Ed was elected as Director of City Delivery for Branch 36 in 2022. Ed began his long postal career and Union membership 27 years ago. Ed was elected as Shop Steward in 2014 where he quickly grew in knowledge and responsibility. In 2018, Ed became a Formal A Designee for multiple stations. Ed’s knowledge and ability to handle himself under pressure made him a perfect fit for his multiple positions at Branch36. Ed was selected as a Customer Connect Coordinator in 2015, and Mutual Benefits Association spokesman in 2018. In 2020, Ed became a Carrier Academy Facilitator and in 2022 became a TIAREAP Team Member to ensure fairness during route adjustments. In the Beginning of 2022 Ed was elected as Director of City Delivery where he continues his long career of putting carriers first.

I would like to take a moment to talk about delivering mail in harsh weather conditions. I’ve noticed that many carriers are overloading their pushcarts with multiple bags of mail when heading out for delivery. Please understand that this is a serious safety concern. These carts are not designed to hold excessive weight and can break while you are pushing them, which can result in injuries.
Pushing an overloaded cart can also put significant strain on your lower back. Anyone who has ever injured their back knows how difficult recovery can be. When weather conditions are bad with snow or icy conditions, pushing a heavy cart becomes even more dangerous. You may not know whether the streets or pathways have been properly cleared to allow for safe travel to and from your assignment. Please use the handrail to ensure your safety.
For those of you delivering to brownstones, not all customers will have their steps fully cleared of snow or ice. Please keep this in mind when packing your cart. Sometimes they are unable to remove all the snow or ice from the steps. If the steps are unsafe, please do not risk your safety. Annotate the mail appropriately and move on to the next address. While walking, remember that snow can conceal obvious hazards. Just because you see snow does not mean ice isn’t lurking beneath it. Please be careful out there. We all want everyone to stay safe and return home healthy at the end of the day.

Customer Connect

Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are right around the corner. This is the perfect time to talk to customers that cater to this special occasion. Ask local flower shops if they are interested in sending out a special promotion for these holidays. Perhaps, the restaurants on your route are planning special events or holiday menus and would like to advertise. You may also have customers who paint portraits, sell handmade or custom items, or own jewelry stores offering special holiday pricing. These are all great opportunities to introduce our Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) Service.
With EDDM, businesses can send flyers to any route they wish. They can target specific neighborhoods based on factors such as: age, group, family size, or average household income. The cost to place flyers in mailboxes is approximately $0.25 per piece (depending on the number of deliveries on the route). For example, if a route has 500 deliveries, the cost would be 500 × $0.25, totaling $125 to mail.
Let’s not forget about customers who sell unique items. The postal service offers daily package pickup at no additional cost. We do not charge pickup or fuel fees like many of our competitors. In many cases, unbeknownst to our customers, we end up making those deliveries. Remember, if you have a lead, you can enter it into your scanner, or provide the information to your Customer Connect Coordinator at your station.

---