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Couriers and Messengers - 43-5021.00

O*NET-SOC Description

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
  • Mail Clerk
  • Mailroom Courier
  • Messenger
  • Security Messenger
  • Transporter
  • Vehicle Delivery Worker

SOC Occupation Groups

Related Occupations

Tasks

  • Check with home offices after completed deliveries to confirm deliveries and collections and to receive instructions for other deliveries.
  • Collect, seal, and stamp outgoing mail, using postage meters and envelope sealers.
  • Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities.
  • Deliver messages and items, such as newspapers, documents, and packages, between establishment departments and to other establishments and private homes.
  • Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
  • Obtain signatures and payments, or arrange for recipients to make payments.
  • Open, sort, and distribute incoming mail.
  • Perform general office or clerical work, such as filing materials, operating duplicating machines, or running errands.
  • Perform routine maintenance on delivery vehicles, such as monitoring fluid levels and replenishing fuel.
  • Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivering goods.
  • Receive messages or materials to be delivered, and information on recipients, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and delivery instructions, communicated via telephone, two-way radio, or in person.
  • Record information, such as items received and delivered and recipients' responses to messages.
  • Sort items to be delivered according to the delivery route.
  • Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
  • Unload goods from large trucks, and load them onto smaller delivery vehicles.
  • Use telephone to deliver verbal messages.
  • Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Analyze shipping information to make routing decisions.
  • Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.
  • Deliver items.
  • Distribute incoming mail.
  • File documents or records.
  • Load materials or equipment.
  • Maintain mechanical equipment.
  • Obtain written authorization to perform activities.
  • Operate office equipment.
  • Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
  • Prepare outgoing mail.
  • Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
  • Record shipping information.
  • Relay information between personnel.
  • Sort mail.
  • Unload materials or equipment.

Military Crosswalk Titles

  • Combat Crew Communications (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Combat Crew Communications (Space Force - Enlisted)
  • Courier (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Defense Attache (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Defense Attache (Space Force - Enlisted)
  • Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialist (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialist Apprentice (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialist Craftsman (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialist Helper (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialist Journeyman (Air Force - Enlisted)
  • Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialist Superintendent (Air Force - Enlisted)

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

No information available.

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Caller
  • Deliverer, Merchandise
  • Deliverer, Outside
  • Messenger, Copy
  • Office Helper
  • Route Aide
  • Tube Operator