Ya know, if FedEx and UPS vans went hybrid

[Taverner]

They could save a hell of a lot of money.

Thing is, hybrids get the best mileage when the start and stop a lot. When I commuted in some serious stop and go traffic, I would get around 60mpg on average with my Prius.

Now take the start/stop of the FedEx vans - they practically mimic stop and go traffic with their deliveries. Also keep in mind that going from full stop to moving is the biggest waste of gas in an internal combustion engine, but that's where a hybrid saves gas too...since it does it by the electric motor at that point.

So if anyone here is an exec at FedEx or UPS, feel free to use my idea and get promoted to COO or CEO.

[Odin2005]

1. You would have to get Big Auto to make hybrid mail trucks.

Good luck with that.

[Sherman A1]

3. Exactly

I am still hoping to see a hybrid pickup truck, but don't see much on the horizon.

[Taverner]

4. There is a company out there who makes conversion kits

And I assume Toyota will make one and lease it back to the US auto companies.

Sure, they'll do it kicking and screaming as it will hurt their stock in the Big Oil companies, whose boards they also sit on...

But the market is the market...and obeys no ethics, laws or ideologies...

[sandnsea]

Sacramento Fedex already uses them

This was in 2004:

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), has placed into service the first of its new, low-emission, hybrid electric powered delivery vehicles in concert with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Environmental Defense and Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN).


http://www.environmentaldefense.org/pressrelease.cfm?ContentID=3620

[Taverner]

7. We have a model to buy then!

[Rosemary2205]

2. Is there such a thing as a hybrid diesel?

I'm assuming the UPS trucks are diesel - am I wrong?

[DemocraticBassPlayer]

9. My wife is a Sales Executive for FedEx

and she has stated that this is a current topic at all levels within the company

[Taverner]

19. eeeeeeeeeeexcellent!

[Alacrat]

5. The USPS should be the leader in this movement

If they would spec out a hybrid vehicle, put it out for competitive bid, hold competitions, like the military does when asking for a new plane design. There would be a hybrid delivery truck developed quick. Imagine the money a company could make, selling the USPS every mail truck in their fleet. The USPS could use the money they spend sponsoring athletes, and other things, to pay for it. I have always wondered why does the postal service advertise, and sponsor things for advertisement purposes? They only have competition with larger packages, and pretty much have a monopoly on basic mail delivery. They could sure use the money they would save on fuel, they lose money every year.

[Taverner]

6. Sponsoring athletes costs nothing

And they are a corporation, somewhat independant of the Fed Govt, even though they are part of it.

But this could be seen as an investment....

[soothsayer]

10. The hell it doesn't! They paid a fortune to sponsor the olympics,

and the tour de france (back when they did). They selected the tour because it was one of the longest events, and allowed the execs to vacation in france for two weeks every year, i kid you not. Anyway, the new pmg got rif of that.

[soothsayer]

11. The USPS uses some natural gas vehicles if I'm not mistaken

[Rosemary2205]

14. USPS is getting rid of their vehicles and delivery staff

it's being outsourced to independent contractors who either use their own vehicle or pay USPS for a mail truck - one route at a time.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

8. And if they mated they would be..

Fed ups?

[ms liberty]

12. mr liberty is a courier for FedExExpress...

we've discussed this, and he says that he's heard they're working on it.

Delivery trucks are all diesels right now, the newer trucks are cleaner diesels, and they do get better mileage than gasoline.

[underpants]

13. Actually UPS is going green

they have about 15 or so trucks already that run on natural gas or are hybrid I forget which one.

BTW- UPS has a nasty nasty PAC going that funnels almost all their money to Republicans. Employees are basically forced to contribute to it-UPS matches with contribution to a charity

[Logiola]

15. a lot of taxis in my city

are now hybrid... i was speaking to one cab driver and he said it was saving them up to 60 bucks a day.. only draw back, they are prius and the trunk space is smaller then the old boats.. so lots of times at airports they have to refuse rides to groups of people with lots of luggage.. but it is fun to see them on the road. Another thing is Smart cars, they are everywhere now.. it was funny, the only one i saw in New york a few weeks ago.. was in MOMA, as an exhibit.. Smart Cars get 80 miles per gallon

[Telly Savalas]

20. I don't think they're selling Smart Cars in the U.S. yet.

I thought I read in the paper that they were going to start in the near future, though. (My memory is pretty shaky though, so you might have to Google to confirm this.)

Cool cars, though. I'd really be drooling over them if I didn't have a 4 year old kid.

[tsuki]

16. Those are being used in cities. I'm going to ask our UPS

driver about the PAC.

[SoCalDem]

17. or if they merged? FedUP or F-UP

:rofl:

[Rockstone]

18. I have a resource saving idea called "Clean to Me"

Now don't laugh...

The idea is that if everyone took their underwear and turned it inside out and got an extra day's wear out of it, there would be a tremendous amount of energy saved on laundry. And you're getting a clean side towards your skin, thus the name "Clean to Me".

My kids both liked the idea.