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Costa, Valadao Push to Improve Rural Mail Service
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 3 weeks ago on
May 7, 2025

The goal of a new bill being pushed by Reps. Jim Costa and David Valadao is to ensure that USPS provides dependable, timely service regardless of where you live. (Shutterstock)

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Even though they face long odds, local Congressmembers Jim Costa and David Valadao are putting a bipartisan shoulder behind improving mail service in rural communities.

“In the Central Valley and rural communities across America, families and businesses depend on the Postal Service. Too often, deliveries are delayed because the USPS lacks the resources to modernize, which is why the FAIR Fleets Act is so important.” — Rep. David Valadao, R-Kings County

Costa, D-Fresno, and Valadao, R-Kings County, are pushing a bill, H.R. 3098-FAIR Fleets Act, that would modernize U.S. Postal Service vehicle fleets. The goal is to ensure that USPS provides dependable, timely service regardless of where you live.

“Every American, whether they live in a big city or a rural town, deserves reliable, timely postal service,” said Costa in a news release on Tuesday. The FAIR Fleets Act ensures that underserved areas, which too often face delays and aging equipment, are given the same level of service as more populated regions. This bill is about fairness and better efficiency in our mail system.”

Said Valadao: “In the Central Valley and rural communities across America, families and businesses depend on the Postal Service. Too often, deliveries are delayed because the USPS lacks the resources to modernize, which is why the FAIR Fleets Act is so important.”

Govtrack.us gives the bill an 18% chance of making it out of committee and an 8% chance of becoming law. In comparison, 2% of bills were enacted from 2021 through 2023.

Costa is the primary sponsor of H.R. 3098. In addition to Valadao, the bill has six other co-sponsors.

An Aging Fleet

According to Costa’s office, USPS has about 246,000 delivery vehicles — many of which are more than 30 years old. By replacing them with new more fuel-efficient models, USPS would improve reliability and reduce costs, Valadao said.

The bill requires USPS to modernize its fleet and focus on improving service to rural communities, Tribal lands, and high-poverty urban neighborhoods.

 

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Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

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