Overview
In the United States, the Grumman LLV is the most common vehicle used by letter carriers for curbside and residential delivery of mail, replacing the previous standard letter-carrier vehicle, the Jeep DJ-5. It entered service in 1987. The USPS purchased over 100,000 of these vehicles, of which the last was purchased in 1994. A number were also sold to Canada, Mexico, and several other countries.
Like the older postal-service Jeep, the Grumman LLV features a right-handed driver's position, which is the opposite of the normal North American passenger automobiles, which is left-hand drive. It also features a large metal tray, which is able to hold three trays of letter mail, mounted to where a passenger seat would normally be. This arrangement positions the driver on the side of the vehicle closest to the curb, enabling the carrier to easily grab sorted mail and place it into mailboxes without having to leave the seat (See: Video example). Other notable features are an exceptionally tight turning radius and a low-geared, 3 speed transmission for hauling heavy cargo. The LLV has a 1,000-pound (450 kg) cargo capacity.
The Grumman LLV's average EPA fuel economy is 17 mpg (16 city/18 highway). Like other U.S. Postal Service vehicles before it, the Grumman LLV lacks license plates, however, it uses a U.S. Postal Service serial number instead.
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