New Postal Van

For John, BLUF:  The new US Post Office delivery vehicle is a radically different design.  With a very low front end and a hugh windshield, it looks like something from a different world.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Why the New USPS Mail Truck Looks So Strange

Here is the sub-headline:

Design constraints from USPS forced Oshkosh to come up with one seriously funky final product.

From Road and Track, by Reporter Brian Silvestro, 24 February 2021.

Here is the lede plus two:

The USPS revealed Tuesday it has contracted Oshkosh Defense, a military vehicle manufacturer, to build its next delivery truck.  Dubbed the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV), it's a welcome replacement for the current fleet of Grumman LLVs, some of which have been in service for over 30 years.  Still, one question lingers:  Why does it look so strange?

The answer, as you've probably already guessed, comes down to mandatory design restrictions.   The USPS has a long list of requirements for the new delivery truck that forced Oshkosh to make it look like a misshapen shoe.  Nir Kahn, design director for custom carmaker Plasan, was involved with one of the early proposals for the new USPS truck, and shared his insights on Twitter:

Nir Kahn
@Nir_Kahn
I was involved in an early proposal for the USPS truck so I know the requirements well.  They pretty much dictated the proportions - this package sketch shows that to meet the ergonomic and size requirements, there wasn’t much freedom 1/2 #USPS

It looks "different" but if it does the job, with safety, it is perfect.

An additional thought.  The US Post Office seems to be going through a rough patch right now.  Things we have sent out have been delayed.  We now worry about bill payments arriving in a timely manner.  I recently sent something to Texas overnight and was told that it could take a couple of days for delivery.  That said, our Postal Workers here in Lowell continue to be helpful and cheerful, and even if it is late in the afternoon, the mail arrives at our home.  So, kudos to those who wear the Mail Carrier uniform.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff