New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
'<Drive- Always . Are
Robbed of Their
errors

Detroit motor car manufacturers
realized early in the winter that there
was but orc solution Of the national
railroa1 traffic situation the "drivc-
aways." From the day the United
States formally declared war and prep
arations for mobilization Of the army
began, it was apparent that the freight
car shortage and The congestion or
traffic would grow worse instead OF
better. Consequently there was quiet
but persistent preparation for the in
cvitablc on the part of those who had
studied the situation and forcsccn its
problems.
The extent to which these advance
prcparations were carried is to be seen
in casual survey OF the sales and
transportation departments Of ono De
/ troit manufacturer in particular This
concern was all in readiness All sum
mcr long. cvt%, when the ordinary OBJ
server saw no cause for great worry
over the transportation question.
"drive-away educational campaign WAS
being carried on throughout the full
organization of dealers.
That is, every dealer within a rea
sonablc distance was urged to bring his
men TO the factory to drive the cars
back, instead Of waiting for railroad
shipments. "The railroads arc trying
their best" read some of the drive
away propaganda. "but in the face OF
present conditions, when the govern
ment requires all available facilities for
mobilization. YOU must expect delays.
You can eliminate this uncertainty and
at the same time lend a hand of cheer
full cooperation to the country by put
ting YOUR cars over the road on their
own power
Convenient for Dealers
And it is now that the fruits Of prep
aration in other directions arc beng
harvested When group Of drivers.
from the South for instance, fails TO
anticipate snowstorm or drop to
zero temperature. the factory is pre-
pared to supply the instant remedy. In
the rest room set apart for their use
there is the store of warm clothing and
other supplies gathered together earlier
in the wear. 1t is sold to the dealers
and their drivers at cost. There is no
confusion and delay because driver or
two "must stop downtown to buy PAIR
of gloves" All such details are dis
posed of before the "drive-away" be
ally keep going until they reach their
destinations.
One large dealer who has taken hun
: drcds Of cars over the roads from De
troit saws: "It has come to the point
5 where the public is demanding cars
that were driven from Detroit to Chi
,, cago. The argument in favor Of these
cars is very logical. Every one knows
3 that car will run more smoothly afte'
it has been limbered up by severa
hundred miles Of driving. Further
: more, all our cars are driven by ex
=, i, pcrierced mechanics, and as a rcsul
= every motor is perfectly tuned up wher
h it reaches Chicago
d Helps the Government
Large fleets Of cars have been driver
v to such distant points as New York
: Brooklyn. Boston. Philadelphia, st. 10
S seph, Mo, and even to Atlanta. j. W
S Goldsmith, jr dealer in tho latte
r city. has made several trips with nj
y aggregate of more than sixty cars with
l. out the slightest trouble.
J. The manufacturers who have antlci
y patcd and met the "drive-away" prob
e lem by the methods here described ar
" Dodge Brothers. BY means Of the CO
operation they have been given b
c their dealers Dodge Brothers have bee
u able to continue production Of cars a
- almost the normal rate. and at tn
~ same time relieve the railroads of tn
~ problem Of supplying shipping facili
- ties for 400 cars a day. Only the mos
~ distant points are served by railroad
- The spirit in which Dodge Brothers er
- courage "drive-aways" is illustrated
-. the following quotation from recer
:, special ''drive- -away edition" of thei
49, dealers house organ:
20 Tell us when YOU are coming [
c. drive away your cars.
o. Don't let distance frighten 70,
.r l!elp the government. Help the irai
,e roads. Help YOURSELF.
to Road Maps Prepared
Id This campaign continued through II
'g summer and fall without abatemcn
o. occasionally with the suggestion tn;
as dealers might as we'll learn the roa'
as and accustom themselves to the 'driv
II; away method before this remained
All the only means of obtaining cars"
or Meanwhile. other departments we
n "mobilizing" Buyers were detailed
az lay in supplies of robes. overcoats. hi
'n tens. overshocs and everything susgc
ne ti9e Of warmth and comfort out
or doors. a route man was sent out ov
as all the principal highways entering D
troit to post signs--neat little bl
ne boards, bearing the welcome legend 90
ne Chicago" or "To Toledo or whatev
rs the case might be. Route cards we
ar prepared. covering the principal poin
'le of egress. One side of the cards bo
ry a map. with all towns designated
lg. the other were the measured direction
on mile by mile
ed But these were all incdentals to t
We climax Of preparations. In West D
a troit. only few blocks from the Micl
he <an Central station, an immense hri
re building was taken over and cquipp
an as a "drive-away garage solely f
.ir the convenience of the hundreds
dealers who would be coming TO I