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Anyone using Prius for newspaper delivery?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Newsie11, Feb 24, 2011.

  1. Newsie11

    Newsie11 Junior Member

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    Wondering if anyone is using their Prius for newspaper delivery? Considering buying a GII, but cannot find any info on anyone trying it. I have come across other commercial type uses, Taxi, for instance, but the stop & go on a paper route does not really compare to anything I have seen. Typical route I will see has approx. 200 stops in a rural area, and is about 60 miles. The routes are rural, tube delivery - not porch.
    Thanks in advance for any replies.
     
  2. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    There are a few who use the Prius for rural mail delivery. I wasn't able to find the threads after a quick search, but there are at least a couple of threads on it.
     
  3. BrettS

    BrettS Active Member

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    I'm not really sure what you want to know about it... as far as gas mileage goes, the Pruis does quite well at lower speed stop and go driving... if you look at the EPA estimates the city rating is higher than the highway rating. Additionally, because of the regenerative brake system the brakes should last longer than a regular car too... I saw a report from a taxi company that said the brakes in their prius cabs lasted something like 4 or 5 times longer than the ones in their conventional cabs.

    As far as reliability, I think it would be pretty good as well and again, the cab companies that have prius cabs report good reliability and I know there's at least one prius cab that's gone more than a million miles.

    Originally I was thinking that you might want to look into a plug in conversion kit since you'd likely be doing a lot of low speed driving, but I suspect that you'd be hard pressed to find one (or at least a reasonably affordable one) that would make it through 60 miles of stop and go driving.
     
  4. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Hi Newsie. Yes I remember reading at least one other thread here where a Prius was used for a mail run with good results. Even with all the stops I suspect you could still average in the 40's with a Prius.

    BTW. Could you tell us what you're currently using and approx how many MPG's it averages over that mail run. I'd think most regular cars would be well under 20 MPG's with all that slow driving and stopping.
     
  5. swi66

    swi66 Member

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    If only we could get right hand steering Prius in the US my wife would be using one for her mail delivery.
    You have to be a contortionist to do mail reaching into a box, and working the pedals.
    She did that years ago, but it messed her up, so we bought a Subaru, then Jeep with right hand steering.
     
  6. Airbalancer

    Airbalancer Active Member

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    people still get newspapers
     
  7. jdchappie

    jdchappie JD on RR2

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    Hello Newsie11, I have an 07 with my own brake and gas pedal conversion. About 130,000 miles later, the experiment is a success.

    Short history: 98000 on front brake pads, 73 miles a day, 450 stops
    leaky left front strut at 95000, warrany replacement at 99950
    lifetime average 41 mpg
    speedometer display problems since last summer,(Garmin)

    My paper delivery woman crosses the road in the early morning to deliver, not much traffic in the dark.

    Check my posts, ask any questions, today is the last payment. It's mine.
    Jerry
     
  8. Newsie11

    Newsie11 Junior Member

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    Thanks to all for great responses. Brett -I guess I was hoping for a testimonial or 2 of how the car held up, Mlg., etc. As far as a plug in, I was thinking with all that stopping, it would keep the batteries charged up pretty good?
    UART - currently using a 96 Prizm, getting about 20mpg on route. I have a 4x4 Tundra for snowy days - 12mpg there and 11mpg in 4 wheel drive mode.
    Airbalancer - There are enough to keep us in business for now... good one.
    JDCHAPPIE - why do you think the brake pads last so long?
     
  9. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    I think Prius would be a perfect car due to the hatchback and the hybrid system.

    I delivered newspaper using hand cart in San Francisco. That was when I was in high school and it was my first job. The hills were not fun.

    My uncle was a professional delivery guy. He had a manual transmission (I believe Sentra) car and it was stalling on the hills even in 1st gear. Prius with high torque electric motor would make those hills a piece of cake!
     
  10. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

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    I can answer that one. Most braking in the Prius is done using regenerative braking. You only use the hydraulics when:
    - You brake hard
    - You brake at low speed.

    If you brake sensibly you're either not using the friction brakes or you're hardly touching them.
     
  11. BrettS

    BrettS Active Member

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    Unfortunately, probably not. First, as others have mentioned, under 7mph it doesn't really get any significant regenerative power from the brakes, so a lot of low speed braking isn't going to give you much of a charge. But even braking at higher speeds isn't terribly efficient. I started another thread about this recently and the general consensus was that by the time you count all the losses from the generators and the inverter and the batteries that you might get back about 30 or 40% of the power that was used to get the car moving. Of course, that's still very helpful and much more power than you'd get back from stopping a regular car, but certainly not enough to keep the batteries indefinitely charged on your route.
     
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  12. Newsie11

    Newsie11 Junior Member

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    Thanks for the info on the braking/regen. I think I will try to make a deal on one this week.
     
  13. Newsie11

    Newsie11 Junior Member

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    Took delivery yesterday, 2010 III.
    Good stealership strory - Made a deal on an 09 for 19K, they could not find the keys to the car, so I was to go back the next day to pick it up. On my way there, I heard on the radio that TFS was offering 0% on 2010's. Got inside and made a new deal on a new 2010 for about the same total $.
     
  14. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    Great deal. Welcome to Prius ownership!
     
  15. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    That's an awesome deal especially at the current gas price!

    Now, you have to post a picture of your Prius loaded with newspaper.
     
  16. Newsie11

    Newsie11 Junior Member

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    A few quick pics from last night at 3am, in the rain with my phone.
     

    Attached Files:

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  17. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Nice! Do you fold them before delivering?
     
  18. samsprius1

    samsprius1 HEV Fanatic

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    Way to go I think the 2010 is a better car in every way! Had an'09 I know.
    Yes people still read newspapers! sure I geek around on the computer!
    But there is something about the smell and feel of a paper. Thank you!
    Stealership you got that right! look at your paperwork! Transit tax?
    Wheelage fee? doc fee! argh! How do they get away with it!
     
  19. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Hi Newsie. After you've had it long enough to get some useful data could you please let us know what sort of fuel economy you're getting on the run.

    Thanks. :)
     
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  20. Newsie11

    Newsie11 Junior Member

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    Oh yeah, the papers need to be folded, bagged, banded, whatever the need when you get to the delivery destination. That is about 300 papers in the pics, some routes will do about 2000 (bulk).
    Will share some info when I gather enough.