Project Title: Vehicle Shuttling – Northeast Area
Start Date: Monday, August 31, 2015
Estimated Report Release Date: February 2016

The Postal Service spent nearly $34 million in fiscal year 2014 to move its vehicles from one location to another for maintenance, repair, or transfer. Local Vehicle Maintenance Facility (VMF) management determines when contractors or postal employees must shuttle vehicles.

In 2005, the Postal Service awarded a vehicle maintenance repair agreement to the United States Auto Club (USAC) for vehicle shuttling service. Under the contract the USAC shuttles vehicles weighing less than 1 ton, such as jeeps, long-life vehicles, and minivans. It uses tow trucks to shuttle multiple vehicles from their assigned location to the servicing VMF for maintenance or repair. The shuttle service includes both short and long distance vehicle movement based on vehicle maintenance schedules and availability.

Although the USAC provides the necessary shuttle service, VMF managers do not have to use USAC for this purpose and can, instead, use local, independent contractors to transport vehicles if it is more cost effective.

• Should the Postal Service use only postal employees to shuttle vehicles for maintenance service?
• Should the Postal Service use local vendors or a national contractor to shuttle vehicles for maintenance service?

Source: How Can the Postal Service Control the Costs to Shuttle Vehicles? | USPS Office of Inspector General