USPS customers are raging as its drivers are being forced to drive vans covered in graffiti tags and the problem is worsening.
Residents from Oakland, California, have slammed it as “embarrassing” and dangerous to drivers as the postal service admits it is a problem.
A large part of the fleet of USPS vans used in Oakland have been spray painted and tagged.
Not only is the paint covering the bodywork and USPS logos, it is also being found on the windows and tires.
Speaking to CBS News affiliate KPIX, resident Jasmine Bessard called it “dangerous”.
She said: “I think it’s dangerous for the postal workers and for the community because you can’t see who is in here.
“You don’t know that this is a government vehicle at all.”
She added that she worries gangs might target the vans based on the tags, thinking they are rivals and not USPS workers.
“I’m sure it’s embarrassing for the US postal workers to have to drive these vans around the city,” she added.
Residents in the area said that the issue has been ongoing for at least a year but has gotten worse over the past few months.
Local Charles Cooper said it looks like the vans have come straight out of a “junk yard” as other share footage of spray painted vans online.
One YouTuber shared footage of numerous vans parked on the side of the streets in Oakland saying “not a single one is safe”.
In the comments, customers and locals raged saying, “this is horrible”.
“No sense of pride in Oakland. Sad to see,” another wrote.
“People that do this have no self respect,” a third said.
Meanwhile, Jasmine added: “A reflection of crime – that’s what it looks like”.
But not everyone agrees, with some locals brushing the issue off as art and saying there are other problems that deserve more attention.
“They have a little art on the side,” one told the news outlet.
“I think there are a lot of other things to worry about right now than some colors on a mail truck,” another added.
USPS mentioned that they aim to promptly clean the vans, yet the operational demands of the mail service may prevent them from bringing in trucks for cleaning as frequently as desired.
According to a spokesperson, maintaining dependable service to customers requires a delicate balance between cleaning vehicles and keeping them operational for mail delivery.
One union representing postal workers in Oakland said that they are understaffed and do not have enough people to clean the vans.
They noted that the vans tagged are those that are forced to park on the streets overnight due to overflowing parking lots.
With changes and cuts being made to USPS by the Trump administration, angry locals like Jasmine fear the issue will only get worse.
Meanwhile, USPS has been slammed for refusing to help a customer despite destroying her mailbox.
