Grumman LLV
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The Grumman Long Life Vehicle or LLV is a light transport truck designed for and used by the United States Postal Service.
This is the typical 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 1986. Like the old postal-service Jeep, it features a right-handed driver's position (the opposite of the normal U.S. passenger car left-hand drive) and a large metal tray (able to hold three trays of letter mail) mounted 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. Other notable features are an exceptionally tight turning radius and a low-geared transmission for pulling heavy cargo.
The LLV was specifically designed for the United States Postal Service, and won a contract for production. The main design points of the vehicle in contract competition were: serviceability, handling in confined areas, and overall economic operation. The body and final assembly is by Grumman, and the chassis is made by General Motors, with the powerplant (2.5L I-4 TBI "Iron Duke") and front suspension similar to those used in the Chevrolet S-10 pickup.
