USPS Adds Another 3,000 Ram ProMaster Vans

Photo courtesy of USPS.

FCA has started delivering another 3,339 Ram ProMaster cargo vans to the U.S. Postal Service in a second order that follows a 9,113-vehicle order last year.

The USPS awarded the contract to FCA on March 24, and the vehicles will be delivered by the end of November, said Ralph Kisiel, an FCA spokesman. In all, FCA will deliver 12,472 vans, mostly 2016 model year and some 2017 model year vans.

The USPS has been adding ProMaster vans set up with a Ranger Design rack system to replacing aging vehicles as it continues its development of a next-generation delivery vehicle to replace its Long Life Vehicles.

The USPS is purchasing ProMaster 2500 vans powered by a gasoline 3.6L Pentastar V-6 engine that produces 280 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The front-wheel drive van is available in more than 14 configurations.

The USPS now operates a fleet of about 215,000 vehicles, of which 163,000 are LLVs.

Related: USPS Should Use Mass-Market Vehicles, Report Says

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ABF Freight Proudly Celebrates National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

Medium-Duty Orders Rebound in August

Photo of Isuzu N-Series cabover by Paul Clinton.

Orders of medium-duty vehicles in Classes 5 to 7 increased 10% to 16,900 in August and rebounded to a three-month high, according to ACT Research.

The move higher was not suprising, as early summer months typically show a softening of truck ordering. However, the trend is showing that medium-duty vehicle demand "has moderated," said Kenny Vieth, ACT's president and senior analyst.

"Despite rising 10% from July, orders failed to reach year-ago levels for a third time in the past four months, dropping 5% from year-ago August," Vieth said.

Despite slower orders in recent months, Classes 5-7 net orders are running 3% ahead of year-ago order levels through August. Year-to-date, Classes 5-7 net orders have been booked at an annualized rate just over 231,000 units, Vieth said.

Related: Medium-Duty Orders 'Steady As She Goes' in July

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SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Shareholders of Echo Global Logistics, Inc. – ECHO

On purpose-driven work and trucking

There's no doubt you've heard in some shape or fashion about the book The Purpose-Driven Life, which to date has sold over 40 million copies and is touted as a touchstone by a wide range of folks, such as Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

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