8

131.13

General Information

Handbook M-41, TL-4, 03-01-98
Update With Postal Bulletin Revisions Through April 5, 2001

131.13 When leaving the route for lunch, lock undelivered registered and COD mail in a designated relay box or vehicle in accordance with existing practices. Make a simple record of registered, COD, and other more-than-ordinary value items which are left. On return from lunch, check to insure that no pieces are missing.
131.14 Do not remove stamps from mail or throw away or improperly dispose of mail. Line through uncanceled stamps (except on philatelic mail) to prevent re-use. Delivery Point Sequence mail may contain uncanceled stamps that will not be identified until the mail is being readied while performing street duties. These stamps should also be lined through (except on philatelic mail) to prevent re-use.

131.21 Do not deliver mail that has not passed through a proper delivery unit.
131.22 Do not place letters, large flats, and other mail within the pages of magazines, catalogs, etc., at any time. Whenever letters and flats are cased together, care must be exercised to avoid having letters fall between pages of magazines, etc.
131.23 When you find in a mail receptacle mailable matter on which postage has not been paid, addressed to, or intended for the person in whose receptacle it is deposited, take the matter to the post office for treatment as provided in section 146.2, Postal Service Manual. If general distribution of the same bill, circular, or other matter has been made on the route, return only 2 with a statement of the number of similar pieces without postage.

131.31 Do not deviate from your route for meals or other purposes unless authorized by your manager or if local policies concerning handling out of sequence mail permit minor deviations.
131.32 Enter premises for official duty only -- except for authorized lunch periods.
131.33 Unless otherwise instructed by a unit manager, deliver all mail distributed to your route prior to the leaving time for that trip and complete delivery within scheduled time. It is your responsibility to inform management when this cannot be done.
131.34 Exhibit mail to the addressee only. Delivery may be made to a customer on the street if it does not delay the carrier unreasonably.
131.35 Deliver mail according to the instructions or known desire of the addressee. Otherwise, deliver as addressed if the addressee has not moved. Make inquiry, if necessary, and return the mail to the post office if still in doubt.
131.36 Deliver First-Class Mail undeliverable as addressed when you know the customer's correct address on your route -- unless other delivery instructions are specified on the piece of mail.