I wanted to help clear the fog on all of the rural carrier relief designations and titles.
Most of today’s rural carrier relief carriers fall under one of these four designations
Rural Carrier Associates (RCAs)—(Designation Code 78) – Rural carrier associates are those employees hired from a register or reassigned from rural carrier relief or auxiliary carrier positions, on or after April 11, 1987, without time limitation.
Rural Carrier Associates (RCAs)—(Designation Code 74) – Rural carrier associates appointed via Form 50 to serve full time on a vacant route or in the absence of the regular carrier for more than 90 calendar days.
Rural Carrier Associates (RCAs)—(Designation Code 79) – Rural carrier associates appointed via Form 50 after being assigned to the auxiliary route for more than 90 calendar days.
Assistant Rural Carriers (ARCs) (Designation Code 70-5) Assistant rural carriers are those employees selected from a hiring list, without time limitation.
Below are some of the older designations. Most of these are gone, but there still are a few I believe.
Substitute Rural Carriers—(Designation Code 73) Substitute rural carriers are those employees hired prior to July 21, 1981, with an appointment without time limitation
Substitute Rural Carriers—(Designation Code 72) Substitute rural carrier hired prior to July 21, 1981, appointed via Form 50 to serve full time on a vacant regular route or in the absence of a regular carrier for more than 90 calendar days.
Rural Carrier Reliefs (RCRs)—(Designation Code 75) Rural carrier reliefs are those employees hired between July 21, 1981, and November 12, 1986, without time limitation.
Auxiliary Rural Carriers— (Designation Code 77) Persons hired prior to 1981 to serve an auxiliary rural route without time limitation.
Temporary Relief Carriers (TRCs)— (Designation Code 70) – Phased out – Temporary relief carriers are limited term, non-bargaining unit employees who provide service as a leave replacement or auxiliary assistant or provide coverage on auxiliary routes or vacant regular routes.
