Is it really as bad as you all say?

[JFT]

Hello. I'm set to start Orientation this Tuesday as an RCA in California. I found this forum through countless hours of researching this job online to see if it will be a good fit for me. I have to say, I'm really having trouble remaining hopeful after reading so much negative content on this site and so many others also. Let me tell you a little about me...

I am a female in my mid 30's. I have a Husband of almost 1 year. We have a daughter who is 1 and a half and I have a 14 year old son from a previous relationship. My husband is a full time student and up until this job opportunity, I was unemployed for about 2 years taking care of my daughter. My husband will be staying at home with our kids on days that I am working for USPS as his school is about 90% online. He occasionally has to go on campus for things like final exams, etc.

Now, I have been reading every possible thread on this forum that I thought might pertain to my new job as RCA. I have found so much useful information that I am sure will help me tremendously once I start training. I've read through the "New RCA WITH questions" post and nearly every other topic posted by someone "New", and quite frankly, I am pretty much losing all hope for this job working out. I see comments about trying to have a family while doing this job and they are worrisome. As mentioned, I have a family and a very young daughter who is very attached to me still. I'm not sure I want to be away from her more than 9 hours a day.

When I was hired, I was told this was a very part time job. I was told the office where I will be working had just retired a few careers and replaced them with young guys who aren't going anywhere any time soon. (Sorry if this isn't proper terminology) It's located in a pretty small farming town with a few RCA'S already working there. The guy who hired me seemed pretty nice and he seemed to answer my questions honestly. I would be happy working 1-2 days a week and the occasional full time week if needed. I don't mind being called in for days they need my help so long as it works for my husbands school schedule. My issue is with the posts that say they are an RCA working 10+ hours a day, with no days off, never seeing their family, and treated like crap by the management. I mean, if I start this job and find it to really be as bad as you all say, I won't have any issues looking elsewhere, but if its really like that, why do you all stay? Seriously, are the benefits really worth all the struggles it sounds like you all face every day? I'm asking in all seriousness. I guess I'm just confused as to why anyone would willingly stay in a job that is technically not a "career" and continually be treated with such disrespect. I feel for you all and hope to God that my experience will be different but you guys and gals make it sound like hope is a lost cause at the USPS.

 

[CommonSense]

It really depends a lot on the Postmaster in your home office. In my experience, most PMs care only about making life as easy as possible for themselves and care not one bit about the organization or anyone else - unless they are related to that person in some way.
If you have to use your own vehicle like most of us, it is best to have two or one less than 10 years old. The job is hard enough when starting without vehicle issues right away.
As an RCA, you must have a reasonable sense of responsibility to earn favor with most regular rural carriers in an office.
The job is often "feast or famine" when it comes to the number of days of work. For this reason, if you want to have some level of control over your schedule, you are best to work for a small office or one that has the near maximum number of RCAs. This way you are not required to work as much, but can "volunteer" to help other offices.
If you have a serious college degree (and/or real world business experience in some level of management), it is sometimes best to not to let your home office managers know, lest they view you as a threat (to their position) as opposed to an asset to the organization.
ALWAYS KEEP YOUR OWN RECORDS OF YOUR HOURS AND EXTRA MILES and know how to read your convoluted paystub.
If you forget everything else remember the following:
1. If your PM and/or supervisor can't (at least) pretend to be nice the first two weeks and your home office has no rural LLV (PO provided vehicle) routes, start looking elsewhere immediately.
2. If you stay and survive the probationary period as an RCA, do not escalate your lifestyle by buying "assets" that depreciate exponentially like new cars, expensive vacations, etc. Keep expenses low and set as much money aside as possible every week. Eventually, the odds are, you will get a PM that affects your health in such a way you must logically leave, your home office or the USPS.
3. If you must provide your own vehicle and your husband can keep tabs on your brake wear (along with keeping a spare set of those - front and rear - and a starter at all times) and store snow tires on an extra set of rims for you (and maintain these three issues) it is possible to significantly minimize your EMA shortfall.

In your spare time, read the following book and remember that an ENTIRE life of constantly trading time for money is modern day slavery.
Buy it now
Best of luck

 

[egg250]

I was promised 2, maybe 3 days per week. I have worked 21 days without a day off (including Sundays) and have also not worked a single day in a week. I figure I have averaged 4 - 5 days per week over the last (my first) year.

I believe most people that have problems also contribute to the problem. If you have a loudmouth supervisor that talks down to you or yells or whatever, simply tell them that's not ok with you. Don't give the attitude back or yell back "standing up for yourself". The bully boss will see this as a challenge and continue. Gen Mattis said it best, "be polite, be professional..." (I won't include the rest of that quote). Just because you are polite does not mean you allow yourself to be taken advantage of. The same treatment applies to bully regulars. Most of the time, if they understand they will not intimidate you or cause you to be upset they will move on to other targets.

Read the PO 603 and understand your duties as a RCA. Ask questions about things you don't understand. If anyone tells you something you feel is against the 603 or against the contract, ask them to clarify. If a regular carrier is doing something wrong, ask about it, but don't be confrontational about it. It's their route, their job and it is not worth your stress and frustration trying to get them to change their ways.

My biggest frustration is the late mail truck. Most of the time it is 1 - 2 hours late. It has been 4+ hours late as well. It sucks, but the mail has to be delivered.

You get to choose how you start your day and how you respond to situations. Try to keep a positive attitude and it can only be but so bad.

 

[hunchback]

JFT "Is it really as bad as you all say?"

YES

JFT"but if its really like that, why do you all stay?"

For some people $17 an hour is the most they ever made per hour. When you start the job you will be overwhelmed... count on it.
Some personality types view quitting as a sign of failure, add into that the feeling of being overwhelmed, people get focused on getting better or getting by, what I might call the small picture, while ignoring the big picture,
LIKE: Are you benefitting financially, physically and emotionally from the job.
When your vehicle breaks down the aforementioned personality type will first focus on getting back up and running,
NOT "okay if this happens regularly will I actually make $17 per hour?" The answer to that question is NO.
The aforementioned personality type will see the fact that they can not deliver the route in the evaluated time as a personal failure and challenge to do better,
NOT "If this happens regularly will I actually make $17 per hour?" The answer to that question is NO.

Those are a few of the reasons they stay, one more is they are desperate as hell and have no other options.

Good luck, get as much family time in now, before you start, because the Post Office Comes First Once You Start.

 

[DB.Cooper]

JFT, the Gallup corporation is one of the largest polling organizations out there... maybe you've heard of them??? Well, anyways... they administer surveys to MANY organizations, companies, corporations, etc.... to measure the effectiveness and functionality of those organizations... as they do for the USPS as well... they administer what they call "Postal Pulse" surveys to all USPS employees a couple of times every year for the past several years...

So anyways (again), based upon these Gallup administered surveys, what they have reported is that the USPS registers in the LOWEST 1% of all organizations that they have ever surveyed... so, maybe you can take with a grain of salt the ranting of some wildy-named posters on a random message board, such as this one... but if you look at the Gallup poll results, and Google some topics like "future outlook for postal workers"... I think you will find it's not really a rosy picture... but you seem quite bright enuf to make those determinations for yourself... btw, the "quit" rate for new RCAs is VERY high... so if that is what happens for you, don't feel like you're the Lone Ranger... so anyways (again), best of luck to you in whatever your future holds...

New RCA in Training with Questions

 

[JFT]

It really depends a lot on the Postmaster in your home office.
If you have to use your own vehicle like most of us, it is best to have two or a nearly new one. The job is hard enough when starting without vehicle issues right away.
As an RCA, you must have a reasonable sense of responsibility to earn favor with most regular rural carriers in an office.
The job is often "feast or famine" when it comes to the number of days of work. For this reason, if you want to have some level of control over your schedule, you are best to work for a small office or one that has the near maximum number of RCAs. This way you are not required to work as much, but can "volunteer" to help other offices.
If you have a serious college degree (and/or real world business experience in some level of management), it is sometimes best to not to let anyone know lest managers view you as a threat (to their position) as opposed to an asset to the organization.

This might seem like a dumb question but I was never told I needed my own vehicle for this job. Should I call my assigned office to find out if I'll need one?

 

[blamethesub]

JFT - this site is a great place for carriers to ask questions, get answers, and to vent our frustrations to other people who will truly understand. As such, many of the posts here skew toward the negative. Most folks don't come on and "vent" about what a great day they had. There are many things to like about our job. You don't sit in a windowless cubicle all day, your time is mostly your own once you get out of the office, you get outside every day, you get to know a lot of decent people (and some jerks too).

If you are in a small office with no Amazon drops or Sundays, with enough subs to go around, you will most likely be just fine. You'll figure out very quickly the attitude in the office, and you'll be able to make better decisions then.

Just remember, this job is really hard to learn at first. There are a million things you have to remember, and they expect you to internalize it all immediately. It can be overwhelming in the beginning, but eventually it starts to make sense. New hires have a tendency to give up on themselves too soon, just before everything is about to click for them. So keep plugging away at it, and ask lots of questions when you don't understand. Ask those in your office and ask us here as well.

Keep us posted on how things are going for you, and best of luck.

 

[CommonSense]

Yes, immediately
A personal vehicle (or two) that enables one to efficiently and safely deliver mail is a BIG DEAL if required.

 

[hunchback]

This might seem like a dumb question but I was never told I needed my own vehicle for this job. Should I call my assigned office to find out if I'll need one?

YES

READ POST ON PAGE 4 OF LEAVE REPLACEMENTS Starting to think about giving up the RCA job

ACTUALLY READ ALL lbpd16 posts, he is an RCA with less than a year in as far as I can tell which means he started POST AMAZON which is a tough task to be sure

 

[DB.Cooper]

This might seem like a dumb question but I was never told I needed my own vehicle for this job. Should I call my assigned office to find out if I'll need one?

Could be that your new office has the little white mail trucks for all routes (they're called LLVs in post office lingo)... if that's the case, it's the berries for you... no vehicle to maintain and/or worry about... otherwise, maintaining a vehicle will be a LARGE and continuing headache for you.... just sayin'... been doing it now for a couple of DECADES...

 

[muttleycrue]

First, I would like to repeat that it very much depends on the Postmaster. The attitude in the office starts from the top, either through what the PM says/does, or what the PM allows others below him to say/do.

Second, it also may depend on the type of route, size of office, etc. A truly rural route of maybe 70-100 miles, dirt roads, 400-500 roadside mailboxes, is a far different beast from a 20 mile route with 700 cluster boxes for apartment/condo/subdivisions.

Some routes the carrier provides his own vehicle while others drive vehicles provided by the USPS. If you are about to start orientation and have not been told that you need a vehicle, I would hope that means you are not in a private vehicle office. BUT, don't assume, make the call to find out as soon as you can.

 

[JFT]

First, I would like to repeat that it very much depends on the Postmaster. The attitude in the office starts from the top, either through what the PM says/does, or what the PM allows others below him to say/do.

Second, it also may depend on the type of route, size of office, etc. A truly rural route of maybe 70-100 miles, dirt roads, 400-500 roadside mailboxes, is a far different beast from a 20 mile route with 700 cluster boxes for apartment/condo/subdivisions.

Some routes the carrier provides his own vehicle while others drive vehicles provided by the USPS. If you are about to start orientation and have not been told that you need a vehicle, I would hope that means you are not in a private vehicle office. BUT, don't assume, make the call to find out as soon as you can.

Thank you. I will be calling my office to verify this.

 

[CommonSense]

(First, I would like to repeat that it very much depends on the Postmaster. The attitude in the office starts from the top, either through what the PM says/does, or what the PM allows others below him to say/do.)

Absolutely agree. Most PMs I've worked for are WAY under qualified.

 

[JFT]

Thank you all. I guess I'm a "get the job first, ask questions later" type but I really should have asked about the vehicle right away since my family has only one at this time. I honestly thought I would be told I needed one if I did but that doesn't seem to always be the case so I will be calling the office on Monday.

 

[DB.Cooper]

Thank you all. I guess I'm a "get the job first, ask questions later" type but I really should have asked about the vehicle right away since my family has only one at this time. I honestly thought I would be told I needed one if I did but that doesn't seem to always be the case so I will be calling the office on Monday.

You are *supposed* to be told at the job interviews if you will need to provide a vehicle... so, since you've not been told... common sense would indicate that maybe you're going to a route with a USPS supplied vehicle... warning tho, common sense def does not rule at the PO... this you'll see, early, and often... just sayin'...

Btw, PO is closed Monday...

 

[btdtret]

JFT -- Welcome to the USPS. To be honest, it is not the [ fun ] job it used to be and may not be a good fit for your situation of a youngster and a study-from-home husband. The only way to find out is to give it a go. The USPS could care less that you have a family life, as you will be expected to come to work when called.

-- Google "usps publication 181". It is a 12-page pub about rural carriers associates ( RCA's ).

-- As "CS" noted, a lot depends on the postmaster of the office, your co-workers, and the size of the post office. Seems the smaller, really rural post offices are better as everyone eventually knows everyone and the "team" works together to get the job [ delivering the mail ] done through cooperation, even to the extent of crossing crafts, which is a strict no-no if larger offices.

-- The guy who hired you - did he mention RCA's are expected to have a vehicle ( a POV ) capable of delivering mail from? And also expected to have a back-up vehicle just in case one breaks down. This does not really apply if you have a post office that has all postal vans ( LLV's ). That might not be the case if the post office is in a real rural area. ( I see that has come up through additional posts! Certainly call to find out. If you discover you need one right away, it might be a good time to walk away. POV users do get an equipment allowance but it will not cover all expenses. One needs a fairly new vehicle - an SUV or mini-van - and or to be mechanically inclined or know someone who is. )

-- Despite the bad "reviews" others have posted, many stay because it is the only job in town or the area. If one can stick to it, the benefits upon making regular are good -- but could take years to achieve.

-- Others such as "Ibpd16" were looking for a "part-time" job for some spare cash, but soon found themselves working basically full time ( and without the benefits ). Depends on the office staffing.

-- "DB.Cooper" mentioned the Gallup Poll. When it first was done for postal workers and the results were published, top-ranking USPS official were happy to learn the USPS finished with something like 13 out of 16 categories in the 1st percentile. Then the bad news hit -- the 1st percentile was actually the bottom of the barrel! Sad to say, follow-on polls have not really improved. Actually took a law-suit to get the results of one or two polls made public.

-- I guess I have to type faster as "blamethesub" and now others have posted good advice too!

-- The job is sort of like the TV program "A MILLION LITTLE THINGS"!! There is a lot to learn, in fact, it seems it is a never ending learning process. Lots of memory work and it really helps to be right-handed! Don't ask, you'll find out.

-- The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. As you can see already, plenty of those who are willing to answer questions you may have.

-- It probably will take a lot of cooperation with your husband to make this work, but give it an honest attempt - as in several months. On the positive side, you have missed the hectic Christmas period, so the pace should be somewhat easier.

-- A few things to start you off with:

-- The USPS pays every two weeks. As a new RCA, you should get ACTUAL TIME for any work for the first 5 pay periods ( 10 weeks of work ).

-- If your office does Amazon Sunday parcel delivery, there will be a sign-up list, actually two lists. One to volunteer to work Sunday parcels and the other NOT to work Sunday parcels. Be sure to sign the right one. Even then, some non-volunteers get "volunteered".

-- You will have a probationary period of 90-work days or one calendar year, which ever comes first. Manglement can fire you during that period for basically any old reason they see fit. Do your job as best you can so you don't give them a reason.

-- Your real job is to fill in for your regular carrier. If you are assigned to a K-route, you will have at a minimum, two days work per pay period. For a J-route, it will be only one day per pay period. Even an H-route can have a sub, but in that case, one would only work when the regular uses annual or sick leave. You'll learn what the K-, J-, and H-routes are during your time at the Academy training.

-- The job will seem overwhelming when you get to your post office ( it is ! ). We've all experienced it and handled it, so can you!

-- Back in the last century when I first signed on, there was no Academy training. New RCA's were given three days of training with the regular carrier and we were considered "trained" and on our own. There is a lot more to be trained on these days.

-- RCA's are getting harder and harder to hire, let alone keep for very long. The Postmaster General put out an edict a few years ago to "keep RCA's at all costs". Estimates now are that it costs the USPS in the neighborhood of $10,000 to take someone from the streets and getting them ready to delivery mail. Some postmasters honor that by being patient with new hires, while others don't.

-- Jot down ALL the post office phone numbers and have an answering machine be your call-screener. Pick up if you can work, don't pick up if you can't. Naturally, there is a catch-22 situation, you can be fired for not being "available" enough! Tread carefully.

-- Make that call to see if you are required to have your one vehicle ASAP. This could be the deal breaker.

-- Unfortunately there is a postal saying that if the PM or supervisor's lips are moving, it is probably a lie. ( most of the time it seems to be true! )

-- Now that you have found this site, keep us in the loop.

-- In the end, it will be your call. Good luck -- either way!

 

[JFT]

You are *supposed* to be told at the job interviews if you will need to provide a vehicle... so, since you've not been told... common sense would indicate that maybe you're going to a route with a USPS supplied vehicle... warning tho, common sense def does not rule at the PO... this you'll see, early, and often... just sayin'...

Btw, PO is closed Monday...

Haha, I learned that from reading all the comments on this site. Thanks, I'll call Tuesday

 

[Skierstmoritz]

Thank you all. I guess I'm a "get the job first, ask questions later" type but I really should have asked about the vehicle right away since my family has only one at this time. I honestly thought I would be told I needed one if I did but that doesn't seem to always be the case so I will be calling the office on Monday.

Another important question to ask is, Will I be required to work sundays and holidays to deliver Amazon? Could be your office doesn't deliver sundays but you may be required to travel to an Amazon hub office to deliver.

 

[EthelAnne]

I began as an RCA in a situation similar to yours: I was a Mom with young kids and the job was a very good fit for me. I was happy to work one or two days a week and could cover for vacations a few times a year, so I think the job can be very good for someone in your situation. I'll echo a point that has already been made on this thread: a lot depends on the situation in your office and your supervisor. If the office is hopelessly understaffed and they're counting on you to step in so carriers who have been working for months without a day off, etc., then you might find yourself in a situation where you've unwittingly taken a full time job. If that's not the case, and you find yourself with a reasonable supervisor, they may be happy with a steady employee who is reliably working every Saturday and covering a vacation week once in awhile.

I want to add that this job is not for everyone; it's physically demanding, you're working out doors in all sorts of weather and, perhaps most significantly, you're expected to work independently. A lot of people take the RCA job without the experience or skill to organize their own work, so the success or failure of new RCAs can't completely be laid at the feet of bad supervisors or difficult offices. Like a lot of jobs, there are people who just aren't cut out for the work.

Regarding the comments on this site, a lot of people use this forum to vent.

 

[Voglio-il mio]

I know that in my office we delay new RCA's from having to deliver Amazon for the first 60 days and have them just focus on learning the rural route procedures from their primary carrier in their home office! This also eliminates the abuse most new RCA's have to endure when sent to hubs or spokes for Amazon assignments until they are more comfortable and accustom to the postal ways! When we do finally send them to Amazon Sunday for the first time we buddy them up with an experience RCA so that they can be shown the most efficient methods for organization and delivery!