If I could specify exactly what I want a vehicle to do, and have it designed for me, it would look weird too:
1. All electric
2. Can transport a double bass
3. But no bigger than necessary
4. Meets decent safety requirements
Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
101–110 of 398 posts
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#102Why have a specific design anyways? In both Sweden and Spain, the cars carrying mail is typically just a normal half-truck (not sure about the correct name) with the post office branding. Here are two examples: https://c8.alamy.com/comp/DA5TW8/yellow-correos-spanish-post... - https://st2.depositphotos.com/3982569/5739/i/950/depositphot... Seems to work fine. Packages gets carried in bigger trucks, but still just busi…
The United States is a vast, sprawling area with nearly every conceivable type of geography. The road conditions and residential density covers all possible ranges. The truck is designed for the worst case scenario allowable while minimizing drivers danger. Also, the USPS uses panel vans in denser areas. My neighborhood in Seattle has the mail delivered in a Sprinter/ProMaster/Transit thing, but weird trucks are ubiq…
The USPS also uses Jeeps in the sticks, but those aren't common enough to be seen by most people.
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#103I had never seen a USPS vehicle until I was a legal adult and moved to college. I grew up in a very rural part of New England, America - on a dirt road. Winter had plenty of snow and plowing wasn't a guarantee at all . Considering the USPS Creed "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" -- Snow is the first one ! Our "mail lady"** drov…
Okay I'm genuinely curious why "mail lady" wouldn't fly today. ...why not?
Because of cancel culture. Out of millions of voices it only takes is 1 or 2 loud ones to be offended (really, mistakingly, or maliciously) for the bandwagon of ostracism to get rollin.
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#104This article basically is - "The USPS trucks look that way because USPS design says they have to". It would have helped to explain why USPS has these specific requirements - safety, comfort and efficiency.
Are those the actual specific requirements? Would love to read more on the subject but it's hard to find authoritative sources.
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#105"Oddly-shaped mail trucks seem to be a staple of Americana." As a non-American I have always found this amusing. Here in New Zealand Post was until a few years ago delivered by bicycle in cities (SUVs or vans in rural areas). They have since moved towards small electric vehicles called Paxster. Basically large four wheel scooters that can ride on both the road and pavement. https://jobs.nzpost.co.nz/paxster
In Australia the Honda CT90->CT110->NBC110 "Postie Bike" was, up until 2015 or so, the best selling motorcycle for decades, so much so that it almost always got left out of motorcycle market share reporting. Australia Post used to buy ~2000 of them a year, but recently have replaced most of the motorcycles with bicycles and electric bicycles (and the volume of ordinary letters that are suitable for motorcycle/bicycle…
Japan Post is still using Honda SuperCub. Maybe Honda will release an electric version they can upgrade to.
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#106Why have a specific design anyways? In both Sweden and Spain, the cars carrying mail is typically just a normal half-truck (not sure about the correct name) with the post office branding. Here are two examples: https://c8.alamy.com/comp/DA5TW8/yellow-correos-spanish-post... - https://st2.depositphotos.com/3982569/5739/i/950/depositphot... Seems to work fine. Packages gets carried in bigger trucks, but still just busi…
in uk all the services drive boring old Transits or whatever. At least Royal Mail have some respect for their Postman Pat legacy and paint their vans red. But there is one outstanding exception: UPS. I don't even see so many of them around, so i'm not pure why it's economical for them and why only they use custom vans, but i respect them for that.
Possibly because as a global company, it's easier for them to have shared vehicles and parts across their entire service area (most the world). They can probably just fly the vans/trucks and parts in wherever they are needed, since they run their own fleet of (very large) planes as well.
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#107Earlier quoted context omitted.
The United States is a vast, sprawling area with nearly every conceivable type of geography. The road conditions and residential density covers all possible ranges. The truck is designed for the worst case scenario allowable while minimizing drivers danger. Also, the USPS uses panel vans in denser areas. My neighborhood in Seattle has the mail delivered in a Sprinter/ProMaster/Transit thing, but weird trucks are ubiq…
The USPS also uses Jeeps in the sticks, but those aren't common enough to be seen by most people.
> The USPS also uses Jeeps in the sticks, but those aren't common enough to be seen by most people.
Their previous standard mail trucks were a Jeep variant, too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_DJ
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#108Because platypuses are bottom-feeders that use their beaver-like tail to steer and their webbed feet to propel themselves through the water while hunting for insects, shellfish, and worms
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#109Why are looks so important anyways? Clearly USPS is trying to look after its employees, trying to ensure they have the best vehicle, suited for their work with minimal hassle.
Better for all of us. The new vehicle clearly has really good visibility with the giant windshield, meaning we’re much less likely to get run over by Newman
Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird
#110If I could specify exactly what I want a vehicle to do, and have it designed for me, it would look weird too: 1. All electric 2. Can transport a double bass 3. But no bigger than necessary 4. Meets decent safety requirements
Real talk, my mom plays bass. We fit that, two adults, two kids, a pair of fiddles and backpacks for a weekend away: all into a Geo Metro. The trick is to put the neck down between the drivers with the rear seats folded down, and then fold them up. Wasn't terribly comfortable back there, but we were small enough to deal with it.
Oh. You edited your post to say "decent safety requirements". A '91 Metro probably doesn't fulfil that these days. But they'd probably do fine with an electric conversion.