ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The Postal Service’s new delivery vehicles may not win any beauty contests. They’re tall and awkward in design, with large windshields and hoods that look like a duck’s bill. Their bumpers are quite massive.
“It’s clear that appearance wasn’t a priority for the designers,” postal worker Avis Stonum commented.
Despite their unusual looks, the first few Next Generation Delivery Vehicles that hit the streets in August in Athens are receiving enthusiastic feedback from mail carriers. These workers are used to dealing with the older models, which are often problematic, lacking modern safety features, and prone to breakdowns — and in some cases, even fires.
In just a few years, this fleet will grow to 60,000 vehicles, predominantly electric, becoming the main delivery trucks for the Postal Service from Maine to Hawaii.
Once fully operational, these vehicles will serve as a key indicator of the agency’s ambitious 10-year, $40 billion transformation, led by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who is also updating outdated facilities, revamping the processing and transportation systems, and implementing various other changes.
The current postal vehicles, known as Grumman Long Life Vehicles, have been around since 1987 and have exceeded their intended lifespan of 25 years. However, they are now long overdue for a replacement.
These Grumman vehicles are noisy, inefficient (averaging just 9 miles per gallon), and expensive to maintain. They can become uncomfortably hot during the summer months, relying solely on an outdated electric fan for air circulation. While they have mirrors designed to aid in visibility, they frequently get knocked out of place. Alarmingly, nearly 100 of these vehicles experienced fires last year, putting both carriers and mail at risk.
The new trucks are designed with comfort, safety, and functionality in mind by Oshkosh Defense in South Carolina. Even taller postal workers can stand upright inside without hitting their heads, and they can easily walk from the front to the back of the vehicle to collect packages. These vehicles are equipped with safety features such as airbags, 360-degree cameras, blind-spot detection, collision sensors, and anti-lock brakes — all of which are absent in the old Grummans.
Additionally, the new trucks come with air conditioning, a feature that most modern cars have had for more than sixty years. This is especially important for drivers working in the sweltering heat of the Deep South, the desert Southwest, and other extremely hot areas. “I swear, it felt like heaven blowing in my face,” Stonum recalled her first time working in an air-conditioned truck.
Another driver, Richard Burton, expressed gratitude for the larger cargo area, which can hold bigger packages, allowing him to stand up comfortably to avoid back pain. He also noted the old trucks’ tendency to malfunction in traffic.
Brian Renfroe, the president of the National Letter Carriers Association, highlighted the excitement among union members about the new vehicles, similar to the enthusiasm when the Grumman trucks replaced the older Jeeps. He credited DeJoy for prioritizing their production.
“We’re thrilled to see these vehicles starting to roll out,” Renfroe stated.
The initial rollout faced challenges. Environmental advocates were outraged when DeJoy announced that 90% of the first batch of new vehicles would be gas-powered. This prompted lawsuits urging the Postal Service to expand its electric vehicle fleet to cut down on emissions.
“People were furious,” DeJoy said.
However, DeJoy clarified that it wasn’t a lack of interest in electric vehicles that caused the initial decision; instead, the high cost of the vehicles, along with expenses for extensive charging stations and electrical upgrades, made it financially unfeasible at a time when the agency was facing significant operating losses every quarter.
Eventually, he found a way to increase the number of electric vehicles after a meeting with President Joe Biden’s top environmental adviser, John Podesta. This resulted in a deal where the government allocated $3 billion to the Postal Service, part of which was designated for electric charging stations.
In December 2022, DeJoy announced that the Postal Service would be purchasing 106,000 vehicles by 2028, including 60,000 of the new models — 45,000 of which will be electric — along with 21,000 other electric vehicles. He committed to transitioning the Postal Service to all-electric new purchases starting in 2026.
“With the climate crisis at our doorstep, electrifying the U.S. government’s largest fleet will provide the progress we’ve been eagerly awaiting,” stated Katherine García from the Sierra Club, which previously filed a lawsuit against the Postal Service but welcomed the news of increased electric vehicle orders.
The agency aims to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 through a combination of electric vehicles, optimized mail routes, and other adjustments, DeJoy noted. These changes are also expected to lead to savings.
This summer, the Postal Service received the White House’s Presidential Federal Sustainability Award, signaling the culmination of its journey through various environmental challenges. “It reflects our ability to navigate complicated issues across operational, financial, technical, political, and public policy areas,” DeJoy remarked. “It’s all about pushing forward.”
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Sharp reported from Portland, Maine.
