Beginners Guide: [A.M. Office Time] Protect Your City Carrier Route

If you're working for USPS and working as a City Letter Carrier, please get familiar with the two manuals that control your workday:
- Handbook M-41(City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities
)
- Handbook M-39(Management of Delivery Services
)

Carry your route like it's a route inspection everyday, and you won't need to worry about a route inspection. Postal management will still play their games during inspection, but that's why you're a union member, you're union has your back.

Citations:
M-41 Section 112.26: Do not report at cases or racks before tour of duty is scheduled to begin.

M-41 Section 732: Obtain necessary mail keys and attach securely to your belt or clothing.

M-41 Section 832.1: Perform vehicle inspection safety checklist every day. You are allowed to use the ―buddy system in a vehicle inspection where necessary –for example, to check the brake lights. (Note Checklist #24: Gas gauge requires 30 seconds for ―warm up.)

M-41 Section 851: Each vehicle used on official business is furnished with an Accident Report Kit. Check to be sure the envelope is sealed. If not, obtain a sealed replacement from the manager.

M-41 Section 121.24: Check cases, vehicle, and equipment to make certain that no mail has been left behind, or fallen into or behind cases, under shelves, etc.

M-41 Section 223.21: Withdraw magazines, papers, and other flat mail from flat cases and place neatly in basket or on floor at case when they are not at carrier case upon reporting. Don’t obstruct aisle space or create a tripping hazard.

M-39 Section 116.84: Carriers must not distribute individual letters or flats directly to sacks or other containers.

M-39 Section 116.6: Carriers may be authorized to make up to two withdrawals from the distribution cases prior to leaving the office, plus a final cleanup sweep to include DPS mail as they leave the office.

M-41 Section 241.312: Hold mail held at carrier case should be verified once each week to insure that no mail designated by mailer is kept beyond its retention period. Such mail shall be endorsed, Temporarily Away.

M-41 Section 224.17: Return missorts to the distribution case before leaving on any trip and as far in advance of leaving time as possible. However, misthrows that can be handed to a nearby carrier should not be returned for distribution.

M-41 Section 262.1: Use PS Form 3849 for each accountable piece or other special services item that receipt is needed. Enter the ADDRESS in the Delivery section on the barcoded side of the form, for identification, in the office at the time articles are issued. Place PS Form 3849 in proper separation case as a marker.

M-39 Section 121.13: Small parcels are sorted with flats when practical. Odd shaped articles which cannot be cased are handled as separate pieces.

M-41 Section 131.43: "Complete applicable items on PS Form 3996, Carrier-Auxiliary Control, if overtime or auxiliary assistance is authorized in the office or on the street.”

M-41 Section 28.B: PS Form 3996 Item F. Place an X in the space below the number indicating the case shelf containing the mail for which assistance is being requested. The bottom shelf of the letter separations is designated No. 1. When assistance is required for less than a full shelf of mail, enter the portion of shelf in fractions. The portion should be identified as follows: L 1/2, R 1/4; M 1/2; (L-Left, R-Right, M-Middle of the shelf)

M-41: 112.51  Maintain a neat, clean and generally creditable appearance.

M-41: 143 Maintain satchel in good order and place it in the hamper or suspend it from a case hook when not in use. Check the forms pouch several times each week to be sure all necessary forms are there when needed.

M-41 223.21 If the flats for your route are received in sacks, remove the flats promptly, and stack neatly on the floor or in hampers when provided. Examine sacks after dumping to insure that sacks are empty. Place empty sacks in the designated receptacle after removing sack labels.

M-41 224.23 Read the address only.

M-41 225.16 Sort stiff cardboard articles (X-ray pictures, etc.) on ledge, then route them in sequence of delivery.

M-41: 291 Withdraw preferential mail from final case when leaving office on each trip. This mail is to be routed in delivery sequence as deliveries are made.

M-39: Section 242.332: "No carrier shall be disciplined for failure to meet standards, except in cases of unsatisfactory effort which must be based on documented, unacceptable conduct that led to the carrier’s failure to meet office standards."

M-00464 “Local management can properly request letter carrier em- ployees to estimate their work load, to the best of their ability, when the employees request overtime or auxiliary assistance. The information obtained by the carrier's estimation is not intended to be used to discipline carriers or to set work standards.”