Carper Statement on USPS Announcement to Invest Billions to Electrify Vehicle Fleet

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and Senior Democrat on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC), today issued the below statement following the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced plans to purchase 66,000 electric vehicles for its fleet, and commit to stop purchasing gasoline powered vehicles by the year 2026:

“Nearly two years ago, USPS announced that just 10 percent of their new delivery fleet would be electric vehicles. In the time since that announcement, I have repeatedly called for the Postal Service to do more with the opportunity in front of them. By transitioning our aging fleet to electrified vehicles, we can reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and save taxpayer dollars in the long run. There is a clear reason why so many private competitors are electrifying their fleets—it is good for business and is the smart choice for the future,” said Carper. “While today’s announcement represents real progress, I’m still not ready yet to call this job finished. We must keep up the pressure until 100 percent of USPS’s delivery fleet runs on clean energy. I will continue to closely monitor the commitments from the Postal Service to ensure it does what is right for the American people and our planet.”

For over a year, Senator Carper has engaged with USPS and the Biden Administration on the need for the Postal Service to electrify their delivery fleet. Carper’s efforts include:

1.    On Earth Day in 2021, Carper pressed USPS nominees in a confirmation hearing on advancing a cleaner fleet of postal vehicles.

2.    In February of 2022, Carper sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy calling on the Postal Service to adopt a cleaner, more sustainable fleet for its next generation of delivery vehicles. 

3.    In March of 2022, Carper and Senator Merkley (D-Ore.) led 17 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to USPS Postmaster General DeJoy pressing USPS to explain its financial analysis behind its plan to acquire a new delivery fleet comprised of predominantly gas-powered vehicles.  

4.    In November of 2022, Carper and Senator Markey (D-Mass.) led nine of their Senate colleagues in a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and USPS Board of Governors Chair Roman Martinez calling for USPS to ramp up efforts to electrify its mail delivery fleet.

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