USPS plan to order 40,000 "gas-guzzling" trucks sparks congressional probe

The U.S. Postal Service's plan to add 40,000 gas-powered trucks that only get 8.6 miles per gallon has sparked a congressional inquiry, with House lawmakers questioning whether the agency "relied on flawed assumptions to justify the purchase of gas-powered trucks."

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform said in a May 12 letter that it wants the USPS to provide more information about the service's "Next Generation Delivery Vehicle" plan, which initially involves an order for 50,000 vehicles. Of those, about 40,000 are gas-fueled trucks that only get 8.6 mpg, or only 0.4 mpg more than the USPS' older fleet of trucks, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

The remaining 10,000 trucks will be electric vehicles.