The Westcoaster Mailster was a small three-wheeled vehicle used for mail delivery by the

United States Post Office Department The United States Post Office Department (USPOD; also known as the Post Office or U.S. Mail) was the predecessor of the United States Postal Service, established in 1792. From 1872 to 1971, it was officially in the form of a Cabinet of the Un ...

during the 1950s and 60s. They could haul 500 pounds of mail, including large parcels, versus the 35-pound limit of a foot carrier, and once represented one-third of the delivery vehicles used by the Post Office. Because of the population boom after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the postal service needed a more efficient way to deliver

mail The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letter (message), letters, and parcel (package), parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid ...

, so in 1950 the city of

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

started to test three-wheeled scooters. The Westcoaster Mailster was inexpensive, and its popularity grew fast. By 1960, there were more than 5,700 Mailsters on the

road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

of the whole country. The number of Mailsters in use peaked in 1966, at about 17,700. Often known as "mail scooters", Mailsters worked best in areas with warm climates and flat terrain. The two cylinder gasoline-powered vehicle had a safe top speed of 35 miles per hour and a 7.5 horsepower engine. A Mailster could be rendered useless in just three inches of snowfall. Mail carriers often complained of frequent breakdowns ranging from clutch failure to broken front axles. If a Mailster rounded a corner too quickly, it was also prone to tipping over. At least seven different companies produced Mailsters, including Cushman. The Mailster was eventually replaced by more reliable mail delivery vehicles, such as

Jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...

References

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External links

Westcoaster Mailster at the SmithsonianHow To Drive The Mailster Safely (USPS Training Film)

References

External links

See also