:06:00.001-08:00

Rubberband Vacant boxes

2007-12-28T19:05:00.002-08:00

Tape the inside of boxes that can't be zipped tied.

2007-12-28T19:05:00.001-08:00

Cut the front end off of a small tray, slanting down on the sides. Then attached a velcro strip to back side of tray, attached other velcro to the dash of my car where the tray would be held in place on my lap to hold my dps. No worry about the tray sliding off my lap while working my dps mail

2007-12-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Note for customers who are due back that day from vacation. It says "Welcome Home. Your mail is being held at the Post Office. Please pick up at your convenience or call XXX-XXXX for delivery the next business day." Always put the address of the customer on the card. When they come in to pick it up, the clerks know exactly where to get their hold mail. The note is cased with the rest of the morning mail and put in the box the return due date.

2007-12-28T19:03:00.002-08:00

* For those customers who have mail left in their boxes for a while, and for other reasons, I made up a special card similar to the post-its that a couple websites sell. Mine has a checklist of things to check as to why the card was left.

* 1. Letter needs stamp.

* 2. Address not visible through window envelope.

* 3. Your mailbox needs attention.

* 4. Your parcel was too big for your mailbox. For your convenience it was placed in your carport or near your stairs.

* 5. Please put your flag up as a signal you have outgoing mail to ensure it is picked up.

* 6. Wasps, frogs, insects or scorpions in mailbox. Help!

* 7. An envelope or package was attempted today requiring a signature. We will redeliver the next business day or you may call the post office for pick-up.

* 8. Your mailbox was full. To ensure your mail’s safety we have taken it back to the post office and will hold it there until your return. Please call to arrange delivery.

2007-12-28T19:03:00.001-08:00

* Make a cheat sheet for casing for subs:
* A blank file folder gives plenty of room to list all of a route's road names in alphabetical order. Next to the road names, add the shelf number and L (left), C (center), R (right), or W (wing). So if Elm street is on the left side of the case and third shelf down, it would say: Elm 3L . Or a major streeet would get something like: Washington 1W - 2R . The cheat sheet also helps subs by showing all the roads that are on a route (any other road names that show up are misthrows)

2007-12-28T19:02:00.003-08:00

Copies of a marked up map and route description that shows where all the turns are in the route book.

2007-12-28T19:02:00.001-08:00

Write directions to the houses (written in paint pen) inside boxes where the houses aren't obvious

2007-12-28T19:01:00.003-08:00

Write forwards on the case

2007-12-28T19:01:00.001-08:00

Plastic zip ties keep anyone from opening dead boxes, and make them obvious so subs don't have to stop (also keeps me from having to stop after my days off, to make sure the next customer's mail isn't in there).

2007-12-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

Paint pens to put address numbers on the outside and inside of mailboxes where the customer doesn't (the inside is for winter, when the box is covered in snow/ice, and also helps subs who open the box lid before checking if they're at the right box).