Graffiti plagues USPS vehicles in Oakland, raising safety concerns
You've heard the saying, "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat" can stop the mail couriers from delivering the mail. But in Oakland, you can add graffiti to that list.
Mail carriers are continuing their routes despite many USPS trucks and vans often displaying graffiti that obscures their logos and makes them look unrecognizable as federal government vehicles.
"I think it's dangerous for the postal workers and the community because you can't see who's in here. You don't know that this is a government vehicle at all," said Jasmine Bessard, a former Oakland resident who works near the downtown post office and passes the tagged-up vans almost daily.
Bessard expressed concern that people, especially in certain neighborhoods, could mistake the USPS vehicles for those belonging to rival gangs, increasing the risk of violence.
"I'm sure it's embarrassing for the US Postal workers to have to drive these things around the city," she added.
The issue has become widespread, with residents noticing the problem for over a year. The situation, however, has worsened in recent months, with many postal delivery vans and trucks being spray-painted throughout Oakland. Some locals are upset by the sight.
"It's just not good at all and it doesn't look good for our city," Bessard said.
East Oakland resident Charles Cooper likened the vehicles to "somebody's truck that was just bought from the junkyard or something."
Yet, others see the graffiti as a form of urban art.
"I don't really see too much of a problem there. The trucks seem to be able to make their deliveries on time. I mean they just have a little art on the side," said Ismail Zulkephli, a West Oakland resident. "Art is subjective."
Julie, a visitor to Oakland, felt the issue wasn't worth much concern, stating, "I think there's a lot more other things to worry about than some colors on a mail truck."
However, many feel the extent of the graffiti is a real problem. Residents have reported that not only the body of the trucks but even their windows and tires have been tagged.
"It's bad if you cover the window, that's bad for them. You've got to respect the driver's safety," said Philip Obbard, a worker in Oakland.
The USPS has acknowledged the issue but explained the difficulty of removing graffiti from its vehicles.
A USPS spokesperson, Meiko Patton, released this statement, "Graffiti is a challenge faced by many businesses and organizations within the community and beyond, and the Postal Service is no exception. When graffiti is discovered on our vehicles, we take steps to address the issue promptly. However, as part of our responsibility to maintain reliable service to our customers, we must carefully balance these efforts with ensuring that our vehicles remain in circulation and available for delivering the nation's mail."
Patton declined to answer specific questions about how many vehicles have been tagged or whether this issue extends beyond Oakland.
The American Postal Workers Union Oakland Local 78 highlighted the challenges that come with the problem. A representative told CBS News Bay Area that the USPS is severely understaffed and workers do not have enough personnel to regularly clean the vehicles.
The problem is compounded by the lack of adequate parking spaces for the trucks and vans. Some workers said the tagging is only happening to the vehicles that are parked overnight on city streets.
For many, the graffiti on so many USPS vehicles represents a reflection of broader issues of crime in Oakland.
"A reflection of crime, I think that's what it looks like," Bessard said.
Some USPS workers said with the trump administration cutting spending and laying federal workers off, it's unlikely they'll get more money or help to clean up the trucks anytime soon.
