UPS is one of the most well-known and trusted names in the business of package delivery.
While the company’s most iconic trucks are its brown delivery vans, UPS also has many trucks ranging in size from small pickups to semi-trailers.
But what size trucks does UPS have in its fleet?
Table of Contents
What Size Trucks Does UPS Have?
The size of a UPS truck is 26 ft. long (8 meters), 7 ft. tall (2.2 meters), and 10 ft. broad (3 meters). With these dimensions, a regular UPS truck is barely longer than an 18-wheeler pickup truck.
The smallest trucks in the UPS fleet are cargo vans, typically used for local deliveries. These are also known as UPS box trucks.
UPS also has a number of different types of medium and heavy-duty trucks in its fleet, including straight trucks, hybrid trucks, double-trailers, and bubble-nose trucks.
The specific types of trucks that UPS uses for each delivery route depend on a number of factors, including the weight and volume of the packages being transported.
Payload capacity is also a key factor in determining which type of UPS truck is used for a particular delivery.
The company’s heavy-duty trucks have a maximum payload capacity of around 68,000 pounds (35 metric tons), while the smaller cargo vans have a payload capacity of around 32,000 lbs (15 metric tons).
Check the below image to understand how UPS trucks have evolved over the years.
What Is A UPS Truck Called?
UPS’s vehicles that deliver packages to your house are called “package cars,” while the tractor-trailer combinations are called “Feeders.”
Some people also refer to package cars as either package vans or package wagons. These vehicles can weigh up to 10 or 15 tons and have four or more doors.
However, if you notice, UPS doesn’t like to call its fleet vehicles as trucks since early on, UPS wanted to distinguish itself as a delivery company, not a trucking company.
The modern brown package cars you see were first introduced back in 1965, which, at the time, were known as bubble nose trucks.
Why Are UPS Trucks Brown?
Initially, the co-founder of UPS, Jim Casey, wanted to color the truck fleet yellow. However, Charles W. Soderstrom (one of the four founding partners) pointed out that brown trucks wouldn’t show dirt as badly.
UPS has actually trademarked its brown color as “UPS Brown” color so that no other company can use it.
How Tall is a UPS Truck?
As we mentioned earlier, a UPS truck is 7 ft. tall (2.2 meters), but other box trucks can go up to 10 feet for larger, bigger trucks with higher payload capacity.
How Much Does A UPS Truck Cost?
The cost of a UPS truck depends on the size and type of truck you’re looking at. However, UPS doesn’t disclose how much it pays for its trucks.
For example, a new 2019 Freightliner M2106 straight truck starts at around $85,000, while a used one from 2018 can be had for as little as $35,000.
In 2016, UPS placed an order for 200 Workhorse Group Hybrid-Electric Delivery Trucks and they paid $50,000 per vehicle (source)
Can You Buy A UPS Truck?
No, you can’t buy a UPS truck. UPS makes it almost impossible to buy one of its trucks no matter how rich you are.
The only way to get your hands on a UPS truck is if you work for the company. Even then, it’s not easy to buy a UPS truck as the company doesn’t allow its employees to purchase trucks outright.
UPS has a policy that prohibits the resale of its vehicles. They don’t just sell them, making it difficult for an old vehicle to return to the road.
What Does UPS Do With All Their Old Trucks?
Once they are no longer used as package cars, old UPS trucks are repainted white and may be used for internal jobs or transported workers. They are scrapped under UPS supervision if there is no need for them internally.
Who Manufactures UPS Trucks?
Different companies, including Morgan Olson, Union City Body, and Utilimaster, make UPS truck bodies.
Older trucks were based on Ford or General Motors vehicles, but newer trucks are based on Navistar, Freightliner, or Workhorse chassis, as they offer better dependability, cargo space, and maneuverability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trucks does UPS have?
UPS has over 119,000 vehicles, including package cars, tractor-trailers, and cargo vans.
What do you call a UPS delivery driver?
A UPS driver is called a “package car driver” or simply a “UPS driver.”
What are the spinners on top of UPS trucks?
The spinners on top of UPS trucks are called Flettner ventilators. They’re used to circulate air in package cars and are often found in trucks with enclosed spaces to improve airflow.
Robert Bacon is a car nerd and automotive lover who has dedicated his life to understanding the inner workings of vehicles. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering and has spent years working as a mechanic and engineer for some of the world’s top car companies. In his spare time, he enjoys writing about cars on this blog and tinkering with his 2016 Toyota Mirai in his garage.