this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024
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[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 224 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

have air conditioning

have air conditioning

I read the whole article because I had a sneaking suspicion this was probably the biggest (and most important to drivers) upgrade. Although I will be fair and say the ability to walk through the vehicle to get packages instead of having to circle around to the back is pretty fucking sweet as well.

[–] Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip 95 points 3 months ago (2 children)

basically how i see it with delivery trucks, you need a few things.

heated/air vented seats for driver comfort along with AC.

easy access to the back of the truck

as well as room to stand in the truck, because the driver is going to have to constantly get in and out of the driver seat, so being able to get out easier/faster is good.

[–] KingGordon@lemmy.world 54 points 3 months ago (2 children)

And a…. checks notes….. giant FUCKING window.

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 22 points 3 months ago (1 children)

High visibility is probably a good idea for a vehicle designed for residential deliveries.

[–] KingGordon@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago

Yes. It looks like it was designed to have great visibility of kids in front, unlike most pickups and other trucks today.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 9 points 3 months ago (2 children)
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[–] BigDaddySlim@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago

Yes, I'm 6ft and have to hunch over in the back of the LLV, or squat down while re-sorting packages. The inner compartment door is one of the best things about the LLV since the heaters suck and it helps keep the heat in the cabin, plus the ease of access.

I haven't gotten to use one of these new trucks because I'm in a smaller office which will likely be one of the last to get them but they did try and get us the newer Metris vans which are horrible. No inner compartment door so you have to constantly get out and no adjustability to the mail tray.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 122 points 3 months ago (5 children)

EVs for service vehicles that do a lot of local starts and stops is a no-brainer. Should have been done a long time ago. It's no wonder that they're getting good reception, after years of working with worn out equipment. I regularly see tow trucks with a Grumman.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 84 points 3 months ago (7 children)

Trump’s guy Louis deJoy did his damndest to prevent USPS from adopting EVs.

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[–] pufferfisherpowder@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago (5 children)

There's a bunch of electric garbage trucks in my city. My kid is obsessed with any heavy machinery these days so we were watching one and I got to talking to the driver. He told me that he absolutely loves them. They are easy to operate, they accelerate fast, they seem to break down less.
I have seen them accelerate, they go hard. And it's just so fucking cool to have a big dump truck be silent?! I cannot get over how happy it makes me that they're just chilling silently when they're stopped. Makes my mornings more peaceful.

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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 15 points 3 months ago

They and transit buses should have been the driver (heh) for hybrids at least.

[–] mercano@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The last Grumman LLV rolled off the assembly line 30 years ago, and has been probably been driven six days a week, except federal holidays, ever since. I’m not surprised they’re on their last legs.

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[–] Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win 68 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (4 children)

This article does that annoying thing where it uses ~~acronyms~~ Initialisms without previously using the full verbiage at least once.

BEV - Battery-Electric Vehicle

NGDV - Next Generation Delivery Vehicle

LLV - Long Life Vehicle

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 26 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Initialisms, technically. But thank you nevertheless.

[–] Glemek@lemmy.world 18 points 3 months ago

TIL about initialisms, which are like acronyms but when you pronounce the initial letters individually instead of like a spelled out word. DVD being an initialism, versus SCUBA being an acronym.

[–] bronxasaur@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Eh, BEV could go either way

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[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 65 points 3 months ago

My dogs know the sound of Mailman Mike's truck when it's a couple blocks away. They go outside to get a treat from him every day when he drives by. I'm guessing they won't do this once he switches to a quiet EV.

Electric motors gave a quiet high pitched whine that will be extremely easy for dogs to hear and will the mailman is coming once they catch on.

So glad to see the upgrade actually has quality of life features for the drivers beyond not needing to breathe in exhaust fumes all day!

[–] MisterFrog@lemmy.world 53 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Hey American modern pick up truck heads. Notice how normal the bonnet is? Notice how you can SEE enough to not run people over? This is a true utility vehicle. Look how massive this bad boy is without being a death machine 👍

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 12 points 3 months ago (1 children)

but it doesn't have enough sharp edges i feel like. what if i want to slice a kid in half?

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[–] ShareMySims@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 months ago

It's also absolutely adorable 😂

(which is probably why they'd hate it 🙄)

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[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 49 points 3 months ago

Omg, I love them.

And if that is not a Trucky McTruckyface I dont know what is.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 36 points 3 months ago (7 children)

"The BEV variant has an estimated range of 70 mi (110 km) and a computed consumption of 1.34 kW⋅h/mi (25.2 mpg‑e). Although using the air conditioner was not expected to affect the range, using the heater was expected to reduce range by up to half. Based on the typical distance driven, it was assumed that only 20% of the battery state of charge would be used each day for most NGDVs; analysis of USPS mail carrier routes demonstrated the all-electric variant's range could accommodate 95% of all routes."

have to go elsewhere for vehicle specs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshkosh_NGDV?wprov=sfla1

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[–] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

100 in 2024 is not a big launch. That is 3 second egg soft type of soft launch.

[–] silence7@slrpnk.net 37 points 3 months ago

It's not as fast as I'd like either, but it's a lot better than the original USPS plan to replace them with diesel trucks.

[–] Origen@lemmy.world 24 points 3 months ago (4 children)

I'm not against the swap to EV but that is one Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs looking ass truck.

[–] TheHotze@lemmy.world 29 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The unusual look is to make it easier to see around the front of the vehicle, which is especially important if you are stopping and starting.

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 17 points 3 months ago (2 children)

The original design didn't have a hood and looked a but more like a mini bus. Can't remember why they added the hood, but it was a combination of different things including not having a flat front that increases the chance of killing people vs letting them roll up on a short hood. I think wheel placement was another part so the side door to get in an out could be closer to the ground.

I kinda love how ugly they are in a utilitarian kind of way.

[–] Badabinski@kbin.earth 13 points 3 months ago

Ditto. Like, I think it'll become iconic in the same way the LLV is ugly-iconic. I just like it when government stuff so obviously prioritizes function over form.

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[–] vanontom@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (5 children)

The first batch is possibly arriving in one city. (Pics or it didn't happen, of course. AP delivers!) Well, that's nice... at least they actually exist?! (That's a bit of a low bar.) But congrats to the first drivers of these little ducks.

I'm worried it's going to take another decade or three for the trucks to actually arrive in the numbers needed. Hopefully the USPS can survive our deplorable politics until then. They are invaluable for small businesses and keeping all mail couriers competitive.

[–] secret300@lemmy.sdf.org 17 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Do they love them because they're electric or because they finally got a new truck?

[–] BambiDiego@lemmy.world 28 points 3 months ago (6 children)

Because they have Air Conditioning.

The thing they should have had for the last 40 years. With record breaking heat year after year it should be hazard pay without ac

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[–] blindbunny@lemmy.ml 17 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I love it they look like ducks 🦆

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[–] cybervseas@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

They look pretty cool, too! I hope our mail carrier gets one soon. They've given her a van for now since I guess the old Grumman one she was using finally conked out.

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