License plates on mail truck

[Tombstone Luke]

I am about the buy a '31 Model A mail truck. Does anyone know what kind of license plates were on mail trucks back then?

Regular State license plates?
Commercial State license plates?
US Government plates?

I have read that is 1970 US Postal vehicles were exempted from license plates, but that wasn't the case before then.

If anyone has a vintage photo, I'd like to see it please.

 

[David in San Antonio]

I’m interested in this too, as I was told the Wretched Roadster delivered mail in West Virginia.

 

[WTSHNN]

What state? A or AA?

 

[Thodge]

I don’t know about the actual US mail owned vehicles but I’m pretty sure rural route mail carriers at that time used vehicles that they owned and maintained themselves so I’m sure they would be regular state registered. My great-grandfather had a rural mail route starting in the horse and carriage days, then moving up to an Indian motorcycle(year-round in New England),then to various cars such as a Maxwell and I believe a Model T at some point. I know he did his own repairs because he had to rebuild the body on the Maxwell after it stalled on some train tracks and got the back end taken off of it.

 

[Bob C]

This was from the book "The Ford Model A Mail Truck"
From THE POSTAL JOURNAL of January 1920.


The Post Office Department has rendered a ruling to the effect that it will not be necessary for letter carriers assigned to drive motor cycles, or letter carriers who drive rented machines or who use their own machine lunder a Department allowance in connection with the delivery of mail matter, to procure a license.
In McCulloch vs. Maryland, 4 Wheaton, page 430, the Supreme Court speaking through Chief Justice Marshall, said: "A State is without power to tax or burden in any way the means employed by the United States Government for the execution of its powers." In the light of the foregoing, the Department holds,it is apparent that if a State required the Government to purchase license tags it would in effect place a burden or tax on the means employed by the Post Office Department to transport mail, and therefore the action would be in conflict with the Government's rights under the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court.


So no licenses required.

 

[Brad in Germany]

It does not look like this mail truck had any front license plate (nor any of the license plate mounting hardware):

Brad in Maryland




.

 

[marty in Ohio]

From Brad's picture, it looks like a license plate is the least of this mailman's problems.
Marty

 

[WTSHNN]

I'm still going with it varied by state. I have two Model A era photos of mail trucks that have front plates; one from NYC, one from Cali. The above cited ruling seemingly would only restrict charging for the plate. A state could reasonably still require a plate be issued and worn by the vehicle but not collect a fee for it.

I asked this question on a license plate collecting group on Facebook, I'll share whatever is learned from there.

-Tim

 

[perladt]

Model A/AA Ford mail truck did not require state license plates during their use. However, now to drive a privately owned antique mail truck, a state license plate would be required.

 

[WTSHNN]

Here are the two photos I have.

Edited to add the majority of Mail Truck photos I've come across do not have license plates. But here are some that do.

Here's three Model A Mail Trucks that all have California plates on them. They have a US prefix.

This other one is a Chevy in NYC. You'll note the bodies are the same as the Ford's as specified by the USPS. It has a front plate on it as well.

Take from it what you will.
-Tim

 

[WTSHNN]

Here are some more..

Another Chevy, from Iowa.

Hard to see but there is a plate hanging off the headlight bar on this AA.

Here's a plate attached to the rear door.