In face of White House threats, Postal Service doubles down on gas trucks Environmentalists call this a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity'

dailycallernewsfoundation.org/ ^ | 2/7/2022 | THOMAS CATENACCI

[rktman]

The U.S. Postal Service defended its plan to replace the majority of its delivery vehicles with gas-powered trucks while electrifying some of its fleet.

“Our commitment to an electric fleet remains ambitious given the pressing vehicle and safety needs of our aging fleet as well as our dire financial condition,” Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement on Sunday. “The proposed action, which we are evaluating under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), includes an initial order plan for 5,000 electric vehicles, and the flexibility to increase the number of electric vehicles introduced should additional funding become available.”

The USPS, which has come under fire for the proposal, said it was working towards the electrification of its delivery fleet “as quickly as resources and infrastructure will allow.” The agency said it was committed to working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Congress as it moves forward with its fleet replacement.

The EPA sent a scathing letter to the USPS Wednesday over its plan, saying that it represented a lost opportunity to lead on climate policy. The White House said the postal service could be faced with congressional or federal court intervention if the plan wasn’t reconsidered in a separate letter.

“Absent such funding, we must make fiscally responsible decisions that result in the needed introduction of safer and environmentally cleaner vehicles for the men and women who deliver America’s mail,” he continued.

The USPS unveiled a deal with Wisconsin-based automaker Oshkosh to produce its “next generation delivery vehicles” over the course of the next decade in February 2021. The deal called for just 10% of its 165,000-vehicle-fleet to be replaced with electric trucks while the remainder would be replaced with fuel-efficient models.

[IamConservative]

I have a friend that runs a shop. He has 5 mechanics working on those right hand drive postal trucks. They make a good living on that contract. Everyone. They repair costs were all negotiated in advance. So, let’s say a head gasket replacement is a 10 hour job in the contract. Get it done in five, the mechanic gets half the difference. They are working fools.

[TexasGator]

“Is that a national number or your part of Texas?”

People sleep at night in every local I am aware of.

[TexasGator]

Average USPS ROUTE:

Number of stops: 500
Distance: 20.8 miles
Speed: 13.6 mph
Route time: 6 hrs

[Tell It Right]

Oh. That changes everything. EV’s would easily work for those kind of routes.

[TexasGator]

“Oh. That changes everything. “

Except for the politics involved.

[Tell It Right]

True that. That’s always the efficiency killer.

[dfwgator]

So much for “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night...”

[catnipman]

CLEARLY, the USPS is still adamant about delivering the mail:

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom nor of night nor Dementia Joe fascist eco-fantasies stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”

folks here can attack the USPS all they want, but their package delivery services are still essential for hundreds of thousands of businesses and tens of millions of folks for everything from online pharmacy delivery to spare parts ...

in my experience, the USPS has the most reliable and least costly overnight and 2-3 day delivery of small packages of any delivery service ... nine times out of ten, their Priority Express overnight delivery is actually overnight, and i’ve used this service to overnight Kovid Kits to sick folk all over the nation ... there’s also a multi-million dollar network that delivers FIP medications overnight that have saved countless kittens from horrible deaths, and this network utilizes the USPS exclusively ...

[rktman]

Yup.

[catnipman]

“Average USPS ROUTE:”

and the mean?

and what is the average and mean in the VAST geographic portion of our nation composed of the so-called red-voting counties, you know, states like colorado, nevada, wyoming, montana, idaho, arizona, new mexico, texas, and yes even california, oregon, washington, michigan, illinois, wisconsin, new york, and all the rest ...

[BfloGuy]

Thanks for noting that EV’s are more reliable and have lower maintenance costs.

Of course, replacing the battery after 3 or 4 years kind of eats those savings up, doesn't it.

[TexasGator]

“Of course, replacing the battery after 3 or 4 years kind of eats those savings up, doesn’t it.”

Battery will last about 20 years.

[rlmorel]

Agreed.

Here is the base of my opposition: Not because they are EV vehicles.

It is because it is an emotional and political decision, not an analysis by people who have looked at the pros and cons.

This

is being pushed by people shouting "WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW BECAUSE IT IS A ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION OPPORTUNITY!"

They don't care if it is a good or bad decision. If it is a good decision, they all get to bask in the warm glow of having done their part at pushing the "Green" agenda another few inches up the slope.

If it is a bad decision-no big deal. Nobody is going to lose their job.

• They will just ask for more money to fix the issues.
  
  
• Ask for more money to build new EV charging stations.
  
  
• Ask more money to upgrade the vehicle fleet to new electronics or batteries that work better.

That is what I am against. This is largely being pushed by Leftists with an agenda. I don't doubt that there are non-Leftists who would ask the appropriate questions and if left to their own methods and devices, would make a reasonable decision.

But the fact that they are going with the decision to acquire fewer EV in the face of screaming threats from The White House makes me certain I do see this in the right light.

[TexasGator]

“But the fact that they are going with the decision to acquire fewer EV in the face of screaming threats from The White House makes me certain I do see this in the right light.”

It is political, not technical. Admin is wanting more EV’s. USPS is saying give us more money.

[hanamizu]

“The EPA sent a scathing letter to the USPS Wednesday over its plan, saying that it represented a lost opportunity to lead on climate policy.”

---

Well certainly don’t want the postal service to lead on the efficient delivery of the mail, do we?

[rlmorel]

LOL, Kind of the same behavior from both sides...just different perspectives.

USPS: GIVE US MONEY SO WE CAN BUY THINGS WE WANT! IF IT WORKS, GREAT. IF IT DOESN’T, NO BIG DEAL. WE’LL JUST ASK FOR MORE MONEY! OH, WAIT...DID I SAY THAT ALOUD?

BIDEN WHITE HOUSE: IF YOU TAKE OUR MONEY YOU NEED TO SPEND IT ON GREEN THINGS SO WE CAN HAVE A POLITICAL WIN! WE DON’T CARE IF IT WORKS OR FITS YOUR NEEDS! OH, WAIT...DID I SAY THAT ALOUD?

[rlmorel]

That was a great post! Made me grin aloud!

[BatGuano]

I will never read mail that has been delivered by an EV!
Gas is the answer, I’ll stick to my guns er.. never mind.

[BatGuano]

The auto industry should develop an engine that burns,
(ready) Covid-19 vaccine!

[Svartalfiar]

Average USPS ROUTE:

Distance: 20.8 miles
Speed: 13.6 mph
Route time: 6 hrs

Well that's obviously not right. An average route going an average of 13.6mph for an average of 6 hours gives an average distance of 82 miles, not 21.

And this ignores DC motor efficiencies. they run best (load vs rpm(power draw)) at around 75-80% of max rpm. So constant slow movement, top-and-go, will deflate your battery much faster (just like a regular gas/diesel!) than if you were moving faster for longer. Add in lots of AC or heat (open windows, constant exit/reentering vehicle), most drivers likely are gonna keep their AC/heat as high as possible most of the year, and that kills max range a LOT. Something tells me many of these trucks won't be able to make those full routes on a single battery charge.