During the holiday season, the United States Postal Service sees an increase in the amount of mail that travels through its doors and to the public. Mail carriers often put in extra hours to distribute the excess of packages, and when one carrier takes time off, the other carriers work to take over their routes.

Mike Trussell has been a mail carrier for the past 22 years. The Vicksburg native started his career with the USPS in Colorado but has worked the bulk of it in Vicksburg.

“He never misses work and provides great service to the customers in Vicksburg day after day,” postmaster Bill Farrior Jr. said.

Trussell started his career with the USPS after spending years as a tow boat pilot. He left that job mainly because of its unpredictable schedule.

“I didn’t like being gone,” Trussell said. “At least now I know where I’m going to be every night when I get off.”

He feels like he made the right decision by going to work for the USPS calling it a good place to work. He said he chose the job simply to be home more than his original occupation allowed him. His favorite part of work is getting to be outside all day long.

“I don’t like working inside, never have,” Trussell said.

He works either five or six days a week because he is on a list of workers who have requested to work overtime. His current route takes him to both commercial and residential areas including many businesses on Mission 66, both junior high schools on Baldwin Ferry Road and many homes in the area. He both drives and walks on his route. Often people assume the job doesn’t take much effort.

“It’s a lot harder job than most people think it is,” Trussell said.

He said it is not unusual for younger people who take a job with the USPS to quit soon after because of the hard work and long days. Passersby often tell him he’s “got it made” even though he has to brave the daily weather elements. He doesn’t think they understand the extent of the job.

“No matter how bad the weather is, we’re still going to deliver the mail,” Trussell said. “If there is any way possible to get out and deliver the mail, we’ll do it.”

In addition to the weather, Trussell also has to navigate dogs on his route. He said some are affectionate and some are aggressive, and he just wishes the owners were aware of their dogs’ personality and cared enough to have them properly restrained.

“Everybody thinks their dog won’t bite,” Trussell said. “Dogs are like people. All of them are different.”

He said the holiday season itself doesn’t effect the job too bad. The Monday before Christmas this year was the roughest day for him because of the rain and amount of packages he delivered. More than Christmas, the holidays that occur on Mondays throughout the year are worse because two consecutive days without mail leads to a busy Tuesday.

About 11 years ago, Trussell was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease and never missed work for treatment.

“I lucked out because it was just in one place,” Trussell said. “I didn’t have to have chemo. I just had radiation.”

He went everyday for six weeks to receive the radiation treatment. He said he’d take off an hour or so early from work, but he continued to show up everyday because he felt like he was up to it.

“I didn’t feel so bad that I couldn’t work,” Trussell said. “So as long as I could work, I figured I would.”

Trussell also spent four years in the army giving him a total of 26 years of government service.