U.S. Postal Service ICE/EV environmental review vs FAA/EPA of Tesla Starbase

[firsttruck]

Amazing how little time and low quality the U.S. Postal Service ICE/EV environmental review for the future 10-30 years was that supposedly justified buying primarily unusually low efficiency ( 9 mpg !!) ICE vehicles. U.S. Postal Service ICE/EV environmental review was also for usage nationwide while FAA/EPA overview of Tesla Starbase/Starship is only for a single location in a remote semi desolate (not old growth forest with owls & snakes) location.

By May 31, the U.S. FAA/EPA will have spent over a year reviewing Tesla's application for a single location?

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FAA delays environmental review of SpaceX's Starship yet another month, to May 31.
The agency published a draft PEA in September 2021.
The FAA has repeatedly pushed back the estimated release date of the final report.
By Mike Wall
2022 April 29
https://www.space.com/faa-spacex-starship-review-delayed-may-31

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Govt watchdog, GAO faults Postal Service analysis of new trucks.
Postal Service analysis used to justify a mix of gas and electric vehicles overstated maintenance costs of electric vehicles and relied on gas prices that don’t reflect current price spikes. Postal Service also failed to account for lower gas mileage of gas-powered vehicles while using air-conditioning or place a premium on electric vehicles’ reduction of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
By DAVID SHARP and MATTHEW DALY
April 5, 2022
https://apnews.com/article/technolo...-environment-559e01de44123d779a69e277609f231d

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Postal Service Sued By UAW (labor union), Green Groups Over Failure To Move To EVs
The goal is to block the USPS from purchasing an excessive amount of gas-powered delivery trucks.
Apr 29, 2022
By: Steven Loveday
https://insideevs.com/news/582836/uaw-environmental-groups-sue-postal-service-gas-trucks/

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Attorneys general of California, New York, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the City of New York and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, filing lawsuit.

Date of California Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit Against Postal Service for Faulty Environmental Review Used to Justify Purchase of New Gas-Powered Vehicle Fleet
April 27, 2022
https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-relea...t-against-postal-service-faulty-environmental

New York State Attorney General James Sues U.S. Postal Service For Failing to Consider Environmental Impact of New Trucks.
USPS Used Faulty Environmental Analysis to Justify Purchase of New Gas-Powered Vehicle Fleet.
April 28th 2022
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/202...postal-service-failing-consider-environmental

Connecticut State Attorney General Tong Sues Postal Service for Flawed Environmental Review Used to Justify Purchase of Massive Fossil Fuel-Powered Vehicle Fleet
April 28th 2022
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Press-Rele...ses/Attorney-General-Tong-Sues-Postal-Service

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[Newton]

postal trucks are like literally the perfect use case for a small ev.
its really sad to see them using old nasty engines that dont have to be emission tested.
the other dumb thing is, they would probably save money in the long run if they switched to ev's.

 

[firsttruck]

postal trucks are like literally the perfect use case for a small ev.

Yup, local postal trucks are the ultimate perfect EV use case. Almost 100% stop & go.

its really sad to see them using old nasty engines that dont have to be emission tested.
the other dumb thing is, they would probably save money in the long run if they switched to ev's.

Not just the long run, With the high gas usage of the ICE postal truck, the EV truck should be less expensive in even 3 years.

What about the health of the postal truck driver who is constantly around the polluting truck! Reduced health care costs alone could pay for EV's slight higher initial price.

 

[Newton]

Yup, local postal trucks are the ultimate perfect EV use case. Almost 100% stop & go.




Not just the long run, With the high gas usage of the ICE postal truck, the EV truck should be less expensive in even 3 years.

What about the health of the postal truck driver who is constantly around the polluting truck! Reduced health care costs alone could pay for EV's slight higher initial price.

for sure, my mother is a postal worker, they have had mutliple people complaining of feeling light headed in some trucks. She even bought a co2 meter to keep on her.
a couple trucks had leaking exhausts, and guess what the management says: its fine just keep working.

this is in CA imagine in places where it snows and rains alot

edit to add... this was of course fixed but it took about a month or 2

 

[Sirfun]

postal trucks are like literally the perfect use case for a small ev.
its really sad to see them using old nasty engines that dont have to be emission tested.
the other dumb thing is, they would probably save money in the long run if they switched to ev's.

Probably? EV vs. a 9mpg vehicle over minimum 10 years. Plus maintenance!!!!!

I guess you were trying to be gentle on the US postal service.

 

[Tinker71]

If any body is wonder why Biden can't fire Dejoy.

Why can't Biden replace the post master general

 

[Newton]

Probably? EV vs. a 9mpg vehicle over minimum 10 years. Plus maintenance!!!!!

I guess you were trying to be gentle on the US postal service.

lol, i say probably because I have no info on their costs, or how, who when, etc. costs of a transition would be. Sadly there isnt tons of little ev vans running around to compare with either.

 

[SparkChaser]

If the republicans suffered any consequences for breaking norms, then I would agree but today it seems that there would really be no down side.
Biden needs to do it today , before the midterms where he is likely to lose the house and possibly the senate

 

[firsttruck]

lol, i say probably because I have no info on their costs, or how, who when, etc. costs of a transition would be. Sadly there isnt tons of little ev vans running around to compare with either.

The ICE vans they are supposedly buying didn't exist before either.

After using labor union support to get the contract, the company now plans to make a new factory in the state of South Carolina & use non-union labor.

 

[Crissa]

lol, i say probably because I have no info on their costs, or how, who when, etc. costs of a transition would be. Sadly there isnt tons of little ev vans running around to compare with either.

They mostly use 'the vehicle' which is less capable than a Leaf, so I have no idea what the holdup is. They're about as safe and fast as an NEV, even, it's a really expensive piece of crap they should have replaced thirty years ago.

In other words, they don't even use a vehicle that would count as a van now, so...

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

for sure, my mother is a postal worker, they have had mutliple people complaining of feeling light headed in some trucks. She even bought a co2 meter to keep on her.
a couple trucks had leaking exhausts, and guess what the management says: its fine just keep working.

this is in CA imagine in places where it snows and rains alot

Yep.

My wife worked a rural route in and for years she drove a Saturn which we bought for that purpose. She got ~25 MPG on her ~90 mile route.

Post Office forced her into one of those death-mobiles. No air conditioning in 100+ degree heat, no music, all in a metal box which didn’t have to meet any modern safety standards.

The worst part is upkeep and fuel on those death mobiles was more expensive then they were paying her to drive her Saturn wagon. I think they figured they needed to keep their maintenance crew busy or something.

 

[Crissa]

They're required by law to use American-made equipment to an intensely insane degree.

They have a short list of approved retailers for shoes, even.

-Crissa

 

[SparkChaser]

I believe that buying US made is more important than ever. Looking at the failure of supply lines.

 

[Crissa]

I believe that buying US made is more important than ever. Looking at the failure of supply lines.

The trick is buying US made without enshrining a supplier that doesn't have competition to keep them honest.

-Crissa

 

[SparkChaser]

I am not sure but I doubt there is anything made in the US that does not have an outsourced alternative. I am all for competition, but measuring the competition on a level playing ground is very important.