Bakersfield man can’t get mail as mailbox deemed too far from curb

postal, postu.be 7 Comments

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A Bakersfield man says a new mailbox resulted in the post office stopping his mail delivery.

There are two issues at play. Less than two feet and less than 10 seconds. A distance and time the post office is unwilling to cover.

“So they stopped my mail, canceled it, and I have to get a PO Box now,” a frustrated Brian Pasqua said.

Pasqua’s new mailbox is the reason the post office won’t deliver his mail. It’s a plain and simple white mailbox. There’s nothing offensive or unusual about it.

The problem is Pasqua’s new mailbox isn’t where his old mail box used to be.

“They said because you’ve opted out of curbside delivery,” Pasqua said. “I’m still on the curb.”

According to the USPS website, mailboxes should be 6 to 8 inches off the curb. Pasqua’s old mailbox fit that request, but his new mailbox is farther back. About a foot and a half farther back.

With Pasqua’s old mailbox the mail-carrier was able to deliver the mail without leaving their vehicle. The new mailbox being set back further from the curb means the carrier needs to exit their vehicle.

Source: Bakersfield man can’t get mail as mailbox deemed too far from curb | KBAK

  • Mailmam

    Rules are rules What you deem 10 more seconds could go to 10 more minutes, if more did that. More strain on the transmission, emergency brake and doors. Plus the added opportunity for the carrier to fall or for a dog to get after him/her. There are great reasons for not getting out. Move it or get a p.o. box

  • Joe_the_Troll

    My mailman parks his vehicle and actually walks. There seems to be no institutional rule against that.

  • soxdiehard

    Some routes are set up for “park & loop”. Curb side delivering has been timed on inspection. If everyone decided to move their mailbox off the curb the carrier would never finish the route in a timely manner. Mail carriers are required to curb wheels, engage emergency brake & shut the engine off every time they dismount the vehicle. I think you’ll agree that this would make for a very long day with curbside delivery.

  • Mailmam

    absolutely correct.

  • Ken Gove

    If you understood the differences in mail delivery routes then you would see the reason that sometimes mailmen/mail women walk. Some routes are set up for curb delivery (riding in a vehicle). Some routes are set up for park and loop (the mailman parks his vehicle, in accordance with specific parking regulations, and gets his bundles of mail together for the loop and walks delivering the mail until he comes back to his vehicle). Some parts of routes are also set up for dismount which means the carrier can drive from house to house to deliver mail. He must park the vehicle each time in accordance with specific parking regulations. That is why this method is not used very much if possible.

  • Ken McCann

    Sue post office and it is against American Disability if blocking any object (mailbox or vehicles stick out) on sidewalk which is cannot be accessible with wheelchair!

  • Jack Frost

    There are mounted routes and park and loop walking routes. But they aren’t combined. Mounted routes are way longer than walking.