What do you think of the United States Postal Service’s new delivery vehicles? They’re tall with huge windshields and bumpers. The truck hood looks like a duck bill. Some say these new trucks wouldn’t win a beauty contest.

“You can tell that [the designers] didn’t have appearance in mind,” says postal worker Avis Stonum.

The first handful of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles rolled onto postal routes in Athens, Georgia, in August. Workers seem to love them. These mail carriers are used to old, cranky trucks that often break down. Some old mail delivery vehicles even caught fire! The new trucks may look a little odd. But they’re a big improvement. 

Within a few years, 60,000 new mail trucks will be on the road. Most run on electricity. 

The old postal vehicles are a model called the Grumman Long Life Vehicle. The name tells the truth. Some of these vehicles have hung around since 1987. Their cons: They’re noisy and don’t have air conditioning. It takes a lot of fuel to run them. They require costly repairs. Mirrors that help drivers see around the truck constantly get knocked out of place. 

The new trucks have all the modern comforts. Even tall postal carriers can stand up inside them without bonking their heads. The vehicles have airbags, 360-degree cameras, and other safety features. And they have AC. That’s a big relief for drivers in the hottest parts of the United States.

“I promise you, it felt like heaven blowing in my face,” Ms. Stonum says of her first ride in an air-conditioned truck.

Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. — Proverbs 25:25