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Interview for RCA

There is no guarantee on full time. If it's a very small office in a very rural area with not many other nearby offices you may not get much working time.

If it's a larger office and/or area short on subs you may get more than full time.

Your only way to find this out might be to go to the interview. And ask the right questions. And hope you get honest answers. Find out how many routes there are. How many subs there are - if there are significantly less subs than routes, you are likely to get a lot of time in. If you are looking long term, it's too early to know how long before you might go regular and get the benefits, etc. But expect a long time - possibly years. and years.

As for using your car, do you know if it is adequate? Big enough? Reliable? If you end up on a route where you are required to provide your own vehicle, it is a major expense and major stress to supply one that does the job and stays running.
 
You are wise to ask before getting into it.

Too many RCAs go into this thinking it's going to pay the bills.

It's not, unless you get into a huge office with a million rural routes and 2 subs.

You are guaranteed 1 day a week and any time your primary is off.

That's it.
 
It’s not worth it in any way, shape or form that I can see being in a POV. Been a RCA for a little over a year and I’ve recently started applying for jobs. I am in the hole after gas, oil changes, tires, battery etc. Worked 12 full weeks out of 52 weeks and 1 day a week for 40 weeks. Then again the more you work in a POV the more you’ll spend on gas, oil, tires, etc. I love the job itself but sitting around twittling my thumbs for 40 weeks really blows. I’m to much of a busy body to have nothing to do.
You may luck up though and have a office that needs you 4-5 days a week and sustain a constant paycheck which will help you to not go in the hole.
Good luck on your decision.
 
Go to the interview and ask if you will need your own vehicle to deliver or if one is provided. Also, ask how many rural routes there are and how many subs in that office. Ask if they deliver Amazon Sunday. Once you have those answers come back here and let us know. Once we know that, we’ll be better able to tell you what you’re walking in to.
 
here you can probably work 3 days a week pretty easily. for now. until they get more subs hired. but they have been attempting to hire a sub for over 6 months. definitely ask about potential to go reg. I worked as a rca for 13 years. Another rca in another office worked as a sub for less than a year before going regular. The office im in now, you will at the very least have a 30 hour aux route in 3 years or less. And that aux route will probably be a 35 or so within 2 years. Also ask if your car is suitable-can you drive from the right side, and is it big enough?-to carry a mail route. Old cars are great, but being broke down on the side of the road with 3 hours left on the route and 2.5 hours to get it done isnt..

That being said, if you can find a job with similar pay, you most likely will have a better working environment other places. working for the government has its quirks, to say the least.
 
Do you have a pulse?

You're hired!
Not so in my offices last 4 candidates.... all 4 didn’t get for 1 reason or another...... we’re still looking for 2 subs (soon to be 3, one of our subs may soon be going regular in another office)
 
Looks like Franklin is a pretty small town, like mine. If other things are similar, that could mean that you'd have to provide a car. Its a bigger challenge than it sounds like due to wear and tear, and mostly brake pads that go fast. Gravel roads? 100 miles a day of that will beat you down.
It could also mean only 2-3 days a week at most, but who knows? The Postmaster would hopefully be honest and tell you. RCAs are worked 6 days a week in some offices, and 1-2 in other, tiny places. Large offices use RCAs as low-paid whipping boys to avoid hiring higher paid "regular" carriers.

This sounds strange, but ask if the office delivers Amazon, and how long that has been going on. Rural carriers do not get paid by the hour. They are paid a set amount each time they run the route. At one time, it was pretty fair. Then came Amazon. The routes suddenly got 3 times the packages to deliver, but got no increase in pay. It has ruined the job in many areas.

The only bright point is beginning Sept 28, the PO will pay 75% or so of your family-type insurance costs. Major benefit that we didn't have before.
 
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