The Road to a New Delivery Fleet
What should the postal vehicle of the future look like? The U.S. Postal Service recently put that question to its carriers and vehicle maintenance personnel and is currently reviewing the feedback. It’s an important question because the delivery fleet is aging and the Postal Service needs to quickly replace it. In fact, our recent audit on the topic found the current fleet can only meet delivery needs through fiscal year 2017 – and that assumes no unexpected decrease in vehicle inventory or increase in the number of motorized routes.
About 142,000 long-life vehicles (LLVs) out of the 190,000-vehicle total delivery fleet are near or have exceeded their expected service life. Replacing these aging vehicles is daunting, particularly given the Postal Service’s financial constraints.
But fleet replacement isn’t just a major challenge; it’s also a big opportunity. Because the LLVs are up to 27 years old, they aren’t as fuel efficient as newer models. They also lack many of the safety features now considered standard for vehicle fleets, such as back-up cameras, front airbags, and anti-lock brakes. The next generation of vehicles can incorporate the latest safety and environmental bells and whistles, which will protect employees, cut down on fuel costs, and help the Postal Service meet its sustainability goals. Also, given the growth in packages, new vehicle designs could address the challenges of larger and irregularly shaped items.
The Postal Service has a short- and long-term vehicle fleet acquisition strategy, but we found the plan lacks details such as vehicle specifications and green technology features. Also, despite 3 years of effort, the plan has not been approved or fully funded due primarily to the Postal Service’s lack of capital. Given the urgent need to upgrade the fleet, we are encouraging the Postal Service to make some incremental purchases while formalizing a more specific long-term plan for the next generation of LLVs.
The Road to a New Delivery Fleet
First, the pictured truck appears to have a hinged right door; making it useless for mounted routes.
Second, carrier Chuck is either not a carrier, or has his head up his butt. Neither the NALC, nor Fred Rolando agreed to anything in our current contract. The arbitrators made the decisions. We got CCAs and delayed COLAs, primarily, because of the crappy contract the APWU approved. Some legacy Cliff Guffey left.
It should look like a hearse, since usps is dead.
Lol yes ITAV got It down since we spend about 8 to 9 hrs in the vehicle
Now I understand Congress’ plan…pre mandate payment on retirement and just wait for all our wheels to fall off and then we can’t deliver mail.
No one asked the carriers in Staten Island, N.Y..they asked the bosses.cause they know better?????
Paint it with a camouflage pattern, it would look like commo trucks in the military
ask Rolando what his plan is to help the PO find the $ to replace the LLV’s…..maybe he will agree to delay a COLA and give the carriers a minimal raise- no wait, he already did that….. how about agree to hire CCA’s instead of PTF’s who get no benefits, and then say that was a “win” for us in the contract- no, sorry,- he already did that too….maybe he will think that we should pay more of the health care premium and raise union dues- crap, sorry,- he already did that too
Robert Tremarche ~~ the problem is not with those you accuse but the liar y’all voted for ~~ your union told you the boy would be good for you… LOL
I already gave my suggestions: but here we go, CD player, heat and A/C, small stove, small cot, bullet proof, tinted windows, small toilet, cable tv, wifi. since we will be in them up to 12 hours per day.
Phasing out LLV’s and USPS just awarded a 2.9 million dollar contract for shelving kits for those same LLV’s. Makes you wonder.
looks like i’m selling ice cream. no way!!
I wish I was going to be around to drive a new LLV before retirement rolls around, but I don’t expect any replacements before 2018. How much money did the USPS waste on tires on the current old fart trucks with the misaligned axles? Or was that planned by the USPS and Goodyear? And what steps will be taken to help new trucks not blow hot engine air into the cab year ’round? Those damn trucks get up to 130 degrees, maybe higher in Arizona or Nevada. This time of year, walking routes fare better in the heat than mounted routes do. Of course that’s a tradeoff on bad weather days and cold.
Financial constraints? Oh, you mean the pre-funding lie that has been perpetrated by the republican led congress and the privatizing profiteers who are filling their pockets with cash! The USPS could have paid for a complete brand new fleet of vehicles several times over if this law was never passed. The service could have had fuel efficient and electric vehicles built by American workers to serve the needs of the American people. But no. We are left with a lie, and an effort to dismantle a needed and loved service. Donahoe doesn’t want new vehicles. He wants some private entity to foot the bill and take over your Postal Service. Don’t let them do it. Boycott Staples!
What’s the use in spending a billion to replace the delivery fleet when you have PMG Downahole selling it off piece by piece and degrading service to drive customers away so Repubs can kill it off? As long he is able to remain in his position,the future looks very bleak.