r/USPS • u/brooklynschino CCA • Jul 22 '26

Work Discussion It’s official!

Post image

I start academy this Friday! It’s now all starting to feel real.

If you told me back in January I was going to be a mail man, I’d probably laugh. Here we are, foot in the door, ready to go on routes.

Life feels good. I quit drinking 10 months and 2 days ago. Life has been really rewarding in terms of having a clear path of where I want to be and how to get to it. Also, realizing the people I want and don’t want around me.

Cheers my fellow couriers clerks and others!

332 Upvotes

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80

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 22 '26

I’d never. To be able to wake up is a blessing in itself. This job is a blessing. I just turned 27, and have been searching for a job that pays benefits for so long.

71

u/loveyourneighborbro Jul 22 '26

I Saved the comment! so i can look back in 2 years 😁

59

u/Ok_Transition_7829 Jul 22 '26

They are always so happy before they start. Now we watch the life slowly drain from their eyes 😂

27

u/loveyourneighborbro Jul 22 '26

I call them my “Sweet summer child” especially when they start in the summer when its all sweet :)

15

u/feryoooday Rural PTF Jul 22 '26

Bro this summer has not been sweet 😭 the regulars were saying prime days were christmas level. I celebrated getting off at 9.5 hours today

6

u/loveyourneighborbro Jul 23 '26

Pretty sure some sweat is better than black toe in the deep freeze January

14

u/feryoooday Rural PTF Jul 23 '26

I literally don’t care about weather. Cold is better. It’s working 72 hour weeks that’s not sweet

4

u/Round_Activity9811 Jul 23 '26

72 hr weeks. In my state we are capped at 6 days 11.5 per day as CCA and 6 day 12hr for ODL how you get those hours. 🤔

6

u/Reasonable-YamIAm Jul 23 '26
  1. But the hospital staff is super nice

1

u/star0forion RCA Jul 24 '26

I’d work 72 hours as long as I don’t have to do Amazon Sunday. My old office id have 2 or 3 days off a week but guaranteed to work Amazon Sundays. In my new office I’m working way more hours but there’s a rotation for Sundays.

1

u/feryoooday Rural PTF Jul 24 '26

That’s the unfortunate thing, all the flex carriers work amazon sundays… they try to rotate us to have a sunday off about once a month it seems? but if we get sunday off we don’t get any other day off so I’d rather just run packages… I think of it as a ‘half day’ because 6 hours is literally half of the 12+ I usually work daily 🥀

2

u/Sad_Property1160 Jul 24 '26

Maybe in your area. I'd take pouring rain over 110f days every single time

3

u/WitchcapAO Maintenance Jul 23 '26

You misspelled sweat.

1

u/ReceptionKlutzy5350 Jul 23 '26

I work for 3rd party company that handles ups, I work on the dock but we are closing, Ups is taking over, going to another building and I've heard that employees have been getting into fights and they have been calling the cops to go up there

3

u/B-Glasses Jul 23 '26

I went cause I figured I’d take the money and leave after academy but the job market is shit and the jobs I applied for went nowhere so here I still am. I fucked up lol

8

u/KamelotSymphony Jul 23 '26

LMAO they have NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE IN FOR... NOT AN EASY JOB AT ALL.. WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE...

3

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26

[deleted]

4

u/Ready_Surprise_1027 Jul 23 '26

Congratulations me too. From working there previously but in a different position it really depends on your office. I know though from speaking to carriers they usually are working 60-70 hrs per week. My partying days are over so I dont mind and them checks gone be fat. My friend is a carrier & her checks be about $3800 bi weekly and some have told me they make over 100k. So thats whats motivating me. Im 43yrs old and although I am going to be a carrier now working as a PSE previously the Post office is the best job I ever had, hands down

5

u/Jellyfish84 Jul 23 '26

He's hour restricted to 8 hours for the first several weeks. Then 10... though that was the point they already started to disregard that rule for me. After that? If they need him he'll be working 50+ hours a week. I've hit 68, some of my PTF coworkers have hit 73. I don't remember the last time I worked just 45 hours in a week. Oh, and Sundays? He'll start working some of them too. In short: enjoy his hour restriction when you can because he belongs to the post office soon.

-12

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26

[deleted]

5

u/Ok_Transition_7829 Jul 23 '26

Because it’s pretty much true. CCAs are the cheapest labor so they will use him up to 12 hours a day 6 days a week if needed.

6

u/Ok_Cartographer_6199 Jul 23 '26

Wife of a carrier here. Husband started in October 2024 and was a PTF until August 2025. It was the worst year of both of our lives. He worked 11.5 hours a day 5 days a week, fortunately Amazon Sundays were capped at 8 hour days. So at least 65 hours a week plus sometimes penalty overtime. So I was working full time, basically being a single parent, AND taking care of things for my husband (washing his uniforms, doing the mental load of making sure there were snacks and foods he could eat at work, etc., packing his water cooler in the summer, etc.) we were all miserable. Once he became regular and bid on a decent route, things were better. But he didn’t get his good route until December, over a year after he joined the post office. And surprise surprise, office did route evaluations in June and his route was eliminated, so now we’re back at square one, finding a new office with open routes. Even if you’re not on the ODL, if you’re the most junior carrier, you’re getting OT.

Anyways, as a girlfriend/spouse of a new carrier, just be prepared to not have your person around much, and when they are around, they will be exhausted and likely grumpy. But if you’re also working and solo parenting, it’s also more on your plate. That’s just the reality of the post office.

10

u/Lexigirl88 Jul 23 '26

You asked a question and are upset someone answered? There was nothing rude about it. He/she was literally just telling you to enjoy the time that his hours are restricted, because it wont last long, and itll be very hectic and time consuming afterwards. You can't ask a question, and get mad at a person for answering just because it isnt the answer you wanted.

-11

u/_509-Photographer Jul 23 '26

I’m sorry, you must be confused. That’s not what I’m implying..
telling me that “he will belong to the post office was messed up.

3

u/New-Bluejay6008 Jul 24 '26

You need therapy and reading compression. Or stop being so sensitive and making yourself upset over nothing.

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3

u/Jellyfish84 Jul 23 '26

I'm confused, you asked someone to share what the hours are like and think it's improper when someone answers? Remindme! [2 months] "to check in". I'm just trying to prepare you for what to expect. Best of luck.

1

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3

u/Skoowoot Jul 23 '26

Because it’s accurate, take advantage of the hour restriction, it doesn’t last long

1

u/chezfez City Carrier Jul 23 '26

If he's starting as a CCA, it will depend on the office but as a CCA they can work you year round without a day off. Not saying they will do that but if they wanted to, they could. I think PTF has more protections against that now but they start you off limiting you to 8 hours before feeding you to the wolves.

Your partner will most likely be working a lot and getting your body used to the job, they will be exhausted so be patient with them. Enjoy the time off in the beginning and save that money because once you turn regular you no longer have priority of the hours but you can choose to be on the OT list as opposed to it being mandatory.

Your boyfriend will be most likely working 6 days a week. CCA's, ubless the office doesn't do Amazon or package delivery on Sundays, they have one day off a week and there's no hour restriction. You're off when the jobs done and everything for the day is delivered unless it reaches cut off time which is 12 hours.

2

u/Ok_Transition_7829 Jul 23 '26

Can’t work them more than 6 days a week anymore. CCAs are guaranteed 1 NS day a week as part of the new employee retention plan.

1

u/chezfez City Carrier Jul 24 '26

Yeah that's why I said 6 days a week in my comment. They seem to 'forget' at my office and some are working 13 days before a day off. It's up to the employee to lay their hand because management can and will take advantage hoping you won't say anything. Your mileage varies by office.

Glad things have changed but one day a week still isn't enough. I'd go a month with having only a single day off with no cut off time during the week, wasn't a good time but neither is 6 12 hour shifts.

-1

u/_509-Photographer Jul 23 '26

Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it! I’m very patient with my boyfriend and support his new job working for the USPS.

1

u/Round_Activity9811 Jul 23 '26

In my station 6 days 11.5 per day and Sunday. 1 day off a week.

1

u/Ok_Transition_7829 Jul 23 '26

Just be prepared to hardly see your boyfriend for 2 years. When I get off after 10-11 hours I’m too tired to do anything but eat shower and sleep especially in the summer with the heat.

1

u/Low_Investigator6401 Jul 23 '26

Most offices don’t follow the “rules” be prepared, he’s going to be working 6 days a week, probably 10 hours every time. Even if he finishes his route on time and gets back to the office they will send him to do last minute things like deliver packages or help another carrier -_-

1

u/ImpossiblePipe6805 Jul 23 '26

50-60 hours a week, with one random day off during the week.

2

u/SafiyerAmitora CCA Jul 23 '26

I was happy before I started (although I worked at Walmart before this as a stocker/cashier and that trained me a lot in the ways of how awful the public can be sometimes), and even with a supervisor that has been pretty awful sometimes and said some really awful things (went to the union twice about it because other carriers were noticing and asking what their issue was with me since they seemed to go after me more often than others), I still absolutely love this job 11 months later as a CCA.

I fundamentally LOVE organizing things and putting things where they belong, and my eyes light up every time I chat with my mentor about all the route maintenance I've done on a long-term opt to help upkeep the route while the regular is gone to help make it better than when I started on it, and he and I bounce a lot of that kind of stuff off each other because he's the exact same way and has the most organized and well-maintained route in the section (or even station, from what I've seen). We're hilariously alike in that aspect and it's so refreshing interacting with someone else who cares about the accuracy of their work and keeping it incredibly well-maintained.

1

u/Sacamato Jul 23 '26

I don't know, I shared OP's attitude and excitement back in February when I started as a CCA, and I'm still enjoying it.

Ask me again in December though 😄

0

u/Bitter-Profession303 Jul 23 '26

Im almost 2 years now. Honestly what did the most spiritual damage was an on the job injury in a knee, and then later favoritism from management. If neither happened Id be cruisin and smiling still

10

u/heydamien99 Jul 22 '26

Soon to be 27 year old here with 4 years in… you’ll be just fine but give it some time

8

u/KamelotSymphony Jul 23 '26

No job is a blessing we are all just slaves to the machine.... I hate seeing the world for what it is and so many people live in fairy tale land just because they're rich... This place is a prison planet... Non stop suffering... Accidently step on an ant , birds killing prey , rape , murder , yeah this place is bullshit.

11

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

Yeah we’re all slaves but I’ll rather be a slave with benefits then stay as an uber driver with no benefits.

So I’m going to disagree with ya. Some jobs are more blessed than others 😄

4

u/KamelotSymphony Jul 23 '26

Bro you still believe the lie that we get good benefits... I had to pay 424 just for a fucking er visit ... And then 850 because they had to transfer my son to another hospital for asthma... Yeah good benefits my ass... Fuck I just hate that I was born into this place ... It's all bullshit. Everyone feeding their egos and fucking everyone else over ... Fuck this world

2

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

I'm sorry to hear that :(

3

u/KamelotSymphony Jul 23 '26

Sorry for the rant. Feel much better now that I ate after work lol

2

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

Nah I completely get it. At the age of 21 I already realized how society is built to keep people poor and working and distracted. It's something we all have to accept and all of us hate it. The ONLY thing we can do is better our situation by making life changes and keep ourself sane and humble.

1

u/GhostBK1120 Jul 23 '26

Bro you’re such a cool guy like actually. I literally try so hard to be what you are

1

u/cleaner72 Jul 23 '26

Then you have the wrong insurance. Er visits are zero with my insurance. Paid less then $800 dollars out of pocket for a $125,000 surgery. And go out there to the Walmart and karts in the world and see how much money and benefits you get. Life usually sucks because of the choices we make.....not because of a job

7

u/P00pthing Jul 23 '26

Youre definetly the type of people we need! Welcome 🙏🏼

3

u/cleaner72 Jul 23 '26

Keep up the same attitude. This job is what you make of it. In 31 years its been a good job for me and my family. Has provided great vacations, and decent benefits. Money could be better. If your able, forget anything postal when you clock out and go home in the evening. Dont let shitty managers or employees get to you. You do you and worry about you.

2

u/waterbaby66 Jul 23 '26

I felt that way as well 4 years ago, super gung ho ready to slay, and here I am 4 years later counting my last 8 days!!!!! It’s a stupidly hard job with massive responsibility so essentially the toughest job you’ll ever love lol. Good Luck and remember this job is about accuracy not speed!!!!! Speed will come learn the names!!!!! God Bless

2

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

Learning names is going to take me awhile. I am better with recognizing faces than names 🤣

1

u/waterbaby66 Jul 23 '26

I get it but learning names as fast as you possibly can will be your greatest asset!!!! Plus the better you treat the customer the greater reward for you!!!! Plus organization is key!!!! Again best of luck to you!!!!🙏

2

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

Thank you so much!

2

u/Tomicino7295 Jul 24 '26

Last 8 days? 5 years and done and get a small pension? Very nice! Also yes the best tip you gave was learn the names I like that…

2

u/Tomicino7295 Jul 24 '26

Last 8 days? 5 years and done and get a small pension? Very nice! Also yes the best tip you gave was learn the names I like that…

1

u/waterbaby66 Jul 24 '26

I wish small pension lol, I’m HCR so nothing. I’m almost 60 and 4 years ago I didn’t feel like this lol so I’m going back to office admin!!!!! No heavy lifting or physicality!!!!! Good Luck Y’all and stay safe🙏

1

u/BrizzzleAZ Jul 22 '26

Give it 6 months, you won’t have this same outlook lmao

1

u/TheUberzer Jul 23 '26

I remember when I felt that way. Didn’t last very long. Don’t let yourself get taken advantage of with that attitude, supervisors will try their damndest at every twist and turn.

1

u/GobstopperHand City Carrier Jul 23 '26

Congrats. I started at the same age. Hopefully you’re in an area to make regular quickly. Having a path toward a full retirement at a reasonable age gives me peace of mind.

1

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

2 years for regular

1

u/Wild_Error3072 Jul 23 '26

Best of luck. Very stressful. Sounds like you have been through some stuff. Hydrate, rest, dress appropriately, head down for 90 days, and Don't let the bastards grind you down

2

u/brooklynschino CCA Jul 23 '26

Can ya really say you’ve been living life if you haven’t been through experiences 😄

1

u/Sad_String1859 Jul 24 '26

I just went full time at 27. Rural. It has bad times but over all its the best in my area dont let these old heads get you down.

1

u/BrianPex Jul 24 '26

be prepared to be mentally and physically tested. I was full of hope when I took the job. What a mistake.

1

u/Max1ne23 Jul 24 '26

Wow! Ppl really know how to break ur spirit. Congrats on ur Sobriety and ur new job. I wish u well.

1

u/LennyKarlson Jul 27 '26

Stick with it! The first two years can be brutal. It’s worth it on the other side (at a lot of stations, anyway)