Canada Post?

[cowman]

Just lately we were informed that next year we will be going to a system where you get a post office box in those green boxes out in the country? Then instead of the straight old Rural Route address you get this PO box, site 2 sort of thing.
I guess it had to happen sometime?
Until about a year ago the mailman was a contract position, but now he is an employee of Canada Post. The guy we have now seems to be okay although it took him awhile to get to know all the ins and outs of my large extended family! For awhile there we were delivering more mail back and forth than he was!
I don't know why Canada Post went away from the contract thing? I heard it was the postal union that put a stop to that?

[coppertop]

We have the little mail box system down the road but I chose to pay and get my mail in town. The boxes down the road have been vandalized several times, knocked into the ditch a couple of times so I decided that with all the travelling I do, its better to pick up my mail in town vs having it in the mail box here for days on end.

[cakadu]

We've had that out this way for many years cowman. The person is still on contract to Canada Post - it is just put out for tender and people have to bid on it.

When we first moved out here, we had a terrific fellow who delivered the mail, got it RIGHT and if there were things like a registered letter etc., he would use his judgment and give a call to ask if you wanted to meet him at the post box to pick it up. At that time we had to go to Innisfail to get any registered letters etc, whereas now we can pick it up in Spruce View. Don't know why that it was like that - it just was. He quit after we were here about 6 years or so because he felt they were really jerking him around and it just hasn't been the same since.

Now, because of it going out for tender every so often we get regular changes. By the time the new person learns the route, the people and where the mail should be delivered to the person changes and we have to start all over again. I would suspect that with fuel prices the way they are we are going to see even more turnover. You know that if you're continually getting someone else's mail, then someone else is likely getting some of yours too.

We haven't had that much problem with vandalism because it is right on the major highway, but just last week they were knocked over. Likely something to do on a Saturday night.

We've given serious thought to moving the mail box to town but haven't bitten that bullet yet.

[cowman]

Linda: I hear you! Our former Mail server was a contract person for about as long as I can remember. He was a local guy, and as such, he knew all the tricks of the trade! Like who was junior and who was senior and who was John III or even worse...who was John IV!
He was a local guy...and he got to know the mess WE HAD CREATED!
The new guy doesn't come from around here...but he is starting to get it right!
It's not easy being a mailman in an area where we are like a bunch of inbred farm cats!

[coppertop]

WE just got rural mail delivery four years ago. Figuring out who is who must be a nightmare for a mail carrier. Both my son's first names start with the letter D and their wives names started with the letter B so it was a mixup. If that isn't bad enough the two little guys in the family both have names that start with K, so if they live in the same community there will likely be more confusion at the post office.

I always have someone house sit when I am away for an extended period of time and they pick up my mail in town so no worries if am driving through after the post office closes and can't pick it up myself.