A scathing article published in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) claims that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) looked the other way as its contractors routinely broke U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, possibly resulting in dozens of deaths over the last few years alone.
In the past three years, independent contractors hired by USPS to transport mail were involved in at least 68 vehicular accidents that resulted in 79 fatalities, according to WSJ.
Publication of the damning investigative report follows news of USPS ending a deal with one of its contractors, California-based Caminantes Trucking after it was discovered that the company put drivers on the road without the proper licensing, per 9NEWS.
Caminantes Trucking drivers were reportedly involved in two accidents in as many years, which resulted in the deaths of six people. It is unclear whether the deadly crashes were included in WSJ’s tally.
WSJ claims that, in 2021 and 2022, roughly 39% of contracted trucking companies routinely violated DOT regulations that govern the maximum number of hours truckers can work in a single stretch.
Last September in Allen, a USPS-contracted truck fell off an overpass after getting into an accident with another vehicle. The truck driver perished in the fiery crash, as The Dallas Express previously reported.
The Dallas Express requested comment from USPS concerning the allegations raised by WSJ. In a lengthy response, USPS did not challenge WSJ’s reported figures regarding contractor accidents and consequent deaths:
“Safety has been and will continue to be a top priority for the U.S. Postal Service. Safety issues, including those that result in accidents, are reviewed by senior Postal Service officials and discussed with the carriers when they occur, and repeated safety issues are potential grounds for termination should the Postal Service believe consequential remedial actions are not being pursued.”
Over the last several years, USPS has struggled to compete with arguably more efficient private carriers like FedEx and UPS, as highlighted by WSJ’s report. The news outlet alleged that USPS turned a blind eye to repeat DOT violators as contractors strove to make tight deadlines.
When asked about this allegation, USPS told The Dallas Express, “Carrier routing and scheduling is never predicated on a requirement to operate unsafely or drive aggressively to meet contractual stipulations.”
USPS further stated:
“The Postal Service does not have any highway contractors with a compliance, safety and accountability (CSA) score lower than ‘conditional,’ and any contractor whose rating falls below conditional is subject to termination.”
The Dallas Express was unable to verify USPS’ claims before the deadline.
