Post office looks to replace iconic LLV

"FJ80WaitinForaLSV8" (fj80waitinforalsv8) 02/13/2015 at 12:24 • Filed to: None

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The Post Office has issued a request for information on possible replacements for its right had drive Long Life Vehicle (LLV). These trucks are built atop of a Chevy S-10 frame with a custom Aluminum body made by Grumman. After 27 years of service, maintenance costs are getting too high and the shift away from carrying letters to packages is changing the basic requirements for the trucks the Post Office uses. It will be interesting to see what the Post Office selects to replace these iconic trucks. Hopefully its something as rugged and durable as the existing trucks which I have always admired for their simplicity. I now have a strong desire to buy a surplus LLV and hotrod it.

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RustedSprinter > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 02/13/2015 at 16:51

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You know what that means? More mail trucks for sale at govdeals! Lets make a drift team will all mail trucks!

ranwhenparked > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 02/13/2015 at 22:35

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Yeah, I got drawn into a discussion on the FP with a guy that believes $25,000 is an exorbitant price to spend on a custom made delivery truck and that the USPS would be better served by purchasing ordinary Transit Connects/ProMaster Cities/City Expresses, since they could just as easily handle 30 years of continuous commercial use.

Whatever. I'm just as sensitive to the issue of government waste and inefficiency as the next guy, but I really don't think this is that sort of issue. Even private parcel delivery companies (UPS/FedEx) have their vehicles custom built to their own specifications, because this sort of work really does require a specialized vehicle, and the per-unit cost they're talking about seems downright reasonable given what the average new car costs these days coupled with how long these trucks are expected to be in service.

Personally, I think the Mobility Ventures MV-1 from AM General seems like a good basis. It might even let them lower the cost for the civilian and taxi versions by creating more economies of scale.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > ranwhenparked 02/13/2015 at 23:23

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Yeah totally agree with you about the cost. Interesting thought about the MV-1, hadn't thought about that. Could be a good chassis - I believe that's on the old trailblazer chassis? I wouldn't be surprised if they go with something bigger given the emphasis they put on the package delivery priority. I also think Aluminum makes a lot of sense on these vehicle since corrosion is probably one of the most difficult maintenance issues they come up against.

McMike > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 02/14/2015 at 09:42

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These vehicles are so fucking simple. I find it hard to believe that anything they replace it with will be this easy to maintain.

Are they running out of iron dukes?

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > McMike 02/14/2015 at 09:47

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no idea what the part constraint is. Would be cool to talk to a postal fleet maintenance official.