New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-26
TRUCKS MUST SUIT WORK
Many Models Are Necessary.
General Motors Man Says.
SELLING METHODS REVISED
Passenger Car Dealer Umpire
pared to Meet Peculiar Condl-
tions That Sometimes Arise.

"a person familiar with the motor
truck business" says W. l.. Day. VICE
president of the General Motors Truck
Company. can hardly appreciate IN"
radical difference between the problem
involved in marketing pleasure and COM
lnercial vehicles. 1t is not strange thar
when the first business machines were
nut out they we're sold in the same way
and through the same channels as pleas
ure automobiles.
However with the production OF pow
er wagons in comparatively large num-
bers new problems began 10 arise for
which the average automobile dea Ter
found himself TO a large extent unpre-
pared. II was seen that the motor TRUCK
from distribution standpoint at less'
must be regarded partly as seif-pro-
PEELED wagon and perhaps even more as
a piece of machinery that had 10 be solo
in the same way as steam engine.
machine tool or any other time. labor or
money saving equipment.
This condition has given rise 10 new
methods and new order IN the retaI
end of the motor truck industry. Auto
mobile dealers having motor truch
agencies have established separate de-
partments for the sale of commercial
| cars. and these departments have been
placed in charge Of men who make 1t =
business 10 know transportation az. com
pletely as motor truck design and con
| struction.
The manufacturers of motor trucks
have also TO a very large extent esta5-
lished direct factory branches under the
| direction of trained men. and these in
stitutons. closely allied with the pro
ducing organizations, are making large
contributions to the healthy growth OF
the industry.
"A we'll managed branch Organization
I'm charge of "A capable executive cannot
fail to be Of real service to the local
business community. The men on the
firing line know that they have 10 meet
local haulage and delivery needs. Tine.
are enabled TO keep their fingers con-
stantly on the pulse of demand ana the
truck manufacturer is thus enabled 10
secure quickly first hand Information re-
garding conditions as they actually
exist
I'VE must all realize, too that in sup
plying industrial needs We must act on
conditions as We find them and not AS We
might wish they were. While 1t Is en-
| tirely feasible for pleasure car buiiucT
| TO concentrate on ono model 70 Sell at
certain price il is not practical propo-
lsition for a truck manufactures desiring
10 DO business in big way. The market
is entirely different. 1t is easy for
% al. car
modify mental specifications 10 meet q
Uniform design that in general takes his
fancy, but when vehicle is 10 be used
! for business purposes il must nj the con-
ditions which surround the business OF II
falls short Of its highest earning posi-
bil,ics.
ANY truck man can readily call TO
! mind certain classes o. service that aD-
| solutely require special handling. Take
! for instance, the handling OF products
/ that are relatively heavy in proportion 10
/ their bulk. or the delivery Of heavy loads
! into downtown alleys. wharfs, etc. For
! this class of service shor, compact
! truck with limited wheel base and no
| overhang is necessary. ON the othef
| hand. relatively light, bulky loads. sucn
as paper boxes. etc, require truck OF
different design, long in body eXtcndeh
| in wheel base and Of proper load capacity
/ in spite of the bulky nature Of the load.
These and great variety or other
factors must be considered by the truck
manufacturer IL he wishes To be in posi-
| ton to render real transportation service.
We must not arbitrarily say We will build
! this or that truck and If the business
man wants one he must fit his business
TO the truck Instead. VIC should take a
broad position and be prepared to meet
| conditions as they exist and as they shift
and change with the development OF com
| mercial activities.