Postal Service Seeks Vehicle Lease Bids

[kscarbel]

Transport Topics / September 11, 2013

The U.S. Postal Service is soliciting bids for a national contract to lease delivery vehicles for its fleet, a departure from the agency’s practice.

In a solicitation notice, the agency said it is interested in leases for minivans, cargo vans and high-roof cargo vans. The vehicles would be used in the carrier delivery operations, the notice said.

The postal service named several potential vehicles for the program, including Chevrolet’s Express and forthcoming City Express, Ford E-Series and Transit, the Freightliner/Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the Ram ProMaster and Ford Transit.

The vehicles will be leased for a maximum of three years and must be complaint with the federal Energy Policy Act of 2008. A lease-to-own agreement will apply to some of the vehicles, USPS said. It added that vehicles in service longer than 90 days must be white to match those in its official fleet.

While the agency acknowledged that it currently has a “limited need for these types of vehicles,” it anticipates that it will need to add lease vehicles with longer lease terms as its fleet ages. It also acknowledged that its financial struggles are contributing to the interest in leasing.

“Presently, there are not sufficient capital funds to purchase new equipment,” the agency said in the notice. The postal service has seen it revenues fall due to declining mail volume. Further, financial obligations to retirees have weighed heavily on its bottom line.

[hatcity]

FINALLY!!! They are trying to cut costs after how many years of loss-and how many$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I'd run to the bank to make sure the check clears

[Green Dash]

If they would've held on to those MB-600's like I told them to we'd still be paying 10 cents for stamps, but noooooo.....