USPS expects to boost purchase of electric delivery vehicles
By
The USPS currently plans to buy at least 10% EVs including
10,019 of an initial
The new delivery strategy includes placing large carrier operations inside unused mail processing plants and "dramatically improving transportation efficiency by eliminating unnecessary trips, reducing mail handlings, increasing reliability, and decreasing time to delivery," USPS said.
USPS told Reuters that it plans to supplement its environmental impact statement (EIS) related to its Next Generation Delivery Vehicles plan.
In April, 16 states, four environmental groups and the United Auto Workers filed lawsuits seeking to block USPS's plan to buy mostly gas-powered next-generation delivery vehicles, arguing that the agency failed to comply with environmental regulations when it issued its EIS.
The White House and Environmental Protection Agency also previously asked USPS to reconsider, as have many Democrats in Congress.
Postmaster General
DeJoy noted USPS has said it "would continue to look for opportunities to further increase the electrification of our fleet in a responsible manner... A modernized network of delivery facilities provides us with such an opportunity. This is the right approach - operationally, financially, and environmentally."
DeJoy told Reuters in April USPS expects to receive about 5,000 next-generation vehicles in 2023 - and about 21,000 annually after that.
DeJoy called the initial 50,000 vehicle order "a slam dunk",
given USPS's urgent vehicle needs: "I have people out there that
have trucks that are dangerous."
(Reporting by