Chaos Walking - 289

May the 4th be with you! By happy accident, this episode of the podcast comes out on Star Wars Day! This episode is not about Star Wars. On this week's episode, we are going to learn about a day in the life of a mailman. Many people have wondered and asked about how I do my job; what the work consists of. Well, this week is a walk and talk type show. I will be walking along on my mail route and telling you all about the various aspects of the job. This is CHAOS WALKING!

A mail carrier, mailman, mailwoman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman, postperson, or letter carrier, sometimes colloquially known as a postie (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom), is an employee of a post office or postal service, who delivers mail and parcel post to residences and businesses. The term "mail carrier" came to be used as a gender-neutral substitute for "mailman" soon after women began performing the job. In the Royal Mail, the official name changed from "letter carrier" to "postman" in 1883, and "postwoman" has also been used for many years.

Letter carriers typically work urban routes that are high density and low mileage. Such routes are classified as either "mounted/mobile" routes (for those that require a vehicle) or "walking" routes (for those that are done on foot). When working a mounted route, letter carriers usually drive distinctive vans with the logo of the postal service on the side and deliver to curbside and building affixed mailboxes. Carriers who walk generally take a taxicab to their routes. Sometimes, the delivery agent will drive a vehicle to their delivery location. This is much more common in the USA than in Canada. They start at a specified location, and carry one "loop" of mail, up one side of the street and back down the other side, until they are back to their vehicle. This method of delivery is referred to as "park and loop". Letter carriers may also accommodate alternate delivery points if "extreme physical hardship" is confirmed. In cases where mail carriers do not have assigned vehicles, they may also get undelivered mail from relay boxes placed along their routes.

This week's podcast promo: Modern Musicology