Most economical minivan?

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Oshkosh is getting all the big government contracts it seems.

Do you think the USPS will be the last in the world to get a hybrid or EV delivery vehicle?

Considering that 1/2 of the NGDVs will be electric - I would say no. I would be surprised to see electric vehicle delivering the mail next year on select routes.

A separate USPS topic - what is going on with them! My mail was delivered last night at 11:15 PM! Service has just cratered in the last 6 months and I get my neighbor's mail mixed with mine at least once a week.

[redpoint5]

Oh really, that platform allows for EV, and half of them are going to be electric? That's exciting news. About dang time.

They can probably reduce maintenance workforce if the rigs aren't chewing through brakes regularly.

...I only check mail about once a week. I'm in no hurry to get advertisements.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Oh really, that platform allows for EV, and half of them are going to be electric? That's exciting news. About dang time.

They can probably reduce maintenance workforce if the rigs aren't chewing through brakes regularly.

...I only check mail about once a week. I'm in no hurry to get advertisements.

Yes. Part of the vehicle spec was that the vehicle had to be a flexible platform that allowed gas and electric and gas vehicles would need to be able to be retrofitted to EV at a later date. The gas engine is a 2.0L Ford (No word on which one yet)

Originally the USPS initial order for 50,000 vehicles was 10% EV / 90% gas. That got upped to 20% EV after some pressure from congress and others. The USPS said if congress wanted the Post Office to buy more than 20% EVs they needed to pony up the extra money it would cost. Congress did that in the IRA with $3 billion to the USPS with a requirement that 50% of NGDVs be EV.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Gringo-Gaucho

I'm worried about the JDM factor- since parts acquisition is a mystery.

It doesn't seem to be much of a problem in orther countries where JDM cars and utility vehicles are quite widespread. Not to mention most old Japanese rides oftne have pretty much standardized and interchangeable components. Maybe you could find replacements from other models that suit your van with little to no adaptations.

In our case a 2.2L 3c-t Turbo diesel engine, true four wheel drive (we live remotely on a remote island in Alaska...) AND the 5 speed.

I would be only concerned about some very specific parts of the engine, but it wouldn't scare me away from buying one. AFAIK it resorted to an injection pump which is often reported to be a copy of a Bosch design. At least some naturally-aspirated version of this engine was made until 2004 for the E120 Corolla.

I'm hoping to also do a veggie oil conversion, but the research is not yet begun...

Veggie oil conversions are what sometimes make me still lurk about old IDI Diesels.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by JSH

More like USPS didn't buy 150K caravans because the LLV replacement was supposed to be just around the corner, but then that new vehicle was delayed and the Caravan was discontinued when the USPS got tired of waiting.

USPS finally picked a LLV replacement - the NGDV produced by Oshkosh - with deliveries in 2023

I don't believe Oshkosh will make any meaningful delivery numbers in 2023. I was trying to see if they even started any hiring at the plant and I don't see anything. It was also not previously a manufacturing plant. Then I see they say START production in summer of 2023. That may mean that's when they will hire and start tooling, with actual vans not rolling until long after.

I'm glad they got it and not Workhorse, but I don't expect any replacements here before I retire in 4 years. What could help is if other places do get new vans they could send the old trucks to the areas that haven't gotten new vans. We have more people than trucks here most days.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by JSH

Considering that 1/2 of the NGDVs will be electric - I would say no. I would be surprised to see electric vehicle delivering the mail next year on select routes.

A separate USPS topic - what is going on with them! My mail was delivered last night at 11:15 PM! Service has just cratered in the last 6 months and I get my neighbor's mail mixed with mine at least once a week.

What's happening nationwide is we start at $18.75/hr, no benifits initially, doesn't matter location. So if your local McDonald's has a sign out front saying $18/hr don't expect many new hires to work outside 10-12 hr days for the same money at the Post Office. Down the road in Bozeman Montana, everywhere is starting at at least $18/hr with $20-22 common, zero experience necessary. Our pay is set by 3-4 year long collective bargaining agreements. IMO the union needs to put their foot down, refuse arbitration, and if necessary the workers need another wildcat strike like in the 70s. Used to be we would get 100-200 applications for evert position posted, now we have fewer applications than postings.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Oh really, that platform allows for EV, and half of them are going to be electric? That's exciting news. About dang time.

They can probably reduce maintenance workforce if the rigs aren't chewing through brakes regularly.

...I only check mail about once a week. I'm in no hurry to get advertisements.

If I know how carriers drive they will go right past regen braking to friction braking every single stop. If the BEV trucks have good acceleration they will also use every bit of that available every single start. Even if it's just 100 feet to the next stop. They already go through a set of LT tires every 6000 miles on a truck that weighs under 3000 pounds. I can't wait to see what something weighing 6000 pounds with 3-4 times the power does.

The EV drivetrain should be more reliable and very good at not having the truck just idling for hours and hours while stopped putting mail in boxes.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

If I know how carriers drive they will go right past regen braking to friction braking every single stop.

Grandpa was a letter carrier, so I know braking doesn't occur until a few feet before needing to be stopped. You wear the seatbelt just to stay in the seat of the Crown Vic he drove.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

What's happening nationwide is we start at $18.75/hr, no benifits initially, doesn't matter location. So if your local McDonald's has a sign out front saying $18/hr don't expect many new hires to work outside 10-12 hr days for the same money at the Post Office. Down the road in Bozeman Montana, everywhere is starting at at least $18/hr with $20-22 common, zero experience necessary. Our pay is set by 3-4 year long collective bargaining agreements. IMO the union needs to put their foot down, refuse arbitration, and if necessary the workers need another wildcat strike like in the 70s. Used to be we would get 100-200 applications for evert position posted, now we have fewer applications than postings.

No benefits to start - when do they kick? A quick look at the post office website says you have medical insurance that is almost fully paid for by the USPS, a pension AND the Thrift Savings Plan with 5% match. The benefits likely double the cash salary.

I get it though - people are short-sighted.

We have the same trouble getting assembly line workers starting at $18 to $20 an hour with VERY good benefits. People will take a job that pays $0.25 more per hour and ignore a career position that has great benefits.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by JSH

No benefits to start - when do they kick? A quick look at the post office website says you have medical insurance that is almost fully paid for by the USPS, a pension AND the Thrift Savings Plan with 5% match. The benefits likely double the cash salary.

I get it though - people are short-sighted.

We have the same trouble getting assembly line workers starting at $18 to $20 an hour with VERY good benefits. People will take a job that pays $0.25 more per hour and ignore a career position that has great benefits.

Those are all for career employees. When you first start you are some kind of "assistant" which means no paid vacation, no medical for a year, no TSP, the time you work doesn't count toward tour retirement multiple. This status used to go on for an indefinite time, many were in 3-5 years before converting to career. Now they made it automatic after 2 years but still. That's a long 2 years when everything is run by seniority and there is only a single $.50/hr raise baked in the whole time. Also if an aera is short, those people are forced to work pretty consistently 60 hours and many places deliver 7 days a week.

Edit: I was wrong about the health benifits, the PO will contribute $3250, towards a health plan your first year. That probably changed with the ACA. Your 2nd year it's 65% of whatever plan you choose.