South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-03
MOTOR TRUCKS To
ASSIST RAILROADS
Extent of Possibilities are
Pointed in Magazine Deal
ing With Problem.

righted review Of the possibilities
OF the motor truck, which will be
published in the current issue Of
Sinclair's magazine. "Transporta-
ton is one of the greatest needs of
modern civilization, and the need
is constantly growing. For this there
are two explanations. The rate of
consumption advances with the
scale of living. and as individual eff
fort becomes more and more spe-
cialized, there is a corresponding
changes necessary before each in
dividual can consume what he de-
sires. When each family produced
most Of its own food and clothing
there was little barter and sale and
scarcely any need for transporta-
ton facilities, but today the food a
man eats may have been assembled
from a dozen states and from for
eign countries. and the clothing he
wears may have been manufactured
in a half dozen cities, from goods
produced thousands of miles from
the factory and over widely scatter
ed areas. Even the direct producer
has become so specialized that he
must buy the majority of the things
ne consumes.
"As this specializing process con-
tinues, transportation becomes an
ever more vital factor in everyday
life. This may be illustrated by
comparing the volume of freight
carried by American railways with
the population at different dates. In
1900. for instance, there were ap-
proximately 100000 tons of
freight carried an average distance
of about 243 miles. making a total
movement OF more than 141, $780,
900. 900 ton miles, or approximate
ly 1858 ton miles for each man,
woman and child in the United
States. Ten years later this had
been increased to 2,751 ton miles
per capita, and the increase since
then apparently has been more
rapid.
Railroads have reached a stage
i'm their development when they
cannot adequately satisfy the
freight transportation requirements
of the country. Their services must
be supplemented by that of the mo-
tor truck. The introductionS of the
truck as a freight carrier has al
ready been accomplished. The ex-
tent of its employment is the chief
thing left to be determined. 1t was
estimated recently that motor
trucks hauled a total OF 100000
OOO tons OF goods in 1917 per-
forming in that year a transporta-
ton service of about 5000. 900, 900,
one and one-half percent OF the
transportation service of the rail
ways, it nevertheless. is an import
ant beginning and is suggestive OF
great possibilities.
Railroads make their chief prof
its from long hauls. When a cargo
Of freight is consigned for delivery
within a short distance from the
shipping point, the charge for
transporting is a relatively small
part of the total freight rate, be-
cause the railroad must be COM
pensated for loading and unload
ing. The time required for making
deliveries is frequently excessive,
through no fault of the railroad.
and the short haul consignment in
consequence becomes unsatisfactory
to the consignor. the consignee and
to the railroad. as it may interfere
with and delay through freight.
1t is in relieving the railroad of
short haul business that the motor
truck will find one of its most fruit
full fields Of usefulness.
There is still much difference of
opinion as TO the distance over
which a motor truck can be profit
ably operated as a freight carrier.
The answer to this question must
depend upon several factors, one of
the most important of which is that
of the condition of the roads over
which the truck is operated. This
suggests a phase of the motor truck
which will be far
reaching As the need for this new
method of transportation is felt by
the people, there will be more in
sistent demand for the improve
ment and extension Of our highway
system. and as the roads are i'm
proved and new ones built, the ne
cessity for still further Improvement
and extension will become more
and more apparent.
Most Of the efforts that have
been made 10 employ motor trucks
as carriers of freight have been on
a comparatively small scale. At
this writing It is difficult TO con-
lecture whether the utilization of
the motor truck will be stimulated
by the activities Of the postal de-
partment. or whether private inter-
ests will hold back in order 10
learn just how comprehensive may
be the plans Of the jstration
for the extension Of the parcel post
system In the long run the effect
will doubtless be stimulating. As
parcel post routes are established,
roads will necessarily be improved
and the possibility of making mo-
tor deliveries will become so APP
parent that private capital will be
attracted IN the new field"