What is the most important form in a rural carrier’s work life?

THE PS FORM 4003

This form is to update a route for regular carriers, but it also affects a relief carrier’s paycheck if it is not updated.  RCAs also need to know this information!!

The PS Form 4003 contains all the route’s current, active delivery data including an official line of travel, current number of deliveries, miles traveled, authorized dismounts, etc… This form is used to update any changes that occur on a rural route between mail counts.

The PM or supervisor must complete Form 4003 for submission to the district at the end of each pay period if there are ANY changes. The effective date for each 4003 should be the first day of the PP which will always be a Saturday.

Some managers will do this automatically when you turn in your edit book, but double check that your manager has updated your 4003. If your manager updates your edit book but not your 4003, you will not get credit for any new boxes added or any other changes.

Form 4003 controls your pay check. The rural carriers pay can ONLY be adjusted when Form 4003 is submitted and processed. Updating the Edit Book does NOT update any box counts on Forms 4003 nor Forms 4241-A, but edit book updates should match the 4003 updates.

Once your 4003 has been updated, you should receive a PS Form 4241A, usually a couple of weeks later. This will show the current status of your route. It will show miles, boxes, salary, etc.

Rural carrier adjustments are done in one hour increments. So if you do not have enough additions that add up to a full hour, it will be added to your “bank time”. (Click here for a chart that shows how many boxes are needed for a one hour change)

“Bank Time” is a term used to define the time accumulated on a route as a result of adding new boxes, miles, etc. to the route. This time is accumulated each time a PS Form 4003 is submitted with new data. This accumulated time is printed on the bottom of the PS Form 4241-A until the route accumulates an additional one hour of time. At that time an interim adjustment is triggered in the route’s evaluation. The “bank” disappears each time an interim adjustment becomes effective, or when the route undergoes a mail count.

Both of these forms should be kept in the route book at your case! Become familiar with them, learn them, know them!!

AGAIN, JUST SIMPLY UPDATING YOUR EDIT BOOK DOES NOT UPDATE YOUR PAY- YOUR MANAGER MUST UPDATE THE OFFICIAL 4003 BEFORE YOUR PAY WILL BE UPDATED.  MAKE SURE YOUR 4003 GETS UPDATED ALSO.