what is a paper route

A paper route is a job that involves delivering newspapers or other publications to customers homes or offices on a regular route. It is usually done by children or adolescents, often by bicycle or automobile. The duties of a paperboy or papergirl include counting and separating papers, rolling papers, and inserting them in newspaper bags during inclement weather, and collecting payments from customers. However, due to child labor laws and growing concerns for the safety of un-escorted children, many newspapers have switched to delivery by adults. Today, paper routes are mainly used by weekly community newspapers and free shopper papers, which still tend to be delivered in the afternoons. Alternatively, sometimes paperboys or papergirls are only employed once a week to deliver the paper on Sunday.