The Postal Service’s new extended capacity vehicles are hitting the road.
USPS held a ribbon cutting at headquarters last week to launch the rollout of more than 9,000 Ram ProMaster 2500 cargo vans, just in time for the peak holiday season.
“This is the first large purchase we’ve made of new vehicles in several years,” said Chief Operating Officer David Williams. “We’re looking forward to employees taking advantage of new technologies that will improve their driving and delivery experiences.”
The 2016 vehicles, which will replace aging minivans, are more fuel efficient and will be used for mail collection, package delivery and “relay” drop-offs.
The left-hand-drive vehicles are taller than current delivery vehicles and contain shelving, allowing employees to work inside.
Drivers will complete a training course to learn how to safely operate the vehicles, which also offer electronic stability control and rear backup cameras.
The cargo van rollout is separate from the Postal Service’s efforts to replace as many as 180,000 LLVs with next generation delivery vehicles.