Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-10-31
AUTO TRUCK IS
PROBLEM NOW
AUT0CAR COMMERCIAL WAC
ONS BEST DEVELOPED
Merchants Figuring Economy Will
Soon Realize the Necessity of Dis
pensing with Teams and Adopt
ing Motor Trucks

There is probably no department of
the modern merchants business that is
more important, both from financial
and from a service standpoint, than the
transportation of his goods.
In bulk, to and from his place OF
business, the present facilities are ade-
quate, but in the individual distribu-
ton of small packages to the customer,
the average merchant of today is using
a means of transportation that has
been in vogue for the last 1000 years.
and he depends almost entirely upon
animal power.
Investigation has shown that in some
lines of business this cost of individ-
lal package transportation equals Az
Fer cent of the net profits.
When mechanical transportation is
Installed by means of proper KIND
of motor car delivery system it has
been proved that this cost of trans
portation is reduced fully one-halt
over a given route. This is without
any consideration of the increased
range of the motor car and the larger
territory that can be supplied.
Under such conditions a merchant
can by the installation of motor cars
earn an increased amount, equal to 20
per cent of his present net profits.
The horse has a daily mileage limit
Of approximately twenty-five miles,
which means a range of 121a miles
from the starting point. There are
many concerns today using motor cars
that are making regular daily dellV-
cries forty miles from their headquar-
ters
Motor trucks are manufactured in
various load capacities, ranging from
800 pounds to ten tons, but it has been
found that in actual practice the unit
of between one and two ton capacity
will render the most successful all
around service.
A truck Of this capacity having suf-
ficient power equipment can handle its
load rapidly and even transport more
goods between given points than a five
or ten-ton unit.
Can Be Put to Many Uses
A chassis of this capacity built in
such a manner that the mechanism is
entirely and absolutely independent OF
the body equipment, and so arranged
that all the mechanical parts are ac-
cessible without removing the body or
disturbing the load, is applicable to an
infinite number Of transportation uses
Of such type is the commercial chas-
sis manufactured by the Autocar com
pany of Ardmore, Pa, and in the past
lew years they have equipped this util-
y
kinds of merchandise, and in the pas
senger transportation line, with sight
seeing bodies, landaulets, taXicabs, IL
mousines, and also with ambulances,
patrol wagons, undertakers' cars, etc.
Much has been written as to the part
played by automobiles in suburban de-
velopment, but on any article the field
has only been covered from the stand
point of the man who Is sufficiently
prosperous to own his own car. With
the advent of the commercial vehicle
put into general use, the man of very
moderate means can make his home in
the country, and so obtain his detached
house, his lawn, his garden and such to
be desired surroundings.
1t will only be a short time before
transportation lines will run in every
direction from every station, reaching
even miles into the surrounding terri
tory. affording quick, cheap and fire.
quent method to the house owner to
reach the station, and by the trains
the city.
City and even the suburban mer-
chants will install in their service the
motor commercial car, and by this
means be enabled to deliver to their
door all merchandise that he may re-
quire in his household.
In order that the car may be sue
cessful in such general use, and under
the control of the varied types Of ope-
rator, 1t must be made of the most
simple design. with simplicity of CON
troll, and all parts of ample size to
stand the continuous hard usage to
which it will be subjected.
From the operators control must be
taken all features that he can abuse