You May Be Able to Buy a USPS Mail Truck, But Should You?
As the United States Postal Service works to phase out its old mail truck in favor of the Oshkosh NGDV, some auto enthusiasts may be wondering if you can buy an old mail truck. Well, the answer to that is a bit complicated, yes, you can buy a Grumman LLV, but it is not as simple as going to a dealership. You will likely need to hunt one down at a government auction, and although you can buy this old USPS mail truck, should you?
The Grumman LLV occasionally comes up for auction
While buying an LLV mail truck is not as easy as going to a dealership, it is possible. Sometimes, USPS mail trucks pop up at federal auctions, making it possible for regular citizens to purchase them. There are also Grumman LLV models out there that never entered service with the postal service that come up for sale, as seen in this video by Regular Car Reviews.
Buying a Grumman LLV may get you some attention at cars and coffee, but it is important to remember that this vehicle was built solely to handle the delivery needs of the United States Postal Service. And that is certainly reflected at nearly every level of this mail truck.
Is the Grumman LLV mail truck comfortable to drive?
Simply put, the LLV is not a comfortable vehicle. It lacks things like air conditioning and safety features, plus its heater is not the best. Because of this, driving the LLV is a bit of a chore, and it makes sense why the postal service is working to replace this aging vehicle.
Another issue with this vehicle is its transmission. The Grumman LLV utilizes a three-speed automatic transmission to help driving at low speeds. When it comes to driving at normal speeds, the LLV could benefit from different transmission gearing. But then again, this truck was not designed to be a highway cruiser.
Is the Grumman LLV being discontinued?
After decades of service, the Grumman LLV will soon be replaced by the Oshkosh NGDV. The LLV went into production in 1987, and according to Car and Driver, the last one was purchased in 1994. Because of this, the LLV is quite the aging vehicle and for an agency like the USPS, it is important to have a reliable mail truck.
Additionally, the new mail truck should be slightly more efficient than the outgoing model. This is made especially true for NGDV models that come outfitted with the electric powertrain. Oshkosh has stated that its new mail truck can come equipped as an EV. Although it is worth noting that the majority of NGDV models currently on order utilize a combustion engine.
Hopefully moving forward, we see more EV mail trucks ordered. Not only would this help to meet an executive order to make government fleets zero-emission, but EVs are just plain cool. For now, USPS has bumped its EV order slightly, but the number currently sits around 10,000. That said, the postal service has well over 100,000 Grumman LLV models that need to be replaced, so that could change.
