USPS Should Go Electric
The much-beleaguered U.S. Postal Service has a rare chance to show leadership now if it can seize the moment.
This past week, the USPS Office of the Inspector General came out with a report saying the postal service could save as much as $342 million a year if it would replace some of its vehicles instead of continuing to repair them when they break down. To read the report, click here http://www.uspsoig.gov/foia_files/DA-AR-10-005.PDF
Anything the postal service can do to save a few bucks is good.
But more than that, the USPS could make history and help move the nation away from fossil fuels if it follows the advice offered by Postal Regulatory Commission Chair Ruth Goldway about a year and a half ago:
Her advice was to start converting the USPS delivery fleet to electric-powered vehicles. To check out her thoughts, click here: http://bigfatmarketingblog.com/2009/02/11/juicing-up-mail-deliveries/
Given the oil slick disaster in the Gulf of Mexico–which gets worse every day—and repeated cries to get off fossil fuels, the postal service could use this OIG report s an impetus to start phasing in electric vehicles.
Electric-powered vehicles might be just perfect for the USPS, many of whose vehicles don’t necessarily have to travel long distances. That one of the criticisms you often hear about electric cars.
And if a huge government operation like the USPS tries out electric vehicles this could give new legitimacy to wider societal adoption–to say nothing of a huge contract or two for some companies.
Of course, oil companies aren’t likely to be on the defensive for long and the USPS can expect mucho resistance to this idea.
But you gotta start somewhere and the postal service might be just the place to begin.
Why the hell not?
