Looking for a symbol of how decrepit, combustible, and gridlocked the federal government has become? Consider the U.S. Postal Service’s delivery vehicles.
The busted, old, dangerous contraptions need to be replaced as soon as possible. Yet some environmental and union activists are willing to put that at risk for narrow political objectives.
The average postal vehicle has been on the road for nearly 30 years. Many do not have air conditioning or modern braking systems. Maintenance costs often exceed $10,000 a year, per vehicle. More than 400 have caught on fire in recent years, many through loud explosions. Yet, there is no avenue to recall the vehicles.
So far, somehow, no one has died. That could change if politicians pushed by the activists try to dictate the composition of the new vehicle fleet. Regardless, there are compelling financial and environmental reasons to replace the vehicles as soon as possible.