A mail carrier is a person whose job is to deliver letters, packages, and other mail to homes and businesses. You might see your mail carrier walking through your neighborhood each day, carrying a heavy bag over their shoulder and stopping at each mailbox to drop off the day's delivery. In some areas, mail carriers drive special trucks with the steering wheel on the right side, making it easier to reach mailboxes without getting out.

Mail carriers work for postal services like the United States Postal Service (USPS). They sort through hundreds of pieces of mail each day, learning which letters and packages go to which addresses on their route. They work in all kinds of weather: blazing summer heat, freezing winter snow, and pouring rain. Rain or shine, they keep doing their rounds because people depend on them for important letters, birthday cards from grandparents, and packages ordered from across the country.

The job requires being responsible and trustworthy, since mail carriers handle people's personal correspondence, bills, and valuable packages. A good mail carrier knows their neighborhood well and often becomes a friendly, familiar face that people look forward to seeing. Some people still use the older term mailman, though mail carrier better describes everyone who does this essential job.