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All-new USPS truck: future dork…

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After all these years, the post office is finally replacing their mail trucks. And they found someone to finally design something dorkier than the current one. This took years of research and a huge competition with around 15 candidates.
I guess this was the best…
Of course, it adds modern, almost futuristic features like Air Conditioning. Or even an airbag.
But I still think in 2021 we should maybe have something a bit more futuristic? 
Although the giant windshield does give it that modern look somehow. Only to be ruined by the flat short hood that makes the whole thing look like Donald Duck.

No matter what, I will not be convinced that the new truck is better, or remotely as good-looking as what Syd Mead designed 40 years ago for Blade Runner. 
Which by the way, was taking place in 2019.
While the new USPS truck comes out in 2023…

 

Conversation 18 comments

  2. While it is really ugly, it isn't all about aesthetics, but much more about function when it comes to designing a vehicle built for delivering mail. Can you even imagine how great that visibility is looking over that bill, I mean hood. However,I wonder how much that gigantic windshield will cost to replace. Guessing these are EV's?

  3. Easy now. We as taxpayers, and postal customers have no right to beat the postal system up over the design of their new delivery vehicle. The purchase of the most efficient and workable design should be applauded, not criticized. Imagine if they had spent an extra two thousand dollars per unit on deign and esthetics – they would be vilified in the media.

  4. Even for you, that's a lame take. And you have a lot of lame takes.

    I'm surprised you didn't mention there's no full size glass roof.

    Pretty sure, when the rigs currently on the road came out some people had the same response as you.

    Sounds like at least initially, they will be used where needed and they are not a blanket replacement. Electric is the perfect drive mechanism for this situation.

    You want to seem some of the contenders?
    https://www.foxnews.com/auto/new-u-s-postal-service-truck-billion

    AP:
    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Postal Service said Tuesday that it has chosen Oshkosh Defense to build its next-generation mail-delivery vehicle, part of an effort to make the USPS more environmentally friendly by switching a portion of its huge fleet to electric vehicles.

    Oshkosh Defense, a division of Wisconsin-based Osh- kosh Corp., will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of the new Next Generation Delivery Vehicles at its existing U.S. manufacturing facilities.

    The postal service last updated its mail-delivery trucks 30 years ago, and there have been major changes in the service's operations since then. Traditional mail volumes have declined, while the service now delivers millions of packages from online retailers like Amazon that did not exist when the previous mail vehicle was introduced.

    The new vehicles will have more room for packages, and will be updated with modern safety and driveability standards like cameras, airbags and collision avoidance systems.

  5. awful looking design for the mail vehicle, I wonder what the specs were that resulted in this. Why not make it like a "regular van" without the front nose? Look at the FIAT/RAM vans, the new Ford, etc.

    from the driver's side window back, it's almost identical to the current one, seems to be a very short wheelbase with a large rear overhang. Not sure why the rear wheel is exposed, they could have easily covered it.. it's so far inset into the car.

    And I see they still have the huge rubber bumpers, how often are these mail trucks involved in minor fender-benders?

    while the huge windshield does look modern, there will be a LOT of sunlight in the driver's face.. Will definitely need some serious sun shades.

    since this will be a hybrid, why aren't there more solar panels on this to trickle charge the batteries? Pretty much every horizontal service and maybe the top.

  12. that front windshield is huge. Like…motorhome huge.
    – think after each shift is over , the mailman parks the mailtruck in the postal lot overnight, then draws the curtains or blinds closed on the inside of that windshield.
    – Speaking of that windshield, so much glass can be a pain in the butt to keep clean. Or scrape ice off of it in the winter months.
    Summer months in hot States such as Texas, Cali, Arizona….better hope the air conditioner can keep up with the extreme outside hot temperatures…or it will be Schweddy Balls all day long.

  13. USPS could of chose the European Ford Transit van without any modifications for 1/5 the cost and save taxpayers a ton too. Parts would be available at economical prices too. Sad how things turned out!

  14. Did they really need to make it look so bad? Did the RFP include a line that read… "Exterior design needs to achieve a delicate balance that melds together elements of the Popemobile and the vehicular interpretation of Down syndrome."

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