Every day in communities across our nation, more than 246,000 U.S. Postal Service vehicles are powering the world’s largest mailing operation. Whether making deliveries, providing pickup services or simply moving between locations, our drivers work hard to ensure a safe and efficient journey for everyone as we fulfill our mission to serve more than 169 million addresses six and seven days a week.
Our commitment to public safety is part of the fabric of USPS operations. We are a constant in many Americans’ lives, and we value the public’s trust in us to deliver mail and packages reliably, efficiently and safely. That’s why we ensure every postal employee driving a USPS vehicle undergoes a rigorous training program that covers defensive driving techniques, proper vehicle maintenance and adherence to traffic laws.
The USPS national driver training program is central to instilling our culture of safety and accountability in our employees. The program teaches a comprehensive suite of safety protocols, including situational awareness, and trains drivers how to anticipate potential hazards, handle adverse weather conditions, safely navigate busy urban streets and secure their vehicles when they exit.
Our drivers are constantly evaluated, and training is regularly updated to ensure employees meet the highest safety standards. We also highlight safety protocols at critical times of the year, like return to school and the start of winter, to maintain awareness of our commitment to vehicle safety.
We’ve also made huge strides in making our fleet safer for pedestrians and other vehicles, especially with our delivery trucks. Our Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) is equipped with the latest collision-avoidance technologies, visual and audible warning systems, traction control, automatic braking, 360-degree camera views and backup cameras, all to make them among the safest and most secure delivery vehicles in the world.
The NGDV’s distinctive low front hood and oversize windscreen are designed for safety, too, providing our carriers the visibility to see everything in front of them, particularly small children and animals.
Our drivers take their responsibility seriously, and we recognize their stellar safe driving records in partnership with the National Safety Council’s Million Mile Award. This award recognizes drivers who complete 1 million miles of driving or 30 accumulated years driven without preventable incidents — considered the gold standard and highest honor for professional safe driving performance. I’m proud to say that over the years, tens of thousands of postal employees have been awarded this recognition.
Postal Service employees travel more than 1.2 billion miles a year fulfilling our universal service obligation, whether it’s driving a delivery truck, cargo van or tractor-trailer, and they do so safely and responsibly. However, road safety is a two-way street, and we also need other drivers and pedestrians to stay vigilant and practice safe habits when near our vehicles. To emphasize this, this month we are conducting a new safety awareness campaign, Delivering to You, With Safety in View, with great tips for our customers, other drivers and children on how to stay safe.
Too often, accidents happen because people are not paying attention or are in too much of a hurry. Our employees are on the street every day, and we count on your awareness to help prevent collisions and keep everyone safe. Our vehicles are not hard to miss, yet accidents still happen because other drivers fail to slow down and give our trucks the space they need.
Find out more about what you can do at our dedicated Delivering to You, With Safety in View page on www.usps.com or through #USPSVehicleAwareness on your favorite social media site. Please do your part. Traffic accidents are preventable; together, we can make our streets safer.
Linda DeCarlo
Senior Director, Occupational Safety and Health