Focus on Delivery Fleet Modernization

The Postal Service is in the middle of a major effort to replace its aging delivery fleet. Many carriers still use Long Life Vehicles (LLVs), which are far past their 24-year expected service life. To replace them, the Postal Service has decided to acquire more than 106,000 new vehicles from fiscal year (FY) 2023 through FY 2028. The acquisition includes both commercial off-the-shelf and purpose-built vehicles. Our oversight of fleet modernization focuses on several areas.

Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs)

The NGDV is a purpose-built vehicle designed to USPS specifications. USPS has said it will purchase at least 60,000 through FY 2028. We have monitored the acquisition process since before it began in 2014 and recently found some issues with timeliness that may result in fewer savings.

Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure

We have issued several reports examining aspects of the Postal Service’s rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) and supporting infrastructure. For example, we compared the Postal Service’s EV acquisition experience to those of other delivery carriers, and found USPS’s government status and desire for transparency contributed to a longer, more cautious process. We also found delays in deploying charging infrastructure. When we visited new charging station sites, they were generally prepared for their initial wave of EV deployments, although we did identify some individual issues.

Maintenance and Other Preparations

The influx of new vehicles requires additional USPS preparations. We found the Postal Service’s initial plans to maintain the NGDV fleet met the best practices of other delivery fleets, although there were opportunities to enhance them. We also suggested improvements to the disposal process for the LLVs.