Far greater efficiency, smooth and quiet operation, zero tailpipe emissions, and greatly reduced maintenance are just a few of the benefits provided by electric vehicles. These are tremendous advantages for everyday motorists, but they can be especially valuable to cost-conscious fleet operators. This is part of the reason why the United States Postal Service opted to switch to all-electric delivery vehicles from the positively ancient design currently in service, though this move is now under threat.
Just Get Rid Of ‘Em!
According to a story from CBS, more than 7,200 of these highly functional but awkward-looking vehicles, with their comically tall bodies and gargantuan windshields, have been delivered to the USPS. And these machines are a staggering upgrade over the Grumman LLVs that have been in service since the 1970s, offering far, Far, FAR greater safety and, just as importantly, vastly more comfort for hard-working letter carriers.
Unfortunately, though, there is a big problem, specifically a provision in the budget bill Republicans are currently trying to ram through congress. A portion of the legislation would force the mail-delivery service “to sell off the brand new trucks and cancel or significantly amend the contract for the remaining 58,800 that are due to be delivered over the next 10 years.”
Reportedly, in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs section of the bill, the USPS will be required to sell off all its EVs and related infrastructure. This money would then be deposited in the U.S. Treasury’s general fund. This controversial move is designed to “cut unnecessary costs and focus [the] USPS on delivering mail and not achieving the environmental initiatives pushed by the Biden Administration,” quite a loaded statement from this highly partisan bill, but not a surprising one.
Byrd’s The Word
Going forward, it’s unclear if this EV-killing provision in the upcoming budget bill will clear all necessary huddles. Thanks to reconciliation requirements, particularly the so-called Byrd Rule, every aspect of this proposal “must have a budgetary impact,” CBS notes. If that IS the case, then the whole legislation can pass by a simple Senate majority before being sent back to the House of Representatives. If the wording is not compliant with the Byrd Rule, at least 60 senators would have to vote to approve the bill.
So far, it sounds like Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, has found that the USPS EV issue does in fact violate the Byrd Rule. Reportedly, this provision would therefore have to be reworked or stripped from the legislation.
TopSpeed’s Take
This move to nix the postal service’s electric delivery vehicles brings up so many questions – who would buy these vehicles that were designed and built for an extremely specific job? How much money would be lost on each vehicle? What would happen to the EV chargers and wiring installed at depots or USPS locations? Are they just going to rip everything out of the ground? What are letter carriers supposed to drive if the federal government eliminates these electric vehicles? Unfortunately, this move does not seem like an example of better government; rather, it comes across as pure spite.
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