Carrier retires after 35 years on job

Staff writer

SANDPOINT — Rod Dosher has walked a long way in his career, and after 35 years of service as a letter carrier, he recently called it quits to enjoy more time with his family.

Dosher began his career in 1973, spending his first seven years on the job in California before relocating to Sandpoint in 1980. He’s been responsible for the downtown Sandpoint postal route since 1983, which has given him a unique vantage point to the changes that have occurred during that last 25 years.

The biggest changes, in Dosher’s eyes, have not been with Sandpoint, but in his own profession.

“It’s a big corporation now. When I started out, if you did a good job they wouldn’t bug you. Now they watch you every minute and every second,” Dosher said. “The post office part has definitely gotten tougher, because they always want more. It’s almost not a fun job anymore.”

The culture change in the post office didn’t sit well with him, but Dosher said he enjoyed the job and the people he met along the way.

“I’ll miss my customers,” he said. “When you see families grow up — and I’ve seen a lot of families grown up — it’s a special feeling. I’ve been able to get to know a lot people through this job.”

Customer service, above all else, is what separates the good letter carriers from the bad, Dosher said, and he prides himself on the excelling in that area.

“Customer service is definitely the biggest part of the job,” He said. “It was always meant to be a customer service job. Carriers are supposed to check on people.”

If you spend your days in constant motion, as Dosher has, the transition to a more sedentary lifestyle can be jarring. To counteract that transition, Dosher said he will continue walking every day while also keeping active with other outdoor activities.

Dosher has plans to travel to Thailand with his wife, and when he returns he’d like to indulge some of his favorite pastimes like hiking, skiing and coaching a local track team.

“I’ve been lucky,” Dosher said. “This has been a great job. It’s bought a lot of things and put a lot of food on the table.”