Couriers and Messengers
43-5021.00
Bright Outlook Updated 2026

Pick up and deliver messages, documents, packages, and other items between offices or departments within an establishment or directly to other business concerns, traveling by foot, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, or public conveyance.

Sample of reported job titles: Courier, Driver, Laboratory Courier, Mail Carrier, Mailroom Courier, Messenger, Security Messenger, Transporter, Vehicle Delivery Worker

  • Occupation-Specific Information
  • Overview

Occupational Requirements

Work Context Save Table: XLSX CSV

ContextWork Context
99
 
Telephone Conversations — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
  • 97%
    97%
     
    Every day
  • 2%
    2%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Never
95
 
Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
  • 80%
    80%
     
    A lot of freedom
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Some freedom
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Limited freedom
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Very little freedom
  • 0%
    0%
     
    No freedom
93
 
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams — How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
  • 75%
    75%
     
    Every day
  • 24%
    24%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Never
93
 
Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
  • 74%
    74%
     
    Every day
  • 24%
    24%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Never
92
 
Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
  • 70%
    70%
     
    Constant contact with others
  • 29%
    29%
     
    Contact with others most of the time
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Contact with others about half the time
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Occasional contact with others
  • 0%
    0%
     
    No contact with others
86
 
E-Mail — How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
  • 68%
    68%
     
    Every day
  • 23%
    23%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 8%
    8%
     
    Never
81
 
Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?
  • 30%
    30%
     
    Continually or almost continually
  • 65%
    65%
     
    More than half the time
  • 2%
    2%
     
    About half the time
  • 3%
    3%
     
    Less than half the time
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Never
79
 
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals — How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
  • 44%
    44%
     
    A lot of freedom
  • 36%
    36%
     
    Some freedom
  • 15%
    15%
     
    Limited freedom
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Very little freedom
  • 4%
    4%
     
    No freedom
79
 
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Extremely important
  • -2%
    Not available
    Very important
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Important
  • 14%
    14%
     
    Fairly important
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Not important at all
78
 
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Extremely important
  • -2%
    Not available
    Very important
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Important
  • 6%
    6%
     
    Fairly important
  • 5%
    5%
     
    Not important at all
77
 
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment — How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Every day
  • -2%
    Not available
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 13%
    13%
     
    Never
73
 
Exposed to Disease or Infections — How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Every day
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 12%
    12%
     
    Never
73
 
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Every day
  • 14%
    14%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 23%
    23%
     
    Never
70
 
Exposed to Contaminants — How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Every day
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • -2%
    Not available
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 5%
    5%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 6%
    6%
     
    Never
68
 
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Continually or almost continually
  • 1%
    1%
     
    More than half the time
  • -2%
    Not available
    About half the time
  • 5%
    5%
     
    Less than half the time
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Never
66
 
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions — How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 9%
    9%
     
    Never
66
 
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
  • 22%
    22%
     
    Continually or almost continually
  • 30%
    30%
     
    More than half the time
  • -2%
    Not available
    About half the time
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Less than half the time
  • 6%
    6%
     
    Never
63
 
Health and Safety of Other Workers — How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
  • 14%
    14%
     
    Very high responsibility
  • -2%
    Not available
    High responsibility
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Moderate responsibility
  • 16%
    16%
     
    Limited responsibility
  • 10%
    10%
     
    No responsibility
62
 
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
  • 10%
    10%
     
    Extremely important
  • 69%
    69%
     
    Very important
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Important
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Fairly important
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Not important at all
62
 
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
  • -2%
    Not available
    Every day
  • 21%
    21%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 21%
    21%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 22%
    22%
     
    Never
61
 
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People — How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Every day
  • 21%
    21%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 43%
    43%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 16%
    16%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Never
61
 
Frequency of Decision Making — How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
  • 55%
    55%
     
    Every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 24%
    24%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 21%
    21%
     
    Never
61
 
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers — How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
  • 39%
    39%
     
    Very high responsibility
  • 15%
    15%
     
    High responsibility
  • 21%
    21%
     
    Moderate responsibility
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Limited responsibility
  • 24%
    24%
     
    No responsibility
59
 
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General — How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
  • 25%
    25%
     
    Extremely important
  • 40%
    40%
     
    Very important
  • 5%
    5%
     
    Important
  • 7%
    7%
     
    Fairly important
  • -2%
    Not available
    Not important at all
58
 
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
  • 19%
    19%
     
    Very important results
  • 35%
    35%
     
    Important results
  • 25%
    25%
     
    Moderate results
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Minor results
  • 20%
    20%
     
    No results
54
 
Written Letters and Memos — How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Every day
  • 40%
    40%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 46%
    46%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 1%
    1%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 13%
    13%
     
    Never
50
 
Conflict Situations — How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
  • 19%
    19%
     
    Every day
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 21%
    21%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Never
50
 
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities — How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
  • 6%
    6%
     
    Extremely important
  • 35%
    35%
     
    Very important
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Important
  • 34%
    34%
     
    Fairly important
  • 5%
    5%
     
    Not important at all
50
 
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions — How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
  • 30%
    30%
     
    Every day
  • 19%
    19%
     
    Once a week or more but not every day
  • 0%
    0%
     
    Once a month or more but not every week
  • 25%
    25%
     
    Once a year or more but not every month
  • 26%
    26%
     
    Never
50
 
Level of Competition — To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
  • 23%
    23%
     
    Extremely competitive
  • 5%
    5%
     
    Highly competitive
  • 35%
    35%
     
    Moderately competitive
  • 20%
    20%
     
    Slightly competitive
  • 17%
    17%
     
    Not at all competitive