What’s going to happen to all the USPS long-life vehicles?

Philatelic Foreword by Jay Bigalke

During the National Postal Forum held June 2-5 in Indianapolis, Ind., I attended one of the United States Postal Service’s executive leadership team sessions titled “Delivering Sustainable Results.” The topics centered around environmental goals as related to the Delivering for America plan.

At the end of the session, one of the questions I had asked was answered. Since I had not heard an answer to this before, I thought it would be good to get it on the record.

New electric vehicles are starting to roll out nationwide, so something would have to happen to the other, older vehicles. I asked what sustainability initiative is being developed in relation to the old Grumman long-life vehicles (LLVs).

Victoria K. Stephen, USPS executive director for the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle program, took my question.

“Well, of course, we’ve replaced many LLVs over the course of their life cycle,” Stephen said. “The current LLV disposal is handled at the local level because we’re going to have a lot more disposals coming as we deploy.

“We’re looking at developing a national standard and solicitation.

“So we’re early in that process, so I don’t have a whole lot of details to share, but my colleagues in the fleet management organization are way ahead of that as usual.

“And we’ll have some good practices in place to make sure that we’re recovering the materials and maximizing not only whatever financial benefit that there is from the recycling, but that we’re making sure that we maintain the security, too.

“That’s a really important part of the process for us.”

I have memories in the 1980s of the old postal jeeps being repurposed, and I get the vibe that these long-life vehicles might see a new — yet to be determined — life, or end up in the scrapyard.

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