There has been plenty of bad news recently concerning the woes of the United States Postal Service. The long-serving government agency has continued to operate despite substantial financial problems and tough competition.
Although some pundits say that the situation the USPS is in is simply hopeless, others suggest that the agency needs to embrace cutting edge technology to stay alive. Among the suggestions is for the agency to adopt more hybrids.
According to Volvo Dealerships Flemington, the USPS currently operates the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world, with an estimated 218,684 vehicles. According to the USPS, that massive fleet has caused a tremendous financial burden, as it burns hundreds of millions of gallons of fuel each year. In 2009 alone, the USPS consumed 444 million gallons of fuel at staggering cost of $1.8 billion.
A recent report suggests that making the switch to hybrids or plug-in vehicles could save millions of dollars each year without the need to sacrifice routes and service.
The USPS is of course no stranger to hybrid vehicles, as it already has 6,500 hybrids in its fleet as of 2009. And, these vehicles won’t necessarily make the delivery of mail any faster. Nevertheless, a more robust electrification strategy could help the USPS save itself before it’s too late.