The Creativity Japanese People Tend to Overlook — The Rational Logic Hidden in Right-Hand Drive

Why Are U.S. Postal Trucks Right-Hand Drive? — What America’s “Country of Rationality” Can Teach Us About Creative Thinking

“I’ve always felt that Americans are, above all, rational.”

That’s how this story begins. In our daily lives, we constantly encounter different cultures and sets of values from around the world, and when we talk about the United States through the lens of “rationality,” there’s a particularly interesting example.

That example is the United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery truck.

The U.S. is fundamentally a right-hand traffic country, and of course, regular vehicles have the driver’s seat on the left. However, when it comes specifically to postal delivery trucks, right-hand drive vehicles are the norm.

Why is that?

Digital vs. Analog Thinking?

To borrow the words of one scholar, “Westerners’ minds operate digitally, while Easterners think in analog.”

What this points to is the difference between a rational mindset that wants everything in black and white, and a softer way of thinking that values emotions and the atmosphere of the situation. Of course, it’s not that simple, but many people would probably agree that Americans, as a nation, tend to place a strong emphasis on efficiency.

The Rationality of Right-Hand-Drive U.S. Postal Trucks

Now, let’s get back to the main topic.

The primary reason U.S. postal trucks are right-hand drive comes down to efficiency.

Because the U.S. is a right-hand traffic country, ordinary cars have the steering wheel on the left. However, postal work requires drivers to constantly access roadside mailboxes and residential mail slots.

If the driver’s seat were on the left, then at every stop the carrier would have to lean across the passenger seat or get out of the vehicle and walk around into the roadway. This is extremely inefficient—and dangerous as well.

That’s why USPS delivery trucks are deliberately built as right-hand-drive vehicles. This allows the driver to simply extend their arm from the right side of the vehicle directly to the mailbox.

On top of that, the delivery door uses a sliding mechanism, making it safe and smooth to get in and out even in tight spaces. It may look like a small detail, but accumulations of such design choices add up to major overall efficiency gains.

USPS Vehicles: Purpose-Built and Built to Last

The most famous USPS delivery vehicle is the LLV (Long Life Vehicle), designed specifically for postal work. Introduced in 1987, it has been in use for over 30 years.

This vehicle was jointly developed by GM and Grumman, and is tailored to the needs of mail delivery: compact and maneuverable, with a highly durable chassis—and of course, right-hand drive.

There’s no air conditioning, no power windows, and creature comforts are minimal. But with only the truly necessary functions included, the LLV is almost the definition of cost performance.

Today, its successor, the NGDV (Next Generation Delivery Vehicle), is now being phased in. These are also right-hand drive, and many models are electric. You could say it’s the evolved form that combines ecology with efficiency.

Japan Also Has “Rational” Delivery Vehicles—but…

So what about Japan’s postal system? Since Japan is a left-hand traffic country, left-hand drive for delivery vehicles makes perfect sense.

Japan Post’s light vans and other vehicles do show a clear focus on efficiency and agility. What’s interesting, however, is that among private delivery services and newspaper carriers, you’ll often see motorbikes and kei-trucks modified for easier delivery—such as vehicles with a single sliding door on one side or with the passenger seat removed to make more space.

In other words, while not as dramatic as the U.S. example, Japan also has its own forms of “on-the-ground rationalization” rooted in the realities of the field.

Still, because system standardization and vehicle uniformity tend to be prioritized in Japan, bold, field-driven changes—like adopting right-hand drive specifically for postal vehicles—are harder to realize.

Looking at the World Through the Lens of “Rationality”

At first glance, the topic of right-hand-drive postal trucks might seem like a niche curiosity.

But there’s a lot we can learn from it:

• A commitment to meeting on-site needs thoroughly
• A mindset that values saving time over saving equipment costs
• A culture that prioritizes function over appearance

These perspectives are extremely useful when we design, choose, or improve something in our own daily lives and in business.

We might, for example, reexamine the flow of our work.
Reorganize home storage more logically.
Delete unused apps to make our phones run more smoothly…

It’s not just about big changes. The accumulation of these small, rational choices is what ultimately creates more time and mental space in our lives.

In Closing: Start by Copying What You Can

The word “rational” can sound a bit cold. But when you look at something like the U.S. postal truck, you realize that rationalization aimed at reducing the burden on front-line workers is anything but cold.

If anything, it’s a form of design rooted in compassion.

There is still plenty of room to improve the way we live and work. We don’t have to copy everything from overseas, but if there’s even one idea that makes you think, “I could try that,” it may eventually lead to major positive change.

Why not start with a small, practical rationalization you can put into action today?