Love it man thanks for your positivity! I am a 50 year old architect who has exhausted my passion for architecture. Despite good pay the stress has taken years off of my life. My favorite all time job was mowing a cemetery as a kid. So…I’m considering applying for a RRC. The drive, the views , being alone in your thoughts and general positivity are worth way more than whatever it pays. Money does not equal happiness my friends. God bless and thanks for sharing!
I start as an RCA on 12/27 and after 15 years from my previous job stressing me out I look forward to driving in my Rural area of my small town in Maine. Thanks for having such a positive outlook and helping me understand alittle more on what I'll be doing.
I don't carry pepper spray for animals. I carry an air horn instead. It scares away digs, bears and sketchy people while at the same time alerts others and it doesn't hurt anyone.
I bring both with me. There is a Labradoodle with an invisible fence collar on that chased my vehicle for 3 blocks because I used my air horn when he got too close to my hand when I was putting the mail in the mailbox. So now I make sure I have pepper spray for those crazy dogs!
Thank you. Just now seeing this but it's cool to meet another Rural carrier with a positive attitude. I have to say, that route looks like it's DEEEEP in the sticks. You're right about everything, though. It's a great job.
I drive a Toyota Sienna mini van. It is awesome!!! I can carry all parcels! Even at Christmas! And it has a back up camera, sonar beeps if you get close to hitting something. The earlier you get out, the better day you have. I even have an emergency toilet in my van.
Tara Miller is your van a right hand drive van? I’m starting at the post office as an RCA and I own two vehicles. Neither are right handed and neither have a bench seat and are only 1-2 years old so I’m not really in the position of buying a new right hand vehicle for the job. Trying to get ideas on which makes and models works best as a normal drive car, any thoughts?
Forrest White I don’t see any around that are right hand drive or have a bench seat. How can you possibly drive from the right with the console in the middle? I need ideas, lol.
Best advice is when he says it will be tough at first. BELIEVE THAT! You will be frustrated and possibly want to cry alone in your car on the side of the road and question your entire existence the first couple weeks. But...after you get over that it is a really nice job and can be peaceful like he says. Stick thru that tough part and come back for advice. You will be awesome!
Ive been so so so stressed about my upcoming mailman job, but this video put my mind to ease! Your positive attitude really gave me confidence, thank you so so much!
You're livin the life man. I always wanted to be a mail carrier. I was a CCA for about 2 years in my tiny home town and loved it. I got into a really bad car accedent two years ago though and couldn't continue doing the job. Even now that I'm healed up, I couldn't carry the bag on my shoulder and I couldn't get my "stop and hop" route done anymore because of my injuries. I switched to RCA for a bit but couldn't make the schedule work for me (I was only working in Mondays the whole time I was there). This video definitely made me miss my job with the USPS, but I'm hopeful that my new career in IT will be something I enjoy doing too!
Enjoyed the ride with you. Excellent recruitment video. You 'addressed' all the questions I had about your job. Your content 'delivery' was 'Special'... Made my day.
I have been a rural carrier for 23 years. I know what you mean about the time to think and reflect on the route. I have have made some of my best ideas on my route.
Ya'll don't have SAFETY TALKS FORBIDDING YOU TO TALK ON A PHONE WHILE DRIVING. ITS A SAFETY HAZARD. WE HAVE INSPECTORS OUT AND ABOUT. YOU GET WRITTEN UP FOR DRIVING AND BEING ON A PHONE. YOU GET A WARNING. TOO MANY TIMES AND YOU GET FIRED.
you forgot to mention that you are responsible for all wear and tear on your vehicle, if breaks down its on you you got figure out a contingency plan, where as you work for them in their tin cans you just walk away and call your supervisor to get a hook. the job ends at your clock out time in your case you got fix your van at nite and make sure it starts in the morning.. I did it 30 years on a much bigger level with big rigs I can relate
Great video man, you really show that the job is what you make of it. I'm an RCA out in California, and yes it does get hot, and can be tiring some days. But really, the only part that is a bit time consuming during the day is casing the mail in the morning. But once you're loaded up and on the road, well, everything after that is just gravy. My co-workers are awesome, and the people I see everyday are great. True, it can get really busy and hectic at times, like Christmas. But again, the job is what you make of it. If you have a positive attidude like you do, and treat everyone with respect, it makes a world of difference.
IT HAS GOOD POINTS. He's not telling every thing. My gas every 2 weeks is about $500 out my check. Don't mention buying tires, OIL changes, changing brake pads, rotors, replacing joints, upper & lower control arms on the wheels, alignments from terrible gravel roads. STOPPING STARTING IS HELL ON YOUR TRANSMISSIONS & ENGINE. I'VE REPLACED ENGINES, TRANSMISSIONS. OVER 30 YEARS I'VE BOUGHT ABOUT 13 VEHICLES. ONE YEAR I WENT THRU 2 VEHICLES. RUINED TRANSMISSION IN ONE, THEN ENGINE WENT OUT IN MY BACK UP VEHICLE. OH YOU NEED 2 VEHICLES SO YOU CAN KEEP WORKING WHILE THE OTHER IS IN THE SHOP. IT'S STRESSFUL BECAYSE YOU CAN'T WORK IF YOU DONT HAVE A VEHICLE. IF ITS BROKE DOWN BE PREPARED TO BUY ANOTHER THAT DAY, RENT ONE, BORROW ONE. YOU GOT TO HAVE ONE TO WORK. IF YOU BREAK DOWN GOT TO BE ABLE TO GET IN A BACK UP VEHICLE. YOU GOT TO GET IT TOWED BACK TO TOWN. ONE TIME IT BBN COST ME $400 TO TOW IT BACK.NOW I HAVE TOWING IN MY INSURANCE. I work on mine on the route when Stranded in the MIDDLE of NOWHERE WITH NO CELL PHONE SERVICE. GOT FULL TOOL BOX, PLUG MY TIRES OUT ON ROUTE . SOMETIMES GRAVEL MAKES JACK UNSTEADY & ITS EASIER IF YOU CAN PLUG TIRE WHILE STILL ON VEHICLE AND PUMP TIRE UP. SOMETIMES YOU'RE FORCED TO CHANGE TIRES YOURSELF LADIES. NO ONE OUT THERE TO HELP IF YOU'RE ON NO TRAFFIC ROADS. REMEMBER MOST FOLKS ARE AT WORK IN THE CITY. ITS YOU ONLY YOU OUT THERE IN THE BOON DOCKS.
To anyone with a left hand vehicle I recommend getting a grabber or mail hawk. I've found and effective way to use it on my route. Offcourse you might need to get out cause of those people with funny mail boxes but it gets the job done.
I am becoming an RCA, I am super excited! I am just waiting for the background check to clear and I am on my way. Thanks buddy for the positive vibes! 😄
Good job! I like the way you explain everything, you made me feel like l was there with you! Rural carrier was one of my choices but l ended up with a city carrier position. Thank you for making it look so easy👍🏾
Thank you for this video. Just accepted a RCAssociate position. Ready to work. Guess I'm gonna have to save for a rhd vehicle. This was excellent. Thank you
Back in 1984 and '85, I delivered a newspaper motor route. It was a afternoon paper route, and my route was part rural and part suburban. On the rural part, on those back country roads that were 16 to 18 feet wide across both lanes, people would not wait one minute when I stopped to make a delivery in a roadside mailbox. Even on a blind curve, or a knoll, the idiot would speed around me with no regard for oncoming traffic. That had to have been one of my biggest pet peeves, because it was a recipe for a horrific head-on collision!!! These idiots were gambling with their lives!!!! If I were in their shoes, I would have had enough since enough to wait those few seconds, until I could see to get around the carrier safely. A few seconds aren't worth risking your life for.
I’ll be starting an RCA position within the next month. They haven’t given me an exact date, but they said around a month. Already been through all the other steps, background checks, etc. Very much looking forward to it. Thank you for the awesome video.
Everything and I mean everything depends on your supervisor. Unfortunately the vast majority are miserable pricks who treat you horribly. I was a CCA and supervisors were never satisfied and I was constantly threatened with termination. It led to a great deal of anxiety because all you are thinking about is being fired. This, of course, leads to many mistakes which dominoes and a lack of confidence. Eventually, I was terminated after a couple of months. I was then hired as an RCA later on but that only lasted on two days as the Postmaster was a miserable human being. They have had lots of turnover and I know why. The Post Office has taken a page from UPS and believe in training through fear which makes no sense but they have been doing it this way forever.
katelyn bestwick trust in the process. Like most jobs, it will be difficult in the beginning. Your stress levels will prolly be through the roof......BUT over time it will get better. Good luck! I’m debating whether I wanna apply for this job as well.
I just got offered a Rural Carrier position in Alaska. I'm excited. I've spent 6 years in the automotive technician industry. And it has not improved. So Post Office here I come
happened upon your video as i had an offer; however, the fact that there is never a guarantee of hours as an rca will not work for me. thanks for your guidance for those seeking it.
I’m going to be starting out as a rca soon. I was a cca before which was tough. I hope the rca is a little better. I will be documenting my experiences as well. Maybe you and I can collaborate at some point.
@Judah This is incredibly wrong. I was an RCA and never had an LLV. In fact, almost none of the RCAs at my office did, because out of the 9 rural routes, there were 2 LLVs. So all of the regulars used their own vehicles, too. This is how it is in a truly rural part of the country. ARCs, in my experience, never have to use their own vehicle, however that might not be true. RCAs definitely do though. Even at Carrier Academy we had a regular show us how he loads his personal vehicle for his route, giving us tips and tricks he had picked up in his 30 years of carrying mail. Also, you can see in this video an RCA doing his route in his own vehicle. I don't intend for this message to come off rude, just trying to let you know that things are very different at other offices.
@Judah CCAs carry city routes. They might walk most of their routes. I have done this job also, there is a big difference between city routes and rural routes. You can't compare times between a rural route and a city route. CCAs are worked to death, sometimes working 7 days per week and 12 hours per day, carrying multiple routes in a day. An RCA is not allowed to do a city route, and a CCA can't do a rural route. They are represented by different unions. Also, I have worked at 4 different post offices, and I applied at 2 others and asked, you will absolutely have to carry a full route out of your personal vehicle if you're an RCA, at least over here in WA. I have worked at offices in every corner of this state. There are not nearly enough LLVs to go around over here, so a lot of regular (full time/career) carriers have to use their own car to begin with. My dad, for example, always gets his mail delivered by a lady in a Subaru. Not every route in that office uses a personal vehicle, about 7 or 8 of their 40 routes do. When I apoed to work there, the post Master said that I absolutely needed my own vehicle to deliver routes. Even in large cities you will have to deliver out of your own vehicle depending on the route if you're a rural carrier. My carrier academy class had a couple of people that were going to be working at a Spokane post office. They were never going to have access to an LLV because the routes they were going to cover never had an LLV. In the office the carrier academy took place in, they were adding 3 routes to the town because of rapid growth. Those routes are never going to have an LLV because they were already short on LLVs. The regular carriers in these route have to deliver out of their own vehicle, and the RCAs that cover those routes have to deliver from their own vehicles. If you go to this address: www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=about.usps.com/publications/pub181.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiW1ZOXspjqAhW0FzQIHQkiCiIQFjABegQIDBAI&usg=AOvVaw3HQtBRwBGyK2PBFzzKFzQ4 And go to the 5th page, you can see that RCAs are generally required to deliver from their own vehicle, and that SOME offices will supply a postal vehicle (LLV). This has been my experience with all of the offices I've worked at and applied to work at.
Thank you for the video. I’m a mail carrier in the Netherlands and I have two rural routes (7 and 14 miles by bike and around 70 stops for each route). In the holidays I have 6 of these routes (around 70 miles total). Unfortunately my postal company is taken over by another postal company, so there is no more work for me and I have to look for other work.
Wow that is really cool! It's crazy all of the different ways mail is delivered, I'm very sorry your losing your job, there's no way to get on with the new company?
All deliverers had an offer from the other company, but the working hours did not suit me. at my current company I receive the mail for my routes delivered to my home on Monday and Thursday. I have to sort the mail myself and deliver it on Tuesday and Friday between 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM. At the other company I need to deliver the mail between 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and unfortunately that doesn't suit me because I also study. I also started earning 75% less, so it is not an attractive offer either. Of the 12,000 delivery people, only 4,000 are taken to the other company, so I'm certainly not the only one.
Most RCA positions, you start as a sub before they hire you on full time which can take 2-4years where I live. Which could be working less than 4 days a week.
Ya'll can be fired for driving while talk8ng on a phone. Safety considers it a distraction. I don't know what state you're in but in my state its zero tolerance & YOU WILL BE FIRED.
Hell y'all got plenty of time. Y'ALL routes must be OVER EVALUATED. MEANING THEY SAY YOU GOT LOTS OF STUFF AND YOU REALLY DON'T ! HELL MY ROUTE MUST BE UNDER EVALUATED. THEY SAY I TAKE 50 A DAY WHEN I REALLY TAKE 150 PKGS A DAY. TO GET BACK WITH 150 IN THE TIME ALLOWED FOR 50 PKGS DOSEN'T GIVE ME TIME TO STOP AND URINATE BEHIND A TREE. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR ANY BREAKS 1O MIN MORNING/ EVENING OR 30 MIN LUNCH. I WORK 9 HOURS STRAIGHT WITH BARELY TIME TO TAKE A SIP OF WATER. ITS A VIOLATION OF OSHA & SAFETY.
@@jkkic426 What I've noticed while working in the states : two jobs will pay the same but one job will over work their employee and the other job will assign appropriate work loads. Easiest example. McDs. The cook about to pass out in the kitchen from overworked and heat is paid the same as the cashier in the front, standing their basically doing nothing. When considering a place to work take into account the work load given , is it appropriate, and random bits of bs you might have to deal with alongside the pay . Some jobs are not worth fighting. Just write a letter to the state to aid future employees and leave. Go somewhere you're happy. Find a job who respects their employees, pays them appropriately and doesn't bs. Hope this helps.
You are so cute, I love how you enjoy everything that has been created for us and how you compite with your self to become a more successful person. God bless you Now, how do drive through those litle streets when they have snow? Most be terrible
Man this job seems a little nicer than the city carriers. Been at FedEx freight for almost 10 years as a forklift driver but recently been looking into usps since the city position is 2 min away and rural opening is 5 min. Beats 45min driving to FedEx. Also burnt out on 3rd shift hours although the pay cut would be almost $10. But maybe better quality of life at usps?
Makes it look so easy office where I was had twice as many rural routes than city routes and most rural routes where all in the city nothing like this now days
remember being thrown to one rural office to run an "H" route during peak season. H route my ass, scanner counted over 300+ parcels every day. Not even 3 trips back to the PO could fit all that crap in. Didn't help either that everyone had winding Football length front yards
Only 1 tray of DPS?! And 1 tray of spurs and magazines!!! Sheesh where do you live? I’m RCA but our routes get about 4 cases of FSSand 6 trays of DPS on a light day
@@ForrestWhite35 how many hours a day? How fast do you drive? 70 miles route, really needed like 15 mph for an 8 hr day, you drive like 50 to 60 at top speed? I guess rural is like freeway...
Just finished my assessment. I've heard its super stressful but maybe I can do it. I have a lot of delivery experience. Hopefully I hear back from them.
All you people on here complaining about using your own vehicles that’s why you get you a gas saver calculate the gas it’s takes to fill up and boom get to work rather you use your own vehicle are not I mean your vehicle could mess up going to the store are going back in fourth to work that’s why you save your money in case of these things I like the freedom of it
I have just applied In Louisiana to be an RCA and I was accepted! I’m really excited, but how in the world do you convert your car into a right side vehicle?? Is that going to cost me a ton of money?
@@johnathontaylor9447 right... i think i'll try the free method first of sitting in the middle. my hatchback is small enough so that its easy to reach out the right window from the middle. if i go full time, or really like the job maybe ill get a kit for the conversion.
Nathan Lambertson it’s up to you I’ve known people that do that it’s just harder then you think about twisting and turning and a lot of people have back problems and usually so long to get on full time unless someone quits or retired or promoted but good luck
I applied to be an Assistant Rural Career, but I don't want that position and it has already sent me the acceptance, GIS, background etc. I applied for regular RCA and CCA, but applied after ARC position. Furthermore, I don't want to use my own car. It's too small and already has a boat load of miles. I worked at the post office 3 times before! Yes, 3. This will make 3rd. The last two times were in Las Vegas and the staff is horrible there. The first time was in Central Coast California and the management were great. Now I'm in Northern California were I want to be. I am hopeful that 4th time is a charm! But it is going to have to be either RCA with their truck or CCA with their vehicle. Otherwise, no Assistant RC.
I liked the idea of the RCA but providing your own vehicle would be the only issue for me. I applied to a number of CCA jobs and hopefully they will provide the vehicle. Anyone with input on that? Thanks for the video Forrest! :D
currently applying to be a rural carrier, i have a sedan do you think that will be a problem? youre not required to wear a uniform? do they reimburse you for gas in your check? i fugured if i would be a carrier it would be a rural one, i dont see them doing much walking and i like that
I like how I go to my shadow day today come to find out I either got a pull out my consul and sit in between the seats or convert my vehicle I went through all the training before I found this out
I like his attitude and really happy delivering mail but I think it's not for me. I used to work for FedEx and I think I liked FedEx more than USPS. LLV's are really old and overall I find it very difficult. I hope to do this for one year and hopefully I survive that long !
Does anyone have any advice for a new Assistant rural carrier? I'll take all the advice i can get! I know its gonna be a rough go at first, but hopefully i can tough it out
Some people sit in the middle, and stretch their legs to the pedals. I did it for my first year that way. But many carriers get kits installed that give you a steering wheel and pedals on the right side. It looks sketchy, but they work well. Look up Teco Machine, that's where I got my kit installed. They look funny, but they make the job a lot easier.
@@ForrestWhite35 i prefer the middle. i've tried right hand drive and i have to change up my whole set up and the way i had to do it in the right hand drive just felt slower. i case everything so i only grab out of one pile and have my parcels in one container (if they're small enough lol) and im just used to grabbing the mail with my right hand and leaning to put it in the box.
@@sparkygamer101 Leaning over can be dangerous at one point or another. You obviously don't have your seatbelt on in case of an accident. As for driving on the right hand side, it is not only safer and faster you just have to give it time and get used to it. Hope this helps in your future.
What is the pay structure like... I saw a job posting and just couldn't imagine being told to come in during a schelduled time and being paid like a contractor at an hourly rate is what I saw...
I am in the hiring process for RCA, but im nervous becauase I feel like I won't get thay many hours to work. Since you're a rural carrier, I'm assuming at one point you were at the RCA position. From ur experience, was work hours hard to get by for an RCA? I did my research and an RCA only covers for people who call off and only work weekends.. Thats why I was wondering if hours will be hard to come by... I eventually want to become a rural carrier from the RCA position. Thank u for the video...
Do i need a good car to drive because my car a nissan maxima front wheel drive is not that great in the snow... :/ just worried my car is not good. I would love to use their car at least.. and also what the difference between cca and rural. Like do they have the same benefits?
CCA and rca are completely different, different pay, different benefits, different everything lol as far as the vehicle you would probably need a 4x4 but some rural routes that supply you an llv
You're a rural carrier and you have NICE customers who give you THINGS?! The most I ever get from customers is suspicious looks and a couple times, the cops called on me.
How do you know which houses/customers get their mail during the day? Do you have a list that you view? And from understanding you are assigned a route, would that be your route permanently?
at many offices, USPS provides a vehicle, or sometimes for some of the routes, but not all. My office, we all provided our own vehicles--they pay you for use of your vehicle, of course.
we've had a new carrier that keeps mixing up our mail with another persons mail. lets say our address is 1880 NE blankety blank blank and the other person address is 1880 NE different whatever whatever. what do we do with this lady? it's happened a handful of times over the past 2 years or more and we can't get rid of our p.o. box in town bc we can't trust her to deliver to our home address consistently. do we talk to the post officer general or something?
I need your honest opinion. I been hearing stories on RU-vid other carriers saying they get treated horribly and its supper stressful and just completely negative. Is there truth to that you can relate with.
It depends on management, the crew around you, and your ability to stay focused and stick with it. Ask questions, write notes, and learn from different carriers and incorporate the tactics they teach that’ll help you!!!
Wait hold up, you have to use your own vehicle if your rural carrier for the post office? That's stupid, why don't they provide you with a vehicle instead of taking your own car. Do they pay for your gas and repairs if something happens on the job.
