In today’s Postal Service environment it is essential as carriers to develop good working habits. With the requirement to carry our scanners at all times we want to make sure we are doing things correctly on a daily basis. This should hold true regardless of whether or not your office is under inspection.
When moving to the street do not roll out over flowing hampers. Take the time to safely make two trips. We are not required to do anything unsafe. Avoid using nutting carts. Use your load tool feature to properly enter your packages and place them in the proper section of your vehicle. Do not overload your tray, stack DPS or place things on the dashboard. We get credible time out on the street to replenish mail from the back of the vehicle.
On the way out to the beginning of your route take the proper line of travel that is in your route description. Perform your route in the order that matches your edit book. Scan all packages and take them to the door for the customer. Properly handle all accountable mail, including certified letters in the stream of your DPS. If the customer is not home take the time to properly notify them. Always curb your wheels, apply the emergency brake and lock your vehicle. All little things that add up to credible time during your tour.
On the street we are entitled to at least one ten minute break (if you have an office break) but most of our offices get two. If you are taking lunch try to make it a distinguishable 30 minutes. We are not allowed to combine breaks, or extend lunch with one of your breaks. However we are allowed comfort stops. The M-39 states:
- 242.341 The carriers at the delivery unit will receive two 10-minute break periods. The local union may annually opt to have either (a) both breaks on the street or (b) one of the 10-minute breaks in the office and one break on the street. If two 10-minute breaks are taken on the street, they will be separate from each other. Breaks must be separate from the lunch period. The carrier shall record on Form 1564-A, Delivery Instructions, the approximate location of the break(s). Reasonable comfort stops will not be deducted from the carrier’s actual time to take comfort stops.
Just a reminder of some of the little things that fill our day with credible time and things that if management questions you about you have a right to ask for your steward.
Fraternally yours,
Lou Sklenarik, Executive VP
Merged Branch 86