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Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

nytimes.com

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Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#51

Post by not_kurt_godel »

varikin wrote: post #35
hex4def6 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"While the all-aluminum body of the LLV has resisted corrosion exceptionally well over the years, the main powertrain components have been replaced multiple times and now must be sourced through aftermarket manufacturing. This has significantly increased repair costs while reducing performance and reliability. In fact, the Postal Service had to contract an alternative supplier to reverse engineer and manufacture the…

I believe the LLV line was only suppose to be in service for 20 years, but the government gonna government and not find a replacement till it's almost too late. So yes it was a lot of scrounging and probably a lot of USPS mechanics needing to be creative, but the LLV lasted twice as long as it was designed for. I expect this same conversation will happen again in another 40 years.

> the government gonna government and not find a replacement till it's almost too late

Actually they were going to convert to EVs back in 2006 when Bush stepped in to prevent that and punish them on behalf of his oil buddies with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. The problem isn't government, it's politicians voted in to destroy it in favor of corporate interests.

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#52

Post by tbone802 »

garciansmith wrote: post #7

I've read so much knocking their appearance, which is so confusing to me. It's ultimately function over form in this case; who cares if you don't like how it looks? I can only dream that the visibility and safety of having features like such a low hood and large bumpers would be incorporated into other vehicles (i.e., every SUV ever).

[dead]

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#54

Post by andrewflnr »

garciansmith wrote: post #7

I've read so much knocking their appearance, which is so confusing to me. It's ultimately function over form in this case; who cares if you don't like how it looks? I can only dream that the visibility and safety of having features like such a low hood and large bumpers would be incorporated into other vehicles (i.e., every SUV ever).

Well, they're mostly not qualified to comment on the function, are they?

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#55

Post by AcerbicZero »

lol they're paying (with my money) something like 60k for each one of those.

Should have just bought police explorers like the cops are driving and saved 15-20k+ per unit. Plus as a bonus you might have actual parts availability for the foreseeable future, unlike when Oshkosh corp decides burning money in a barrel is more financially viable than building replacement parts for the postal service and the 40-70k of these that they'll actually get ordered before the budget gets slashed or whatever.

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#57

Post by starkparker »

whalesalad wrote: post #24

Interesting that the front windshield only has about 50-60% usable space. On the top this makes sense, as the black coating acts as a sun shade. On the bottom... there goes all the visibility gained by having the low hood. wtf? The upfitter AUX switches appear to be Ford, same for the AC controls.

> The upfitter AUX switches appear to be Ford, same for the AC controls.

Ford supplies the ICE engine, transmission, suspension, steering wheel, and instrument cluster, so that tracks. https://fordauthority.com/2024/10/new-usps-mail-carrier-uses...

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#58

Post by ggreer »

I wondered why other delivery companies use commercial vehicles instead of NGDVs or LLVs, and the answer is that commercial vehicles are more capable while being significantly cheaper.

NGDVs cost $60,000 each, and that's for half of them being ICE vehicles and half EVs with a 70 mile range (35 miles if you use the heater). The ICE version gets 14.7 miles per gallon (8.6mpg if you turn on the air conditioning).[1] There is no hybrid version, which is outrageous considering the expected driving profile.

For comparison, a Mercedes eSprinter (which has more cargo capacity and >2x the range of the NGDV) starts at $63,475 MSRP. I'm sure a bulk order of 50,000 would get a significant discount.

This whole project seems to be a handout to a defense contractor, not an efficient use of funds.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshkosh_NGDV#Fuel_economy_and_...

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#59

Post by throwworhtthrow »

not_kurt_godel wrote: post #51
varikin wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe the LLV line was only suppose to be in service for 20 years, but the government gonna government and not find a replacement till it's almost too late. So yes it was a lot of scrounging and probably a lot of USPS mechanics needing to be creative, but the LLV lasted twice as long as it was designed for. I expect this same conversation will happen again in another 40 years.

> the government gonna government and not find a replacement till it's almost too late Actually they were going to convert to EVs back in 2006 when Bush stepped in to prevent that and punish them on behalf of his oil buddies with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. The problem isn't government, it's politicians voted in to destroy it in favor of corporate interests.

According to Wikipedia:

> Passed the House on December 8, 2006 (voice vote)

> Passed the Senate on December 9, 2006 (unanimous consent)

Can't pin it all on Bush Jr.

Re: Yes, it ‘looks like a duck,’ but carriers like the new USPS mail truck

#60

Post by mschuster91 »

klik99 wrote: post #26
garciansmith wrote: post #7

I've read so much knocking their appearance, which is so confusing to me. It's ultimately function over form in this case; who cares if you don't like how it looks? I can only dream that the visibility and safety of having features like such a low hood and large bumpers would be incorporated into other vehicles (i.e., every SUV ever).

Probably in the minority, but I actually like the look of them. I find so many modern car designs indistinguishable from each other. Cars such a narrow range of design that's considered "good aesthetics" that everything looks so uniform.

> Cars such a narrow range of design that's considered "good aesthetics" that everything looks so uniform.

The issue is fuel efficiency. Modern cars are all built to be as aerodynamic and fuel efficient as possible, and the constraints are virtually the same, so the designs are very similar as well.

However, these mail trucks don't travel 85 miles an hour, most of them will be on average less than 25 mp/h or less, where aerodynamics plainly just does not matter (it's v-squared), so they can prioritize safety and driver comfort over anything else.

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