Name: Julie Richtarik
Letter carrier, U.S. Postal Service
How long have you been a letter carrier?
28 years.
How did you decided to get involved in the profession?
I took the civil service exam and got a phone call that I had been accepted. The great opportunity in the post office is you can transfer in any of the 50 states and there's no loss of pay. I started out in Massachusetts, then moved to New Hampshire, and have transferred through three different offices in New Hampshire, which has been a great opportunity. It's that opportunity, exercise, being outside and meeting people – there's a lot of great reasons for being a letter carrier.
What is your favorite piece of post office uniform gear?
The whole uniform. I love the fact it's red, white and blue, and everything is made in the U.S.A. And our jackets and our pants have reflective tape on it, so at nighttime we glow in the dark. When I go home, I can take the dog for a walk and keep my uniform on, and I'm seen in the dark.
Have you ever had any run-ins with dogs? What is your method for dealing with them? Do you carry dog treats?
We are not allowed to carry treats, as a precaution for safety reasons. We try to avoid contact with dogs, but I have had run-ins. The first time was when a man came out of his house and let two dogs out of a pen as I walked by, and they were barking so loud. I heard him mutter something, and as I turned around and said “What?” his dogs were charging me, and what he was saying is “Don't worry, they won't hurt you” – as I got bit by both of them.
The second time was a shepherd, and he snapped his chain. I think he was more shocked than I was. He knocked me over and was on top of me. When he realized what was happening, he bit me and ran.
When you are on a route, you know where the dogs are, and we set up dog warning cards for anyone covering (a route) you, and if a dog is out loose, we try to avoid the situation by either going across the street or skipping a few houses and coming back.
What is the most difficult mailbox you've ever had to reach?
The hardest ones are when they are buried in snow. What people need to try to remember is that when we are delivering, we find a lot of times they clear their sidewalk where they get into their homes, but forget about us, with the mailbox out in front.
Do you prefer on-foot delivery routes or truck routes?
Basically, most of us are always on foot. Our truck is our storage, but we park it and walk almost like a four-leaf clover and then move up a few blocks. We have a few routes that are all totally mounted routes, but I prefer walking. It's good exercise, and you come into better contact with people when you're out walking around.
What is the adjustment like between your car and the mail truck? Ever try to get in and drive from the passenger seat of your car?
Once you've trained on the right-hand wheel, it's not that difficult. It's not that bad. And I've never tried to drive from my passenger seat. Actually it's kind of fun being on the right-hand side, and it's nicer because when you get out of the truck you're on the sidewalk already.
What is your favorite stamp?
I like the Forever stamp. It's a good stamp, and if you make sure you have plenty of stock prior to stamps going up, it's not going to cost you an extra penny.
What's your busiest time of year, or when do you carry the heaviest load?
I feel (it's) Christmas, because of the cards, catalogs for ordering items, parcels and presents. To me, it seems much heavier in every way. And I love that time of year, too. I love bringing presents to people; it's a good feeling time.
Any tips for people mailing their own mail from home? Is there stuff you can't put in your mailbox?
The most important thing is always when you are mailing anything, have your return address on everything. Never mail cash, always do a check if you are going to send money to somebody. And obviously you're not allowed to mail any drugs or alcohol, liquids, those types of products.
The Postal Service creed states “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” How do you combat these conditions? Any inclement weather survival tips?
In the winter months, wear layers, and bring extra layers. You don't necessarily need to wear it all, but you should carry it along with you. We have grippers provided by the post office to put on our boots and keep us on our feet in ice. And in summer months, dress lighter, carry a lot of water, ice. I usually have a wash cloth I can soak, just to wrap around my neck to keep my body temperature down. If you need to, you take an extra break, just to gather yourself, get in someplace where it's cool.
Do you ever judge people based on the Netflix movies that you deliver?
When you are working with so many pieces of mail, thousands a day, basically all you have time to look at is the name and address to get it right. People think, do you look at people's mail? I had a customer once who went away and sent a postcard home, and when she got back, she asked me, “Did you see the postcard I sent for you?”
I said, “I never got a postcard from you,” and she said, “I sent it home to my family and at the bottom of the card she wrote: “Hi, Julie, can't wait to see you and tell you about my trip.” I said, “We don't read people's mail.” Privacy is very important to our customers, as well as to us. You have to remember, I am a customer, too, as well as an employee.
We watch out for our patrons. When someone goes away, we take note if a door is open or a window is broken. I came across a smoke detector that was going off once, and I saw a little bit of smoke, and it turned out the wood stove had not been shut tight and the stove started to burn the floor.
So we're more than just letter carriers – we come into contact with just about everyone every day, so we're trained to observe things that are out of place. I think we play an important role within the community, to the community, and serving the community, and I'm very proud of that.
Do you put on your full postal outfit when sending emails?
I do not put on the outfit, but I'm thinking of the outfit when I do send an email. If I'm ordering online and they usually ship UPS or Fed Ex, I request to have it sent by U.S. Postal Service, even if it costs extra. I do take pride in my company and my job, so I keep that in mind when ordering online.
Another thing is, I try not to write emails. I'd rather send a card. Emails aren't as personal, and I like to keep the personal touch, making that personal connection with someone.
