Why doesn't the US Postal service use electric vehicles for their local routes?

Question

How much gas do those small postal trucks use each day on their route? Do the engines idle when they are stopped, or is it an instant on technology? What would the cost be to convert to electric technology?

Answer 1

They use too much gas! Electric engines work on-demand, the problem is the batteries, but the Postal Service could just start replacing their old trucks with new efficient ones right now!

Answer 2

I don't even know why they bother to deliver anything anymore: One can pay almost all bills by email or Internet and most of the mail delivered today is junk. I think the distant future will view postal service much like we all view the milk man today: quaint but obsolete

Answer 3

Electric or hybrids.  Both would make sense as they are always going  "gas..brake..mail..gas..brake..mail..etc...

They could go "electric...brake regen...mail...etc."

A straight electric might be a problem as batteries going dead would mean mail doesn't get delivered and people get upset.  But I think everyone now agree's that hybrids are reliable, and the Post office would get the most benefit.  Nobody does more "stop and go" driving than those guys!

Answer 4

On my route, I drive about 9 to 12 miles a day.

They are called LLVs. LLV stands for Long Life Vehicles. They were intended to last at least 20 years as opposed to trucks that were retired after about 5 years. The truck I use was built in 1993.

Answer 5

the us postal service has been around for a long time and they know what is the most cost effective way possible to visit every address in America six days a week.  if there was a better way the usps will be all over it.  you should remember, it was usps that brought us those segways a few years back.  well those things are a hit but usps ditched the program.  they are going electric though check out this site.

Answer 6

They are on it

Answer 7

they should do something, if UPS can make those huge trucks "environmentally safe" why can't a government organization do something the same?