US Postal Service Selects AM General For Prototypes Of The Next Generation Of Postal Delivery Vehicles

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Sept. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AM General's designs for advanced postal vehicles have been selected by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as part of the USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Prototype awards.  The awards were in support of the service's plans and need for the replacement of their aging fleet.  AM General will build a series of prototype vehicles for testing by the USPS that seek to provide fuel efficiency and zero emission capability.   

"AM General's advanced postal vehicle is designed to meet the needs of the Postal Service of today and of tomorrow," said Howard Glaser, Executive Vice President for Commercial Business, AM General.  "Our design offers the postal service unmatched innovation and the opportunity for significant savings on costs, maintenance and delivery operations."  

The USPS is experiencing significant changes in delivery operations. Double digit growth in shipping and packaging services is driving new opportunities – and new challenges – for the Postal Service. With the dramatic growth in online shopping and e-commerce, the number of packages delivered by the USPS has grown dramatically from 3.7 billion pieces in 2013 to 4.5 billion in 2015.  The AM General advanced postal vehicle is designed to grow with the new demands in delivery on the postal service and ensure that the USPS can manage the changing mail mix with improvements in safety, efficiency, and reliability – and flexibility in every area.

AM General is combining highly reliable, low maintenance, fuel-saving powertrain options and advanced safety systems into a durable, low operating-cost vehicle.  The series of innovations include:  

• Light weight, fuel efficient vehicle technologies
• Advanced Powertrain with system options
• Substantial emissions decreases with a zero emissions option
• Next generation safety systems that provide safe vehicles for letter carriers  
• Reduced maintenance schedule with less complex repairs yields significant savings
• 20+ Year body durability for long life

The postal award is part of AM General's growing commercial business, which was selected by Mercedes-Benz as its only contract manufacturer in the United States, producing the R-Class vehicle in Mishawaka, Indiana.  Design and development for the postal vehicle will be conducted at AM General's Center for Advanced Automotive Design in Livonia, Michigan.  

The contract award from the Postal Service is part of the USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle program, under which several prototype designs will be designed, built and tested over an 18 month period.   Production requirements and future vehicle replacement award(s) will be determined by the Postal Service after NGDV Prototype testing.

About AM General
AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers worldwide. Through its military business, the company is widely recognized as a world leader in the design, engineering, manufacture and support of Light Tactical Vehicles, having produced and sustained more than 300,000 vehicles in over 60 countries.   AM General has more than five decades of experience meeting the changing needs of the defense and automotive industries, supported by its employees at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, and a strong supplier base that stretches across 43 states. Please see more information about AM General at www.amgeneral.com.

Media Contact: Jeff Adams
Global Communications & Marketing / AM General
Phone: 703-347-2276
E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE AM General

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