USPS Swaps Out 3% of Fleet for More Fuel Efficient or Alternative Fuel Vehicles

11 July 2009

The US Postal Service (USPS) will conduct a one-for-one replacement of 6,500 vehicles with 1,000 E-85 ethanol-capable and 900 gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles to its delivery fleet, part of a vehicle purchase by the US General Services Administration (GSA). The balance of the GSA purchase for the Postal Service will be more fuel-efficient, four-cylinder vehicles, which will replace aging vehicles at postal offices and facilities across the country.

At nearly 220,000 vehicles, the Postal Service operates and maintains the largest civilian fleet in the country. The 1,900 flex-fuel and hybrid vehicles from GSA will bring the total number of alternate fuel-capable vehicles in the Postal Service fleet to more than 43,000 (about 19.6%).

The Postal Service has increased alternative fuel use by 41% since 2006, and plans to reduce petroleum use by 20% over the next five years. Replacing aging vehicles with more fuel-efficient and alternative fuel-capable vehicles is key to reaching that goal.

Among its trials of advanced or alternative fuel technology, the Postal Service is:

• Delivering mail on a trial basis using three-wheel (T3) electric vehicles in Florida, California and Arizona. The T3 is powered by two rechargeable batteries, has zero gas emissions and costs 4 cents a mile to operate.
• Testing two fourth generation fuel-cell Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, which are delivering mail in Irvine, CA, and in Washington, DC.
• Using 35 delivery vehicles in Florida that run on propane fuel.

The USPS says it also walks almost 10,000 mail delivery routes a day.