- A claim that the U.S. Postal Service plans to begin a pilot program that would attach cameras similar to the dashboard cameras used by police to its delivery vehicles circulated online in late September and early October.
- The claim stemmed from a social media post by the Canton, Ohio, branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the union that represents postal workers. The post included an alleged letter from USPS labor relations that outlined the proposed pilot program.
- The claim appears to be true, but Snopes bases its ratings on primary evidence and has not yet independently verified the validity of the letter or its content. As such, we have left this claim unrated.
- Snopes reached out to the USPS, the National Association of Letter Carriers and Next Base, the dashcam company alleged to be partnering with the Postal Service on the pilot program. We will update this article if we hear back.
A claim that the United States Postal Service plan to begin a pilot program that would attach cameras similar to dashboard cameras used by police departments to its delivery vehicles circulated online in late September and early October.
People across social media platforms and Reddit shared an alleged letter from USPS labor relations to the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the union that represents USPS postal workers, that claimed “Next Base, a dash cam manufacturing company, will work with the Postal Service to use the subject cameras to collect infrastructure data within the Washington, DC delivery area.”
The posts claimed the cameras would “scan and analyze roads, signage, maps, roadways and sidewalks.” The online rumor gained steam as the use of surveillance cameras such as Flock cameras garnered attention and increasing backlash nationwide.
Snopes bases its truth ratings on primary evidence. As such, we’ve opted to leave this claim unrated until we receive direct confirmation about the implementation of the pilot program from the USPS, the National Association of Letter Carriers and/or Next Base. We’ve reached out to all parties and will update this article if we hear back.
However, the claim appears to be true, according to a social media post by the NALC’s Branch 238, the local union for Canton, Ohio.
On Sept. 25, the union posted a screenshot of the letter and stated, incorrectly, “Please note the cameras are on the OUTSIDE of the vehicles.” (The letter in question clearly stated, “These cameras will be forward-facing and installed inside the delivery vehicle.”)
The union’s post concluded, “Right now, this is just a pilot program. Please do not panic. Please do not call President Smith, he has enough to do! The comments are turned off, too many drama queens again!”
Comments under the post claimed the pilot program was only for the Washington, D.C., area.
Snopes could not locate a Facebook account for Washington, D.C.’s Branch 142 to see if it had also posted about the letter. The primary Facebook account for the NACL had no posts referring to the letter, Next Base or the reported pilot program.
The letter, addressed to NACL president Brian Renfroe on USPS labor relations letterhead, read:
As a matter of general interest, the Postal Service will partner with a company called Next Base to test the use of cameras in our various delivery vehicles.
Next Base, a dash cam manufacturing company, will work with the Postal Service to use the subject cameras to collect infrastructure data within the Washington, DC delivery area.
Next Base cameras will scan and analyze roads, signage, maps, roadways and sidewalks.
The purpose of this pilot is to leverage the Postal Service’s unique ability to collect this valuable data due to the scale and frequency with which our fleet of postal vehicles travel the streets of every community across the country.
The cameras will be installed by Next Base on the dashboards of select delivery vehicles. These cameras will be forward-facing and installed inside the delivery vehicle. The cameras will begin recording as soon as the vehicle is in drive and outside the postal facility geofence. The cameras will not hinder the vehicle operator’s field of vision, nor does it record audio.
City carrier employees’ participation ins this pilot will be limited to operating the modified vehicles during the performance of their regular assigned street delivery duties. All postal insignia and postal employee images will be redacted.
The pilot test is scheduled to begin on September 21 and is expected to run for several months. The Postal Service intends to utilize one hundred delivery vehicles located at the Lammond Riggs Post Office, and the Section 19 Carrier Annex.
The Lammond Riggs Post Office is located at 6200 N. Capitol St. NW in Washington, D.C. The letter and the union’s statement were then reported on by credible tech news outlet 404 Media, which also stated it got confirmation from the USPS.
The Postal Service reportedly told 404 Media it was “conducting a limited pilot to assess whether vehicle-mounted cameras can help identify roadway conditions and support community safety. The pilot includes privacy safeguards and requires no additional action from employees. Findings will inform any future decisions.”
The story was picked up by other tech news outlets such as Gizmodo, Cybernews and Gadget Review, citing 404 Media’s report.
According to its website, Next Base is a U.K.-based company that bills itself as the “largest smart Dash Cam brand in the world” and claims it holds “over 80% of the UK market by volume.”
