Route Count and Inspections (RCI)
Currently, approximately 39 post offices have been scheduled in the Long Island District to have Route Count and Inspections performed between the beginning of February until the end of May. As of this writing, 5 offices have/are being inspected.
The post offices that are selected are done via Long Island District, Operations Support.
They are the only ones who choose which offices will be counted and inspected. If a letter carrier believes that their route needs a count and inspection, they must meet a criteria and when management refuses to conduct a route inspection seek redress through the grievance procedure. If you believe that you need a route inspection I recommend that you speak to your Full-Time Officer or call the Branch office for guidance.
Prior to conducting the route inspections, the union and the members are given advance notice. When the Union becomes aware of the impending route counts, an effort is made to provide training which is done off-the clock. This training explains to members what they can expect during the “week” of a route inspection and how they should complete form 1838-C. This form is used to document all office functions that are not the actual casing and strapping of mail.
You are not “timed” how fast you case or strap/pull-down because standard time allowances are provided. Those standard times are called “18 and 8”. For each 18 pieces of “letter” mail you receive 1 minute credit. For each 8 pieces of “flat” mail you receive 1 minute credit. Example: You case 360 letters. This equals 20 minutes(360 divided by 18 = 20).
If you also case 240 pieces of Flat mail the time you are credited with is 30 minutes(240 divided by 8 = 30. The total mail you cased is the mail that you will pull-down. For each 70 pieces,
You receive 1 minute credit. Total mail pulled-down is 360 plus 240 or 600 pieces. This number 600 is divided by 70. This equals approximately 8.5 minutes. By rounding up, it is 9 minutes.
Thus your total casing or pull-down time should reflect 59 minutes. This is 20 minutes letter mail plus 30 minutes flat mail and 9 minutes pull-down.(59 minutes)
Now if this was all a letter carrier did in the morning it would be expected that a carrier had only about 1 hour in the morning. If you reported at 8 AM, you should be loading your vehicle at 9 AM and then delivering to the street.
Fortunately, letter carriers do more than just case and pull-down mail. You perform functions every day that as a routine you do not think about. What are some of those functions? Normally, before you even begin casing mail, if you have a vehicle, you should do a vehicle inspection safety check. This is line 19 on the form 1838-C. So, you should clock in and go out and do a vehicle check. Some carriers use a “buddy” system where they assist each other in checking the vehicle. This is especially useful when checking your lights, signals and back-up lights. Also, report any damage you find on the vehicle. Remember, never leave your vehicle running “unattended.” If during the week of inspection you do, and a route examiner observes this, you could be disciplined and/or placed on emergency suspension in a “non-pay” status. There are numerous other items to check and these can be found on standard form 71(expanded vehicle safety check.) These should be done every day. They could take 5 or 10 minutes or longer depending on circumstances.
Probably the next non-casing function you do will be “withdrawing of mail”(Line 15 on the form 1838-C). This normally occurs when you withdraw mail from a clerk case or you need to arrange or rearrange mail, or remove straps/twine from mail that has been left at your case. This could take 1 or 2 minutes whenever you withdraw mail. You might do this several times in the morning.
Many carriers have a 10 minute office rest break. When this occurs, all carriers should cease working and take a “BREAK.” Not doing this will make your performance look better than it is. Also, you will be giving back 10 minutes of your office time. This could also mean you will get 10 minutes additional street time when the inspection is over. The rest break should be recorded as a Line 18 rest break.
Another carrier function that occurs in both the AM and PM is your receipt and return of accountable items. These times vary but you are required to verify the piece, sign for it and partially complete form 3849s and protect the mail in the office. You should also be cleared of these items when you return in the PM by a clerk or other personel. Please do not just “toss” these items on a desk and walk away. You and only you are responsible and could be held liable if the item is lost and not properly cleared in the office. Accountable functions are listed on Line 14 of the form 1838-C. If you have a Line 14 in the AM, you should also have one in the PM.
Many carriers have 3rd bundles. Some can be sequenced, some may have to be cased.
In either situation, this is not a normal casing of flat mail. You should be prepared to document this on a Line 16 on the form 1838-C (actual time). Depending on circumstances and your type of delivery and how the item is addressed or says only “postal customer,” that will determine what time you will use in the office. The critical thing to remember is to take the time and do it in the office and not on the street. Most 3rd bundles also arrive with straps. These should be removed in the office and when you do this work, it can be listed as another Line 15.
The final Line item to remember is a Line 21. A Line 21 is any function that you normally do on a reoccurring weekly basis. Some examples are: service and safety talks, wash-up time (AM and PM), a window caller, hold mail, etc… If it is something unique you do on your route in the office, make sure you get the time credit.
The above information is a guide for you and your fellow letter carriers. The most important thing that you can do is attend a route inspection class where you can learn how to complete the form 1838-C and ask questions. These classes normally take between 1 ½ and 2 hours. Protect your route and protect your work. If you do not, who will?
