Trump To Trample On USPS Electric Delivery Vehicle Contracts

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The wrecking ball known as Trump 2 is already set to swing into action to demolish the contracts between the US Postal Service and two vehicle manufacturers — Ford and Oshkosh Defense. The transition team is considering cancelling the USPS contracts to electrify its delivery fleet, three people familiar with the plans have told Reuters. They claim the transition team is currently looking at ways to terminate the Postal Service’s contracts with Oshkosh Defense and Ford, among others, for tens of thousands of electric delivery vehicles and charging stations.

But that train may have already left the station. At the beginning of 2024, Canoo delivered electric vans to the USPS for mail delivery services, and the electrification of distribution centers began in Atlanta. In 2022, the USPS announced a further increase in the share of electric vehicles in new fleet purchases. In total, the USPS plans to deploy at least 66,000 battery-electric delivery vehicles by 2028. Many of them are already under contract, including the charging equipment that will be needed to service them. An initial batch of 14,000 chargers supplied by Siemens, ChargePoint, and Blink is already being manufactured and getting ready to be delivered.

In a statement in 2022, the USPS said, “The Postal Service has been steadfastly committed to the fiscally responsible and mission capable roll-out of electric powered vehicles for America’s largest and oldest federal fleet. The agency has continually assessed its operational and infrastructure build-out capacity, financial position including IRA funds, and vehicle mix deployment over the past 12 months. The Postal Service anticipates that this commitment of funds by 2028 for both vehicles and charging infrastructure will result in a total of 66,230 electric delivery vehicles and an overall acquisition of 106,000 delivery vehicles. All awards in today’s announcement are contingent on the Postal Service’s satisfactory completion of National Environmental Policy Act requirements.”

According to Reuters, Trump transition team spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, “President Trump will protect the freedom of Americans to drive whichever vehicle they choose, enhance his tough tariffs on Chinese-imported cars, and save the U.S. auto industry for generations to come. No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.”

The statement is all very interesting, but has nothing whatsoever with electric vehicles for the Postal Service. They are not being manufactured by Chinese companies, individual citizens will not be driving them, and the Oshkosh Defense is hardly a mainstream US automaker. This is gibberish put out to appease the weak minded. In addition, it comes dangerously close to setting the Orange Ogre up as the only person in the US government who can approve anything — a dictator, in other words. A 78-year old legend in his own mind, some might say.

Analysts tell Reuters the existing contracts will be legally difficult to interfere with since the USPS is an autonomous federal agency with its own governing board. It may depend on how much energy the Trump administration is able to spend on testing the boundaries of its executive power on issues ranging from trade to federal spending.

The never ending saga of reducing emissions from the US Postal Service now enters a new chapter. The post office has long been due for new vehicles, regardless of which kind. The most common vehicles used by letter carriers today are more than 35 years old and are based on the chassis and running gear for the Chevy S10 pickup truck. They are ancient, worn out, costly to run, costly to keep in good repair, and dangerous for their drivers to operate.

In 2021, the USPS CEO, Louis DeJoy — who was appointed during the last Trump administration and is on public record as a Trump fundraiser and Republican donor — ordered only 10% of new vehicles to be electric and gave the contract to US commercial vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense, which is mainly known for building military vehicles. DeJoy’s decision attracted criticism and lawsuits from environmentalists and Democratic governments. When additional federal funding was provided by the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 and the Inflation Reduction Act, DeJoy was moved to revise these plans twice. The final revision of the plan to renew the USPS fleets involves 83% electric vehicles through 2028 and 100% electric thereafter.

According to Reuters, analysts say that “Given the need for the replacement of ageing equipment, we are confident that the USPS will be receiving new vehicles in 2025. The mix of that order could potentially change to appease an administration that is more hostile to (EVs).”

Big Improvements For Postal Workers

The new vehicles for the postal service are a huge improvement over the existing delivery trucks Americans are familiar with. They have a lower front for improved aerodynamics and a clearer view of the road ahead. An enormous windshield replaces the limited visibility of the original. No longer do carriers have to rely on a dashboard fan for cabin cooling. Nonslip surfaces, doorstep lights, and a third windshield sun visor are all improvements over the austere original design. New safety upgrades include airbags, automatic emergency braking, and a collision avoidance system. “Wasn’t it negligent to ask workers to drive vehicles for the last couple of decades without these features?” my colleague Carolyn Fortuna asked in a recent article.

With more cargo space, carriers now have space to accommodate the increased number packages and far fewer letters and magazines than had been the typical shipments years ago. Tiny rear cargo space is a thing of the past — no longer do carriers have to crouch inside to grab packages. They can now walk inside the electric mail truck and retrieve packages without stooping. In fact, the side cargo door is much safer than the former rear door, which resulted in multiple postal worker injuries from oncoming vehicles and some deaths.

Efficiency & Emissions

Electric vehicles are ideal for postal delivery chores. Regenerative braking replenishes the battery during the many deceleration events that happen every day. The cost of electricity is about a third the cost of gasoline, reducing operating costs dramatically. The latest studies suggest the batteries in in EVs last longer than anyone thought they would when they were first introduced about 15 years ago. And of course the emissions from the nearly quarter-million vehicles the USPS operates are significant. None of that matters to the incoming administration, which has pledged to support the oil and gas industries in every way possible, even if that means poorer health for the people who live in America.

Some may wonder how such a thing can come to pass, but the answer is obvious. Elections have consequences. The people have spoken and now they are going to reap the consequences of their actions. So be it.