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Keith McCord ReportingBig winter storms, like the one's we just had, make for a lot of extra work for certain people -- snowplow operators and Utah Power line crews to be sure. But Keith McCord reports, don't forget the letter carriers trying to deliver our mail.
Delivering the mail has a whole new meaning to carrier Jeff Campbell right now. No doubt about it, the recent snowstorms have made things a bit more difficult for him. He has about 575 customers in Emigration Canyon, but a handful have gone without their mail for a day or two because, for one thing, the boxes are gone.
Jeff Campbell, Letter Carrier: “The worst case, there are quite a few that I haven't been able to find where the mailbox is. Others, the snowplows hit the box and send it down the hill!"
We took a drive along his route today and found that some of the mailboxes are in pretty bad shape. Some lean, others are barely usable, and we found one that was just ripped right off its post.
Jeff Campbell says it normally takes him four hours or so to make all his deliveries, but the snow has added at least two more hours to his day. And he's not alone.
Joe Wright, Mgr. Foothill Postal Station: "It's affecting just about every route . I don't think there’s a carrier in the city who hasn't had to extend their street time just to get their deliveries done."
The main reason is that the carriers are having to get out of their trucks at many of the boxes because there's so much snow.
We've all heard the old saying associated with the post office: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Boy has that ever been put to the test this week-- just ask Jeff Campbell.
The mail carriers say we can all help them out tremendously by digging out the mailbox, or at least shoveling a path to it.
