Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird • Hacker News Board

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#331

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 1:49 PM UTC

Adrig wrote: post #275

Robotbeat wrote: post #132

It's interesting that "cost" is the reason given for why these vehicles aren't electric, but... how could that be? Batteries for electric carmakers are not that expensive any more, maybe $150/kWh. LLVs are currently horrendously inefficient (fleet average of about 9mpg). They have a ~13 gallon tank for a range of about 120 miles. They drive about 18 miles a day on average (total fleet average, so some are idle and pr…

ITT people arguing that a country with $7 trillion of spending budget can't install a few power outlets in its post offices.

Congress, specifically Republicans in congress, hate the post office and would like nothing better than to see the whole institution burned to the ground and replaced with private business.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#332

Post by a9h74j » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 1:53 PM UTC

mypalmike wrote: post #318

peteradio wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only instantaneously. In the long term supply decreases to meet decreased (now niche) demand which decreases duty cycle on operations, hence increasing per unit cost.

Refined petroleum products will certainly not be niche within a decade. So much of global transportation simply can't swap out ICE with electric now, or in many cases ever. Huge swaths of the globe lack the electrical grid infrastructure to entertain even small moves in that direction. And huge numbers of drivers in countries with adequate infrastructure can't plug in at home due to living in apartment complexes, urb…

I have seen one concern expressed as potential imbalance in demand for different refined components. For example, if demand for diesel were to hold steady, but for gasoline diminish, to some degree gasoline potentially becomes a leftover pollutant.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#333

Post by jonfw » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 1:57 PM UTC

chrismorgan wrote: post #305

mypalmike wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decreased demand would tend to result in reduced prices, not increased prices.

The laws of supply and demand only work that way if supply is limited, which is very often not the case. A lot of production benefits from economies of scale, where fixed overheads are dwarfed by unit costs. In such cases, decreased demand results in reduced production, which results in the loss of economies of scale as production overheads remain the same or similar, thereby increasing in magnitude relative to unit…

We are thousands of times over capturing economies of scale in gas production, we support thousands of independent drilling and refining sites.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#334

Post by a9h74j » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 1:57 PM UTC

BCM43 wrote: post #313

Robotbeat wrote: post #132

It's interesting that "cost" is the reason given for why these vehicles aren't electric, but... how could that be? Batteries for electric carmakers are not that expensive any more, maybe $150/kWh. LLVs are currently horrendously inefficient (fleet average of about 9mpg). They have a ~13 gallon tank for a range of about 120 miles. They drive about 18 miles a day on average (total fleet average, so some are idle and pr…

Aaron Gordon at Vice gives some explanations - most important cost-related bit seems to be they weight upfront cost a lot more than amortized cost, and non-electric does better on that front. https://www.vice.com/en/article/3an4k8/dont-expect-the-usps-...

Weight-per-wheel also figures into wear inflicted on local roads.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#335

Post by CathedralBorrow » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 1:58 PM UTC

creato wrote: post #195

anoncake wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you have a problem with this "alternative" reality?

It's annoying to have to constantly wonder if I'm saying something offensive when I absolutely do not intend that. In this case, I wouldn't have thought anything was wrong with "mail lady" and might have said the same thing if my mail carrier were a woman (which she is). Now I read this thread and realize that some people would think it is a problem. This cultural wave of making seemingly harmless language into probl…

It's easy to offend without intending to, so I don't get how your intentions are relevant. Yes it can be annoying and difficult to consider the impact of your words and how they might be perceived by other, different, people. It would be simpler if you didn't have to think about that at all. But is that really the argument? It's a big hassle and you'd rather not have to do it?

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#336

Post by arpinum » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 2:00 PM UTC

fingerlocks wrote: post #248

gibolt wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Repair and maintenance are probably far more expensive than the gas costs, especially as a government contract. Gas prices will also increase as demand falls of a cliff over the coming decade. Electric wins on all fronts in cost, simplicity, and city health

I doubt maintenance & repair costs be more expensive for an ICE engine. The actual engine part requires little maintenance: occasional oil changes each year, spark plugs every five years, and maybe a belt in 10 years? I guess brake pads might be more common, but those are still a once every few years thing and inexpensive. All other common repair items would the same for an EV: suspension, various ball and CV joints,…

Smooth delivery of power has surprising downstream effects. The wear on ball joints and tyres for EVs can be significantly less due to not having as much jerk (derivative of acceleration) from their motor.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#337

Post by digitalsin » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 2:00 PM UTC

That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. Good lord.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#338

Post by CathedralBorrow » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 2:01 PM UTC

Evidlo wrote: post #236

tolbish wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not that the term "mail lady" offends anyone. It doesn't. The point is that singling out her gender is needless, and kinda seems a bit strange if gender was never really pertinent to the story in the first place. "Cancel culture" would be going through high school recommended reading lists and removing books that focused "wrongly" on gender or something.

> It's not that the term "mail lady" offends anyone. It doesn't. I think that's too generous. I've definitely met people who just enjoy feeling indignation at anything.

Funny; since you are right now bringing up this group of people to express indignation towards their behavior.

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#339

Post by korse » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 2:05 PM UTC

I felt like this article could have been summarized in a single line.

Guess why the new mail truck looks 'weird'? PROJECT REQUIREMENTS such as view and mailbox accessibility.

I know this place has sunk a bit over the years but clickbait?

Re: Why the new USPS mail trucks look so weird

#340

Post by exabrial » Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 2:06 PM UTC

kelnos wrote: post #84

exabrial wrote: post #18

I'm always in disbelief at the sheer volume of waste they deliver. I maybe get one meaningful or useful piece of paper a month, the rest is hundreds of pounds of paper, hauled by thousands of gallons of diesel fuel. How this organisation continues to exist in is current form is mind blowing. Nearly everything it hauls could be emailed. And don't forget the cost to have trash trucks haul the thousands of pounds of was…

I disagree that the USPS shouldn't exist in its current form, but I am always dismayed at the quantity of mail I immediately chuck in the recycling bin (easily 95% or greater). I bet if USPS raised their bulk mail pricing, we'd have a lot less junk.

that in fact, is exactly what I'm talking about