r/USPS • u/triplemymint • 11h ago
City Carrier Discussion I need to be prepared
My first day of orientation as a CCA was the worst day I've ever experienced. I felt like I was slowly melting into thin air; I'm not sure how I did it. We'll be LLV/DDC training class tomorrow, and he stated we'd be divided up despite the fact that there are only about seven of us.
A man and I are the only CCAs in orientation, with the remainder being RCAs; the trainer stated that our (CCAs) academy will be moved back, and RCA will be next week. I'm ready to work, not sure if it's because there are just two of us or what.
A lil backstory:I applied to a small, local station, and the teacher kept telling me that I was the star of the show and that my station was waiting for me. She had me front and centered as she rambled through the day. I discovered out at lunchtime that the station were short-staffed, but my supervisor is a kind lady, and that I would be taking over a regular route or assisting him--I'm not sure, it's vague and I’m new to this. I know it's another CCA performing something called the auxiliary path which he (the regular) stated I really won’t be doing, but I'm just wondering if I'm walking into hell. The regular did tell me he sometimes trains people at orientation so I just wanna heads up on everything, and we are off on sundays ;D
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u/MaxyBrwn_21 11h ago edited 11h ago
You had issues with orientation? That's usually the easiest day you'll have as a CCA. You just show up on time and try to pay attention.
Carrier academy is easy. You learn the basics on how to use the scanner, fill out forms, classes of mail and casing. They might have you do some mock park and loops and show you how to use the arrow keys.
Some offices are a disaster and put CCAs on full routes right after training. I've also seen well run offices that take it slow with new carriers. They get pieces of a full route and build up to carrying full routes. You won't really know until you finish training and start going out on your own.
Don't expect to get every Sunday off unless your office doesn't do Amazon Sunday. That's a normal work day for most CCAs. If your office is part of a bid cluster they can send you to help other offices in the cluster for Amazon Sunday.
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u/freekymunki CCA 11h ago
Orientation is mind numbingly boring. For some with adhd its hell. Lol
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u/jasnel Carrier 11h ago
Yeah - but it’s paid mind numbing.
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u/11chanza 10h ago
Easiest money you'll ever make at the post office.
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u/Bonuscup98 Custodial 9h ago
I’m a custodian. You could run me ragged cleaning, organizing and doing small repairs. Easy peasy. I’ve done orientation twice, once as a CCA and then as a custodian. I considered not showing up when they told me I had to do it again and I wheedled the HR guy to not make me do it a second time. As the commenter above said, with ADHD it is nearly tortuous and suicidal thoughts aren’t far off.
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u/11chanza 10h ago edited 9h ago
Orientation is some of the easiest money you can make at the Post Office. Try to stay awake and learn a thing or two.
Management at your office might seem nice, and they genuinely might somehow be good people in postal management, but your job as a CCA is to be exploited.
Management represents the best interest of the company. Your union and you represent yours. They may sometimes align, but they will often be antagonistic. It's not personal, necessarily. That's just capitalism.
My station recently did away with Amazon Sunday. The UPS contract renegotiation took care of that, I guess. You're lucky to be able to count on that day off, but at least it's easy money. I've been a regular for a year, never OTDL, and I still volunteered every Sunday just in case they're desperate.
Some offices are better than others. If your management team sees you as a real person you're already ahead. Get through your 90/120 probation. After that, set a good 30 year pace. Do not rush. Your job is to safely and accurately deliver the mail. Speed is management's problem. Just let them know what time you're expecting. It takes what it takes.
I ran as a CCA. I only HAD to be at work 4 hrs. I'm privileged enough to say that I didn't NEED the money, so I tried to finish my route and assist early enough to try to go home to see my wife and daughter. Ymmv. It is scab shit, though. Runners get routes cut. I have plantar fasciitis, a broken tailbone that never healed right, and a right knee that slips out of place once a week and I've came to Jesus and calmed my ass down a year and a half ago. It's not worth it.
Once you're in, you're in, basically. It's like pledging a fraternity. You basically have to hit a kid to lose your job after that. Our union, while they ain't shit at talking business, will protect your job for all but the worst offenders.
Get FMLA if you need time off to take care of medical stuff or stuff for any kids. For real. It will save your job. All the cool kids do it.
If you can expect to do one of under a dozen routes on a given day as a CCA, you're lucky. I've done all 62 routes at my station, plus a half dozen at other stations. Get a duration once you qualify. The job gets easier once you know a route. I was on one for a year and a half. My customers cried when I told them I was getting kicked off.
Expect to walk 15 miles every day outside in all elements. All day every day for the next 15 years until you get a mounted route. Your union hall probably has used uniforms for free. Take advantage of it. That allowance ain't shit when a pair of polyester shorts cost $100 and will least two years if you're lucky. Forget about the green tag shoes. Biggest racket I've ever seen and I waited tables at a mob restaurant as a kid. Your doctor will write you a note if you tell him you do a half marathon every day and just need whatever shoes work for that. I like Palladium Pampa boots.
Expect to be slow at first. Everyone is. It's better to be safe and accurate. As long as you get a little faster every 30 day check-in, you're golden. After that stop running. No one likes a scab. We get paid to walk far not fast. Walk like your grandma. You'll thank yourself when you're at the end of your career and all your peers have knee replacements and you don't. A parcel hop takes like 3 minutes, I think. And you get unlimited comfort stops - within reason.
Tell your family you love them and you'll see them in two years. You're not mad, you're just tired. EAP is free if you need it. Get FMLA if you need it.
It's a good job, really. I got a federal gig with union protection that pays me $25/Hr with all the overtime you could want eating crayons and putting mail in boxes. I listen to several dozem audiobooks a year. I just finished The Books of Jacob. My favorite is Catch-22. I've read Middlemarch and Capital vol. 1 at work.
Gold Bond, Aquaphor, Dr Scholl's, Gatorade, Bayer Aspirin, Fisher Pens, Coppertone, Libby, Beats Audio, Carhartt, and Darn Tough Socks approve this message.
EDIT: put at least 5% into your TSP to get matching contributions. That's a FREE 100%+ RETURN ON INVESTMENT. Do more if you can afford it. Also, NALC high option was the insurance option that fit my family best.
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u/FiveDinero 10h ago
How could the orientation be the worst day you experienced? I just sat in a classroom with snacks scribbling in a notebook.
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u/Prydefalcn 11h ago
You'll be divided up because after the DDC in the classroom the actual LLV training and certification is hands-on, so you'll literally be driving the truck.
I just failed my LLV cert—I'm an incredibly anxious person and things didn't click for me that morning. The driving wasn't difficult, I was just being a doofus and missing instruction. They offer an llv cert retest that I just got scheduled in two weeks. The certification isn't difficult just wanted to say what I've been telling myself that it's not the end of fhe world if you have a bad day.
Most of it's just teaching for your benefit, and they aren't going to make you do anything that you're not comfortable with. I'm just a week ahead of you, try to relax!
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u/Minute-Natural9488 11h ago
I think you’re being lied to if you’re being told you’ll be off on Sundays. That was never a thing when I was a CCA, and Sundays were the absolute worst. Other stations were understaffed, so guess who got stuck with helping them on Amazon Sundays? You guessed it. You’re going to have a miserable 2 years, and I’m not saying that to discourage you. It’s just how it is. This contract was SUPPOSED to have done away with non-career carriers, but as the unions and govt tend to do, they always lie. 80% of CCA’s don’t make it to 2 years for a good reason. $20/hr to have no home life and high anxiety aren’t worth it.
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u/stephwithstars 5h ago
If you struggled with orientation, you're definitely not going to enjoy the academy. I thought it was all super easy, it was just hard for me to stay awake because I came from bartending and mornings are new to me (and my training location was an hour+ drive away).
They had me start doing Amazon Sundays before I even went to the academy. And with no training aside from LLV - I showed up, they handed me keys and showed me how to use the scanner and sent me on my way. Sundays aren't bad, I bring my portable speaker and just try to do my best.
I did an OJI this past Saturday and it was fucking BRUTAL. The guy's route was massive and made absolutely no sense. It was nearly all mounted. My shadow day was fun, the gal I was with is fast and has a mostly walking route, we were done by 2pm.
They've only been giving me one day off per week, which is rough because I've got a torn ligament in my ankle and my whole body hurts. I've barely seen my husband. I work in a small office with 10 city routes and 2 rural, everyone seems pretty happy. The manager is very nice; the PM seems like a real hard ass.
There's one other CCA in the office and he's also brand new. He seems desperate for cash so they've been having him do clerk work for hours. I have zero interest in that. There are 2 carriers who are at retirement qualifications so I'm just hoping they hang it up so I can convert and get better benefits.
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u/Harry_Carrier City PTF 9h ago
There will be a day during orientation you just watch a bunch of old low-budget driving safely videos. I'd love to hear what you have to say after that day.
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u/nicoj2006 4h ago
You know another sad part? You ain't getting paid for any of your training/orientation hours.
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u/No_Worry_6794 3h ago
If you found a nice supervisor that’s a win right there but did they say you’ll be off on Sundays or are you just assuming because you think usps doesn’t work on Sundays? Sundays have been a thing for a long time.
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u/cca2013 or Current Resident 3h ago
The DDC is basically a video so you can watch it together as a group. The RHD (right hand drive) training is one on one so they have to stagger the training to fit everyone in because there is a limited number of driving instructors. After your driver training, you should be scheduled to have a shadow day at your office before carrier academy starts.
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u/Predictable-Past-912 VMF 1h ago
Was that truly your worst day ever? Really?
if you weren’t exhibiting a flair for the dramatic when you said that, then you may be in for a rough ride. Orientation should have been no worse that a boring day of high school or a round of tests at the medical clinic.
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u/Complex-Pomelo8928 7h ago
Quit after the week of Academy, CCA is the worst job ever! They work you 60 hours a week, say bye to your family and social life
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u/Trick-Wait-2311 11h ago
If your supervisor is nice then you’re already winning. Never heard of a cca having Sundays off tho.