U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

Re:U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fl... by barrysteve on Wednesday March 01, 2023 @11:38PM (#34992072)

The e-trikes replaced old motorcycles with saddlebags. The trike rides up onto the footpath and delivers directly into the mailbox. Usually letters and catalogues. They hop from letterbox to letterbox along the road and footpath. They are coloured fluroscent yellow, same association as high visibility shirts.

Packages are done by courier in a van or truck. Grocery deliveries are done by supermarket branded refrigerator trucks. Local fast food is done by the ubereats/menulog crowd.

A local automotive store will drop off parts by an employee in his car.

It sounds like americans get more packages delivered in one go, by the us postal office trucks?

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Re:U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fl... by aidenn0 on Wednesday March 01, 2023 @11:45PM (#34992113)

Yes. Congress required the USPS to be profitable, and then required it to up-front fund its pensions, and then capped the rate they can charge for first-class mail. This created incentives for them to deliver more parcels. One service they offer is "last-mile" service for private parcel carriers; so e.g. FedEx will get it to your city and USPS will deliver to your house. A significant fraction of packages ordered through amazon will arrive via a postal carrier where I am.

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Re:U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fl... by pests on Thursday March 02, 2023 @12:29AM (#34992328)

In turn USPS uses FedEx for international and (maybe not anymore) for overnight deliveries to certain destinations.

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Re:U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fl... by euroderf on Thursday March 02, 2023 @03:49AM (#34993518)

Seems like a sensible division of labor. So what's the catch ?

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