The USPS Duck

[TC Talks]

Because it's tradition to have quirky looking mail trucks... I'm happy to see it's electric.

For 19 years, Richard Burton, a letter carrier in Athens, Ga., drove the classic boxy mail truck, with only a fan on the dashboard to keep the cabin cool in the sweltering summer months. A second fan plugged into the cigarette lighter didn’t make much of a difference, he said.

But about two months ago, Mr. Burton, 46, became one of the first letter carriers in the United States to get a long-awaited upgrade: a new electric mail truck with air-conditioning, a 360-degree camera and a sliding cargo door on the side that allows the unloading of packages directly onto the sidewalk.

“It makes the job easier to do because you’re not sweating bullets out there,” he said. “And in Georgia, you can imagine how hot it gets.”

The new mail trucks — 10 years in the making — have started rolling into American neighborhoods, and the early reviews from letter carriers are positive. Many have complained for years that the mail trucks they have been driving, which were introduced in the 1980s, break down frequently and are stiflingly hot, as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes. The rear cargo space is so small, they say, that they have to crouch inside to grab packages.

[Rate This]

Because it's tradition to have quirky looking mail trucks... I'm happy to see it's electric.

For 19 years, Richard Burton, a letter carrier in Athens, Ga., drove the classic boxy mail truck, with only a fan on the dashboard to keep the cabin cool in the sweltering summer months. A second fan plugged into the cigarette lighter didn’t make much of a difference, he said.

But about two months ago, Mr. Burton, 46, became one of the first letter carriers in the United States to get a long-awaited upgrade: a new electric mail truck with air-conditioning, a 360-degree camera and a sliding cargo door on the side that allows the unloading of packages directly onto the sidewalk.

“It makes the job easier to do because you’re not sweating bullets out there,” he said. “And in Georgia, you can imagine how hot it gets.”

The new mail trucks — 10 years in the making — have started rolling into American neighborhoods, and the early reviews from letter carriers are positive. Many have complained for years that the mail trucks they have been driving, which were introduced in the 1980s, break down frequently and are stiflingly hot, as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes. The rear cargo space is so small, they say, that they have to crouch inside to grab packages.

A horse by committee. I remember the old postal Jeeps being rust buckets when I was a kid. The Grumman LLV’s are way past their expiration dates.

[TC Talks]

A horse by committee. I remember the old postal Jeeps being rust buckets when I was a kid. The Grumman LLV’s are way past their expiration dates.

LLV's lasting 40 years is damn respectable.

[GrahamWellington]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

[teetoppz28]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

[GrahamWellington]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

[Rate This]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

That’s a gotcha sentence but they do have climate change and sustainability in mind in making the switch to electric so it’s actually pretty relevant despite the overhyped sentence.

[GrahamWellington]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

That’s a gotcha sentence but they do have climate change and sustainability in mind in making the switch to electric so it’s actually pretty relevant despite the overhyped sentence.

Agreed, my use of "irrelevant" was probably incorrect for the overall move of mail vehicles to electric. The author should have just mentioned it from that standpoint then, instead of jamming an emotional statement where it doesn't make sense. The mainstream media wonders why they have credibility issues....

But not to hijack the thread - hope these new electric vehicles work out well.

[TC Talks]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

Climate change has pushed temperatures higher. I have no snow on the ground, for example. To someone who doesn't have a/c during the 8 hour workday, it is completely relevant.

[GrahamWellington]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

Climate change has pushed temperatures higher. I have no snow on the ground, for example. To someone who doesn't have a/c during the 8 hour workday, it is completely relevant.

Has there been a summer in the last century when it wouldn't have been nice to have A/C in a vehicle? I'm pretty sure summers have caused stiffling hot vehicle interiors well before climate change.

[TC Talks]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

Climate change has pushed temperatures higher. I have no snow on the ground, for example. To someone who doesn't have a/c during the 8 hour workday, it is completely relevant.

Has there been a summer in the last century when it wouldn't have been nice to have A/C in a vehicle? I'm pretty sure summers have caused stiffling hot vehicle interiors well before climate change.

So your opinion in the retirement home matters to the USPS and it's carrier's union, why? Average temps are up dramatically since 1980.

[GrahamWellington]

I'm betting the farm that article excerpt came from NPR or the New York Times.

As for the vehicle, pretty cool. I mean it's ugly as hell but it seems functional for delivering mail and the stop and go abuse probably makes electric a good choice for it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/us/u ... rucks.html

NYT it is! The "as climate change pushes temperatures to greater extremes" line being included despite being completely irrelevant to the article was a dead giveaway.

Climate change has pushed temperatures higher. I have no snow on the ground, for example. To someone who doesn't have a/c during the 8 hour workday, it is completely relevant.

Has there been a summer in the last century when it wouldn't have been nice to have A/C in a vehicle? I'm pretty sure summers have caused stiffling hot vehicle interiors well before climate change.

So your opinion in the retirement home matters to the USPS and it's carrier's union, why? Average temps are up dramatically since 1980.

So there was no need for A/C before 1980?

[TC Talks]

I can explain it to you, I can't understand it for you. If this doesn't help you, maybe go watch some Mattock.

[GrahamWellington]

I can explain it to you, I can't understand it for you. If this doesn't help you, maybe go watch some Mattock.

Thanks! This shows that even if a 90 degree day in 1950 equals a 93 degree day today, mail trucks have been stiffling hot for decades because of summer temperatures, and not a new phenomenon due solely to climate change as the reporter suggested.

[TC Talks]

I can explain it to you, I can't understand it for you. If this doesn't help you, maybe go watch some Mattock.

Thanks! This shows that even if a 90 degree day in 1950 equals a 93 degree day today, mail trucks have been stiffling hot for decades because of summer temperatures, and not a new phenomenon due solely to climate change as the reporter suggested.

You really are an idiot. An average global temperature increase of 3 degrees can mean 15 - 30 degrees in warmer climates.