Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) has sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to address air conditioning concerns in United States Postal Service (USPS) trucks in the Tampa area, especially during the recent heat waves.
The Florida Congresswoman is calling for “modern electric vehicles” to replace the current fleet to “ensure the health and safety of Letter Carriers as climate pollution exacerbates extreme, record-breaking heatwaves.”
With the Inflation Reduction Act footing the bill for new USPS fleets around the country, Rep. Castor is looking to make Tampa a priority with the “climate crisis” in mind.
“The devastating health and economic consequences of the climate crisis continue to grow, and the Tampa Bay region is particularly at risk for extreme heat and worsening air quality on hot, humid days. We need to take swift action and use every tool at our disposal to strengthen communities’ — and workers’ — resilience against such extreme heat and weather events,” wrote Rep. Castor.
She would go on to reference the recent collective bargaining deal that the United Parcel Service (UPS) obtained and stated that all delivery service employees should receive those terms.
“You may be aware of the recent Teamsters-UPS North American contract negotiations where the Teamsters collectively bargained for fair wages, safe working conditions, affordable health care and increased retirement benefits. The tentative agreement would mandate equipping the company’s fleet of vehicles with air conditioning, new heat shields, and additional fans. These terms should be extended to all delivery service employees,” penned Castor.
Moreover, Castor urged the Postmaster General DeJoy to “speed these modern vehicles to the Tampa Bay region.”
“Moreover, USPS must expedite its key role to mitigate greenhouse gas pollution and avoid higher costs driven by the climate crisis. I am pleased that the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included $3 billion to electrify the USPS delivery fleet. This investment will help USPS adopt a modernization plan to roll out 66,000 electric delivery vehicles and tens of thousands of charging stations through 2028, with a target of acquiring only EVs after 2026. USPS has announced its priority to provide carriers and communities with safer, more efficient vehicles that feature air-conditioning and advanced safety technology more suited to modern day operations. I urge you to speed these modern vehicles to the Tampa Bay region,” said Castor.
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed a year ago.
