The Detroit times., 1912-01-23
CONSTANT SERVICE IS
ESSENTIAL IN TRUCKS
-sTEBBINs.
Manufactures Cannot Stop Upon
Delivery of Vehicle, But
Must Care For 1t
BY X. S. srEselNs.

! Manager, General Motors Truck Co.
Merely 10 make and 90 sell motor
trucks is not sufficient for the manu-
facturcr desiring TO make his business
successful and 10 continue in the IN
dustry. His work is but little more
than begun when his product is DEW
cred TO customer. aud n is inls mat
marks the principal difference De
tween the pleasure ear and the COM
mercial motor vehicle business.
Constant service Is absolutely es-
sential 10 the successful operation OF
motor trucks and delivery wagons. 10
insure such service completely equip
ped maintenance service stations man
ned by expert mechanics are neces'
sary. With the exception or very
large installations OF motor yehlcies'
il is. OF course, ont OF the question 10
expect the owners 10 provide this
necessary maintenance service. IL Is
therefore up 10 the manufacturer 10
do H.
Ii is no reflection on the motor
truck TO say that proper maintenance
service is essential 10 its constant use
The railroad locomotive or To-Day,
which has many more years OF growth
and development behind X. goes into
the round house at the end of every
run il makes. 10 be carefully inspected
and cared for and adequate facilities
are at hand there to keep IL in perfect
running order. II the railroad locomo-
tive needs this attention after short
runs over smooth steel rails 4 is only
natural that the motor truck. which
travels all day over rough streets ana
- ule IL
AS am more copversant with wnat
my own company. The General Motors
Truck Co. is doing in the way OF ser
vice for owners. | may properly use
this as an example OF the extent which
the progressive motor truck mahuiac-
turers finds il pays TO go 10 In this
matter First OF all there is a $780,
coo 600 company standing behind our
guarantee OF constant and emclent
maintenance service stations In this
city where a full line OF extra parts
are kept In stock and where all re-
placements and adjustments can Do
quickly made.
In addition we have an inspection
service which is unique, perhaps In
its thoroughness. A corps OF mecnan-
les, working in the capacity or inspect
ors. visit regularly every one OF our
trucks in service IN this city. They
make very careful examinations, rid
ing on trucks 10 note how they are
running and also how they are oper-
ated. and making any minor ADJUST
ments or repairs that may be found
necessary. Possibly the most import
ant work OF these men Is in correcting
faults OF drivers and instructing them
in the proper way in which the trucks
in their charge should be driven ana
cared for
The General Motors Truck Co. has
another service department which
does its work before the purchase IS
made. The experts OF this depart
ment are transportation engineers
and they make careful study OF the
transportation problems OF prospec-
tive motor truck users and make de-
tailed reports covering the savings
which the use OF motor trucks would
bring about, the number, type and size
OF trucks which are required In each
Individual case 10 give the highest
efficiency, and whatever changes in
delivery methods or routes might be
necessary for the same end. The fact
that we manufacture both gasoline
and electric vehicles in all sizes gives
these experts no ground for being
biased in their recommendations.