Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Watch Japanese postal workers celebrate the new year in style]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/watch-japanese-postal-workers-celebrate-the-new-year-in-style/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/watch-japanese-postal-workers-celebrate-the-new-year-in-style/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/watch-japanese-postal-workers-celebrate-the-new-year-in-style/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Japan Postal Scooters video

It would seem mail gets to its destination a little differently in Japan. While the US Postal Service relies on the world's largest fleet of trucks, Japan gets its letters to doorsteps all over the country via an endearing fleet of scooters. Each year, postal workers in Hakata celebrate the new year by taking to the streets en masse. It's a freakish display of small-displacement, two-wheeled insanity, and we absolutely love it. Of course, it's even more fun when set to Wagner's Flight of the Valkyries. You'll need to mute the first video for the full effect.

Check out the display in the video below, but don't blame us if you want to drop everything and pick up a scooter of your very own.

Continue reading Watch Japanese postal workers celebrate the new year in style

Watch Japanese postal workers celebrate the new year in style originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanjapanese postal service scooter videopostal servicescooter videoscootersvideoWed, 06 Feb 2013 20:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20449508/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/06/watch-japanese-postal-workers-celebrate-the-new-year-in-style/20449508/article-detail.xml 20449508 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/japan-postal-scooters-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/japan-postal-scooters-628.jpg <![CDATA[Could the U.S. Postal Service fleet be outfitted like Google Street View?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/20/could-the-u-s-postal-service-fleet-be-outfitted-like-google-str/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/20/could-the-u-s-postal-service-fleet-be-outfitted-like-google-str/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/20/could-the-u-s-postal-service-fleet-be-outfitted-like-google-str/#commentsFiled under: ,

US Postal Service

The U.S. Post Office is having a rough run of things. With expenses increasing at every corner, our nation's mail system is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Needless to say, the institution is currently looking into extra ways to rake in cash that doesn't involve hiking the price of stamps. Michael Ravnitzky, Counsel to the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, has come up with a pretty clever plan that could turn postal vehicles into high-tech havens capable of pulling down information on everything from weather and air pollution to road conditions and public safety.

The premise is simple: slap a cheap set of data recording equipment on the roof of each mail truck and then sell the collected data to interested parties. The trucks could be calibrated to warn of biological or radiological attacks to alert the defense department or simply provide a larger sample group for meteorological study. The post office could even lease space on its vehicles for whatever sort of data collection equipment government agencies or private entities could dream up, and Ravnitzky says that it could even be used to fill in blank spots in cell phone coverage. Of course, the likelihood of this coming to fruition seems pretty slim. After all, this is the federal government we're talking about...

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

Could the U.S. Postal Service fleet be outfitted like Google Street View? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google street viewpostal serviceRavnitzkystreet viewstreetviewus postal serviceMon, 20 Dec 2010 18:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19770329/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/12/20/could-the-u-s-postal-service-fleet-be-outfitted-like-google-str/19770329/article-detail.xml 19770329 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/usps_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/usps.jpg <![CDATA[Chrysler unveils new electric minivan for U.S. Postal Service duty]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/22/chrysler-unveils-new-electric-minivan-for-u-s-postal-service-du/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/22/chrysler-unveils-new-electric-minivan-for-u-s-postal-service-du/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/22/chrysler-unveils-new-electric-minivan-for-u-s-postal-service-du/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Chrysler U.S. Postal Service Minivan - Click above for a high-res gallery

Chrysler is celebrating Earth Day today by unveiling the first four of what will be a fleet of 250 battery powered minivans for the US Postal Service. The U.S.P.S. will be using the vans for variety of duties at locations around the country - including daily home delivery.

The vans themselves are based on the concept Town and Country EV that was unveiled last Fall by Chrysler. However, because of the duty cycle used by the Postal Service - which generally amounts to only about 18-20 miles per day on a fixed route - these vehicles are being built without the range extender seen on the concept. However, the electric drive portion of the vehicles, including the motor, electronics and A123 System lithium ion battery pack is identical. The head of Chrysler's ENVI division Lou Rhodes told Autoblog Green this morning that Chrysler is marketing this battery-only version of the van to commercial fleet customers who typically have a shorter range requirements. The extended-range version will be focused on retail customers.

The initial batch of vehicles include a pair of right- and left-hand drive versions, and the total fleet will include a mix. The Postal Service will be using the vehicles for whatever applications they have in different regions of the country. The intent is to evaluate the usability of electric vans, as well as the interaction between the vehicles and the infrastructure. In addition to the post office, Consolidated Edison (Con Ed), Duke Energy, DTE Energy and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will participate in the test program.


Gallery: Chrysler EV USPS mini-van


[Source: Chrysler]

Chrysler unveils new electric minivan for U.S. Postal Service duty originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chrysler minivanChryslerMinivanConEdDTE EnergyDteEnergyDuke EnergyDukeEnergyElectric Power Research InstituteElectricPowerResearchInstituteENVIEPRILou RhodesLouRhodesPost officepostal servicePostalServicePostOfficeTown and countryTownAndCountryUSPSWed, 22 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1524646/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/04/22/chrysler-unveils-new-electric-minivan-for-u-s-postal-service-du/1524646/article-detail.xml 1524646 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/usps1_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/usps1_opt.jpg -1 2