Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-01
FAST MOTOR TRUCKS.
SOON WILL DELIVER
MARKET PURCHASES
Fleet of Autos at Disposal Of
Reading Terminal Gus
tomers-Plan to Run ia
Miles.

Customers OF the Reading Terminal
Market within the next few days will be
able to have their market purchases de-
livered at their door on the day of pur-
chase even If they should happen to
live is miles from City Hail. Tho de-
livery will be made by fleet" of fast
motor trucks which have been obtained
by an association of the market business
men, who intend to run the delivery on
the department store system. Whether
the delivery will be free or not has, az
yet, not been decided
The delivery of market baskets has
been source of trouble and anxiety TOT
the railroads, the market men and TO the
customers themselves, and IL is hoped
that the new plan of motor truck de-
livery will solve the question TO the gem,
eral satisfaction of all concerned.
One advantage of the new plan Is that
the market baskets will be delivered di-
rect to the customers door. Heretofore
the packages have been carried at re-
duced parcel rate by the railroads, and
until recently both the Pennsylvania and
the Reading Railroads carried the pack
ages free of charge for commuters. That
practice was discontinued on September
/ by the Pennsylvania, and starting to-
day the Reading Railroad will do like-f
wise
Several members Of the Reading
Terminal Market Business Mems AssbN
citation have formed a stock company NHa
organize and conduct the new system &4
delivery. The company has been 4.
corporated and the plans are we'll und
way. Five motor trucks probably WA
be used at first and the number will if
gradually increased according to the sltf3
vice required. 1t is estimated that
least 20 trucks will be needed to colR
the whole territory, which will cventu n
extend within the 1S-mile radius of
Hall. S4.
Since the Pennsylvania Railroad ces
the free delivery of market purchasef
commuters last month, 1t is estimk 3kt
that the main district of the Penb d8h
vanla needs the new delivery sy
more than other districts at this 3 4
Customers living on that line in gfH
towns as Bryn Mawr, Overlook, kf
nova, Rosemont, Haverford and q o8sat
as far as Malvern, will first be All
take advantage of the new systems sHl I1
RAILROADS DIsCLAIM BLAJ
Although by today both the r. eadingl
and the Pennsylvania Railroads will haveI
stopped the free delivery of Headlngt
Terminal Market deliveries, thereby en-
failing extra expeL je to commuters, tho
railroads themselves disclalm my blamsI
for their act. In fact, the railroads wereI
practically forced to discontinue the ser-t
vice.
When the railroads on frequent occa-!
sions at their tariff hearings have applied
TO the Interstate Commerce CommiSsiont
for the privilege of increasing theirf
rates they have been presented actual
statistics showing that, although the I'M
crease in rates might be justified on th<
grounds of good business, such increasea
was not absolutely necessary. TheyN
were advised by the commission to first
try economy "at home" 1t was pointed
out to numerous railroad officials, among
many other things. that tley were
carrying free packages for their COM
muters.
The railroads will, still continue to
deliver market packages at a reduced
rate.