Postal service board of governors authorizes purchase of 5,856 delivery vehicles
The U.S. Postal Service™ Board of Governors today authorized the purchase of 5,856 new carrier route vehicles. The vehicles will replace existing Postal Service-owned right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles used on city routes that will then be redeployed to rural routes.
The purchase will conclude a three-part acquisition plan to provide 15,000 Postal Service-owned RHD vehicles to rural routes, a result of an interest arbitration decision involving the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association. The contract is expected to be awarded next month following a competitive evaluation. Deployment of the RHD vehicles to rural routes is set to occur from August 2007 to September 2008. In addition to fulfilling the interest arbitration decision requirements, these RHD vehicles will improve safety by providing easier access to curb line mailboxes and better maneuverability.
In other business, the governors approved an increase in the price of the Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp from 45-cents to 55-cents, to take effect at the same time as proposed new First-Class Mail rates currently pending before the Postal Regulatory Commission. Semipostal stamps are First-Class Mail postage stamps that are issued and sold by the Postal Service at a price above the First-Class Mail single-piece first-ounce rate to raise funds for designated causes. Since 1998, the Postal Service has raised more than $53 million for breast cancer research through the sale of this semipostal stamp.
Also at today’s meeting, James Miller was reelected chairman and Alan Kessler was reelected vice chairman of the Board. The Board also welcomed Thurgood Marshall, Jr, to his first Board meeting. Marshall was appointed a governor by President Bush on December 15 for a term that expires December 8, 2011.
