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Pushing the Envelope Blog

Driving the Rural Delivery Route

Date: 02/07/22 | Category: Finances: Cost & Revenue

The U.S. Postal Service has almost 80,000 rural delivery routes serviced by some 133,000 rural letter carriers. For some of those routes, USPS provides the vehicle; for others, the carrier uses a private vehicle and receives a maintenance allowance from the Postal Service for wear and tear. In fiscal year (FY) 2020, the Postal Service paid out nearly $583 million in maintenance allowances — a rise of $71 million, or 13 percent, over FY 2015.

Not long ago, the Postal Service started converting some private-vehicle rural routes to USPS-vehicle routes, estimating the change would save $888 million over six years. For a recent audit, we reviewed a sample of these completed conversions nationwide as well as future conversions, and found that the Postal Service’s strategy for these changes was generally effective. We also discovered a few shortcomings.

For instance, maximum savings weren’t realized because USPS wasn’t implementing conversions in a timely manner, and we determined that some of the future conversions wouldn’t be the most cost-effective. We made a couple recommendations to improve the process, and Postal Service management agreed with both.

Are you a rural letter carrier, or do you know one? How does a USPS-vehicle route compare with the private-vehicle route? Does one seem more cost-effective from your point of view?

Leave a Comment

Your Name
Mary
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
Let’s be REALISTIC
USPS would not be saving any money on their own fleet if it were providing a vehicle that wasn’t 35 years old, in horrible shape, or had any real safety features.
The one size fits all approach is not only outdated and washed up thinking, but the lack of new hires proves that it is.
Area and climate specific designs are an absolute necessity and to think your bottom line “cost savings” of converting high mileage POV routes to a Metris where you won’t even allow for the 91 octane gas to be used, thereby destroying the engine in just a few short years is a solution, then we all see the writing on the wall.
Your Name
Michelle Kipp
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
Having a postal vehicle provided for my route would probably help with RCA retention and my overall stress level. Having a right hand drive vehicle provided would increase safety because of seatbelt use. Not having to worry about keeping a vehicle running would keep employees.
Your Name
Theresa Bayer
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
I am on a POV route. Although I love my ac in SWFL, it is impossible to get a sub of record. Subs prefer a route with a provided Postal vehicle. Wear, tear, fuel (especially in today's economy), insurance.
Your Name
juju
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
The USPS vehicles are INEFFICIENT for Rural Carriers. Private vehicles are also inefficient. Packages has made both of these means of transporting mail slower/unsafe . The amt of oversize parcels has increased to the point that OVER 50 % each and everyday they take up more space then reg mail. There are no shelves in mail trucks . Every parcel has to be handled or "touched" min of 5x a day or MORE before delivery because they have to be constantly moved from on top of the mail and constantly have to be looked at so one doesnt get left behind. There is no way to train a new carrier in a consistent manner. Day to day the volume changes and new ways are being tried all the time to be more efficient . It gets VERT TIRING moving/sorting/moving parcels all the time and parcels are coming in more and more damaged . There is no communication between the processing plant and individual offices. There is no way possible to maintain any kind of time management ea day because the parcels have increased and 2 and 3 trips are being done daily and traffic is heavier as the day gets later. Animals has also really been an issue. When parcels are placed on porches the dogs are going nuts and jumping/tearing up doors. They are opening doors and running out of the house and chasing carriers. The other main issue is weather. Mail trucks get stuck in tiny amts snow and small inclines are impossible to even go up them without having to be physically pushed. The gas alone , burns up a tank a day rfrom getting stuck. It is also IMPOSSIBLE to even see out when the interior light is on .
Your Name
Karen
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
POV carrier coming up on 20yrs. Even with a suv I’m making 2,3rd trips for Amazon 2-3 days per week. AWD a must. EMA does not pay enough to maintain the vehicle especially if you have to keep getting bigger vehicles to accommodate Amazon. I would only drive a van if it’s 4 wheel drive. Other ones will only get stuck. Take time to talk to us rural carriers! We have lots of ideas and have experience with what works and does not.
  
Your Name
Christina
Feb 13, 2022
Your Comment
I agree! I would also take one if 4wheel drive. My roads are mud in the spring and icy in the winter. Amazon is taking over. I’m sure they can’t be saving to much money if mail trucks keep getting towed. I have AWD and studs and some days are still crazy.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Your Name
Sheri kuehner
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
I think all routes should have postal vehicles. I work in stroudsburg and it is so hard to get rural subs in that office because they need a car. It’s wearing down the regulars because we always have open routes. Everyday. We need vehicles asap
Your Name
stephanie Hire horan
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
I’ve been on both, trying to keep vehicles running on a pov route is a endless task , let alone finding one big enough and affordable to do the job, that being said, a Gov vehichle would be great if they actually came up with one to do the job properly all year long , parts of the country do get snow and need all wheel or 4 wheel drive! I have a metris assigned to my route that I can’t even use because of the weather , now that’s some smart government thinking … I really don’t know who sits and thinks of putting us in these vehicles , they should be fired!!!!They preach safety first , that’s a joke , we can’t even get a decent vehicle to do our jobs in!!! Someone needs to wake up!!! I’m sure most rural Carriers would be happy to have a gov vehicle if it actually suited all out needs !!! Rear wheel drive to deliver in when you live in Northern Indiana is not a option, do these clowns think we drive around all day on clean roads , boxes that are cleared , and beautiful driveways?? We do not , maybe the clowns that come up with brilliant ideas take a metris out on a rural route either during or after a snow storm..
Your Name
Barbara Bennett
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
"For instance, maximum savings weren’t realized because USPS wasn’t implementing conversions in a timely manner, and we determined that some of the future conversions wouldn’t be the most cost-effective. We made a couple recommendations to improve the process, and Postal Service management agreed with both."

Really??? Remove the execution of implementation from Postal Managers. Use an outside organization whose primary job is to implement the job in a cost effective manner with a deadline that is strictly enforced. Get rid of managers who stall in order to not do a "job."

As a rural carrier, purchasing a Mercedes Benz to deliver mail out of in is insane. Whatever the fallout with Grumman was, efforts should be made to reestablish communications with them for a modified LLV. These vehicles are work horses and with a few safety modifications and OSHA upgrades (ie walk in cargo area, etc) these vehicles are the SAFEST AND EASIEST OF ALL CURRENT POSTAL VEHICLES TO PERFORM CURBSIDE DELIVERY!!

UPSP - Wake up and smell the coffee!! You're sitting on a gold mine and don't even realize it!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THIS MATTER.

Your Name
Tamara
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
It is so difficult to find subs if there are ANY pov routes in the office because then all subs are required to have one even if they are not the primary sub on a POV routes. Most people don't want to or can't afford to spend money on a vehicle and conversions and not even know if they can make the 90 days. PLEASE get ALL USPS vehicles.
Your Name
Scott Hottell
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
Especially for rural carriers, 4WD is necessary.

A right side drive SUV is an excellent choice instead of creating a new vehicle.
Your Name
charlie
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
How about oig do an audit on real costs of the metris... Seems that from posts, observations, etc on different platforms that the opinion is these rear wheel drive vans are not satisfactory..bad weather driving, breakdowns, poor gas mileage, etc.... and a personal observation; Chrysler vans are stronger and front wheel drive. Where they even considered?. Actually-were any carriers even consulted?..
Your Name
Chris
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
The writing is on the wall for POV routes. Very few vehicles you can deliver mail out of being produced. Those need heavy modifications, or sky high price tags. Only old-time Regular Carriers making lots of money can afford.

The PO will be unable to hire new employees if they have to provide a vehicle. Its become to expensive, and too hard.
Your Name
Mary
Feb 9, 2022
Your Comment
They really should put vans on all the rural routes. They're bigger than most anything someone can get as a POV, which is important with how many packages are being delivered now, sometimes two and three trips out just to deliver all of them simply because they won't all fit in a POV which not only wastes time AND makes the customer have to wait even longer to get service, but it's even more milage the Post Office has to pay on top of the normal EMA. Also, when you're delivering out in the middle of nowhere, a random, unmarked, regular-looking POV pulling up to a house by itself in the middle of the woods isn't exactly safe. It's a good way to get shot.
Your Name
cg
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
Please provide vehicles
Your Name
Mary J
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
I’ve been delivering by POV for 28 years and prefer to keep it that way. My route is 104 miles, very rural with large hills and gravel roads. We are over an hour away from any large city and don’t have a gas station in the town my office is in. For these reasons I feel a GOV vehicle is impractical. There is no dealership to service one, no gas station to fill it up and no place to park it when not in use. The rear wheel drive nightmares which have been issued to some carriers would never get the job done except on dry summer days without snow and mud. During times of breakdown it would take several hours to deliver a replacement vehicle while I’m waiting along the road for rescue. My POV is maintained to ensure I’m able to work and I know what work has been done unlike a GOV vehicle that floats from place to place with no record to the next driver on maintenance or reliability. This in my opinion is a disaster waiting to happen. The new vans from what I’m told are not reliable and are broke more than in use. If the GOV vehicles are breaking down at record speed what will we deliver in? I’m not keeping a POV as a spare for the Postal Service. If I’m issued a GOV vehicle I will no longer supply my own and it will be someone else’s problem to get me a replacement in times of need.
Your Name
Toni stewart
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
Had a POV for years and the EMA never covered the cost of insurance, repairs and gas. The only bonus was 4wd and a heater. I’ve been LLV for two years on a rural route in the mountains/lakes region of NH. Yea it’s cold but the LLV is so much less stressful and I’d never go back to POV.
Your Name
Misty
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
I really like driving the GOV metris van. I don't have the anxiety worrying about what if my vehicle breaks down and how much will it cost? I do wish they would raise the mail trays a couple of inches. They are too low. They also need more signage on the back to let people know we make frequent stops. These vans look a lot like Fedex vans and a lot of people think we are Fedex and don't realize we are stopping at mailboxes. PLEASE put built in flashing lights on these and BIG logos on the rear so we won't get rear ended. Thanks!
Your Name
Sandy
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
As a rural carrier who had a POV and is now in an LLV my opinion is it is much easier to deliver from the LLV but not nearly as safe as a POV. Rear wheel drive trucks are not meant for the snow and ice we deal with. Would be more cost effective to have a vehicle that would go on all rural rads regardless of the weather
Your Name
Joshua Scariot
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
Being a carrier that has had a POV and a government vehicle route I can say all Rural Routes need to convert to Government vehicles eventually. You need to focus converting routes with majority of CBU and Centralized boxes to maximize your return. These route will have far fewer breakdowns and are usually shorter routes. That will cause your investments to last much longer and require far less repairs. Focus on more condense population centers and then work your way out from there. The last thing you want is to give a route a government vehicle on terrible roads and have to travel those roads a far greater distance. Eat the EMA cost on those routes and save on the others.
Your Name
angel r lane
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
Thanks
Your Name
Rich P
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
I just quit the PO after using my own vehicles for approx 20 years ! Why am I subsidizing the PO by using my own vehicle ? Ppl are using old buicks and driving from the passenger seat !! The PO preaches safety, how is this safe ?? How can the po expect to hire ppl at around $19..0/hr and expect them to provide a vehicle ?? The EMA allowance cannot possibly cover all the expenses to maintain a vehicle especially when its used to deliver the mail !! The PO needs to provide vehicles for all routes and have appropriate vehicles in the various climates !
Your Name
Jennifer
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
We are a small 2 route office hoping to have an aux route added soon. My route is a pov route. The other route is a postal vehicle. With all of the added Amazon parcels we now receive, it's ridiculous to even have pov routes. Our vehicles are not large enough or equipped to handle that many parcels. I make atleast 2 trips daily and sometimes 3. Not only is it the large parcel volume, but finding an rca that is willing to use their own vehicle is getting harder and harder. If all routes had postal vehicles provided, it would be easier to hire/keep rcas. The amount of time and money that I have to put into my vehicles maintanence is getting worse as my vehicle gets older and more worn down.
Your Name
donna pion
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
Living in a rural area I understand the meaning of back country roads. In the summer we are visited by many from urban settings. A good amount of these "folk" won't drive their vehicles on the back roads or if they do, they are off to the nearest hose or car wash, which by the way can be 20 miles away, to clean them. They are also certain that driving on these roads, even at the snail pace they do, has inflicted great damage on their vehicles.
So, when you award a contract to us "local folk" and provide us with a budget line item to use our own vehicles, great care will be taken to ensure that no matter the road conditions, winter, spring, summer or fall, we will maintain them as they are our livelihood. Give us a bright shiny new USPS vehicle, which by the way costs you at least twice, if not three times the amount of what we need to operate the route in our own vehicle, is not practical. This is not to say we will drive faster or fail to recognize the warning lights on the dashboard, or really run it through the ditches of mud season, or run it into a snow bank, it just means it is not ours, it is not our livelihood, if it breaks or needs repair you will supply us with another.
Rural Route Carriers have not chosen this profession to masse great amounts of money. They do it to make a living and serve their local communities. People they know, people they recognize, they keep their eyes out for the elderly and the young and because of their day to day jobs, they spot when something is awry and can either lend a hand or call the police.
USPS needs to make better decisions. As I read the Inspector General Reports I can not help but to think whether those making some of these calls have really thought this through. Many contracting officers rather than admit an error stand on pride. We can all do better and a good place to start is with honesty and the ability to admit our failures.
  
Your Name
donna pion
Feb 8, 2022
Your Comment
My suggestion is that you provide enough of a budget line item to the carriers that they can afford the right vehicle for the job. These vehicles will be maintained by them as it is their livelihood. I believe the net effect of doing so will be an increase in amounts paid to the carriers and a decrease in the amount USPS has to spend trying to do the same.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)