Mail trucks are burning at an alarming rate, and the only people who seem to think it’s a problem are the letter carriers who must drive the aging vehicles.
Twenty-six of the U.S. Postal Service’s aging Grumman LLV delivery trucks have caught fire so far this year, according to a tally by Postal Times. That makes 145 since 2014. If the mail truck were a vehicle model that consumers purchased from a dealer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would have long ago launched an investigation and issued a recall.
But neither the NHTSA nor auto safety groups are addressing this safety issue with the same attention they would if fires were burning up Ford pickup trucks or Toyota sedans. Trucks.com has followed this problem for several years, and we hear the same sad statement from letter carriers: It will take a death or severe injury to force the Postal Service to act.
In a statement to Trucks.com, the agency said, “The safety of our employees is a matter of great importance to the Postal Service.” But it didn’t comment on the fires or provide any specifics on how it is addressing the problem.
“The Postal Service has implemented mandated maintenance schedules and fine-tuned repair and maintenance procedures for the existing Postal Service vehicle fleet, including LLVs, with the goal of making sure vehicles used by postal employees are safe to operate before they are put into use on a daily basis,” the agency said.
Yet the fires continue.
NALC: Threat of USPS Vehicle Fires Increasing as LLV Fleet Ages
USPS still undecided on type of vehicles needed for replacement of LLVs
Super Mailman: Rural Carrier saves mail after LLV catches fire
New U.S. Postal Service truck contract worth $6.3 billion may be awarded in 2020
Safety Experts Alarmed by Mail Trucks Bursting Into Flames
As Postal Service Fleet Ages, Reports of Fires Grow
Had a fire in the PO building that I work in. If it was not for us employees, the place would be gone. Its not just the LLV’s that you have to worry about!
Don’t worry about having safe vehicles, just make sure the carriers work in a safe way. Safety is but a one way issue. Management doesn’t need to worry about their side of safety. It’s do as I say, not as I do! The carriers should only care about scanning. Just let management do as they want. Just remember the Postal clerk that laid on the concrete floor for twenty minutes before the plant manager called 911 in Oakland, CA. Even though his blood was visible management didn’t want to rush things. Just be glad new scanners are coming.
They are broke and they don’t give a shit.