The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-24

making traffic survey OF the teg
ritory to be reached. 10 determine
the amount OF freight which might
be expected 10 develop The basis
OF this survey was the amount OF
freight handled by the electric line
In similar territory which had been
electrically developed
with this determined. the cost OF
equipment 20 handle the freight was
estimated. the cost maintenance. and
other elements figured In to achieve
figure which would represent the
total estimated income and tho total
estimated expense. Rates for cx.
press haul were then developed on
the lines OF ordinary freleht classlfl
cation To achieve "a workable tariff
FOR the motor haul.
The motor truck system was then
put In operation. with few trucks
at first, and later expanded AZ the
business developed
In handling freight. the highway
transport section OF the line was
considered as an integral portion Of
the main line, with the electric ter.
minai as "A junction point with the
trucS service. The business dev.l.
oped was for merchants In the Va.
lagos ana cities on the route. but
the company could not refuse. az a
common carrier 10 handle also the
offerings OF Individual farmers along
the route. The ordinary express bin
OF hding was used. with a tariff
between all points either wholly rail.
wholly truck. or rail and truck com.
bined. business was handled be.
tween any point on the consolidated
system ana any other.
The problem Of operation WIS
solved along strictly army lines.
copying the methods used BY the
motor transport corps in handling
supplies for soldiers IN France. The
electric terminal IL the railhcad and
highway transport lines In different
directions branch out from this rail
head to distribute the shipments in
their respective territories with
the agent OF the rail- line az the dis
patchcr NJ this raiihead. Il "a pos.
siolc to throw trucks from one OF
the highway routes to another. as
traffic demands
The electric company copied Uncle
sam la another way. II decided TO
put two men on every truck. a drlv.
er and an assistant driver. The
driver was responsible for the opera.
ton. and his assistant was placed
under his Jurisdiction. To make the
successful working OF the truck an
ambition for the driver. a standard
rate of pay was devised. and an
average cost of operation figured
The driver Is pcnalixed for delays.
but paid bonus for savings.
and commission also on new busl.
ness developed. A sliding scale OF
bonuses makes the driver a personal
factor In the business.
SO much for tho operation Of the
system. The problem OF the truck
IL a little difficult 10 describe. as
into this phase OF the story came
the use OF differing types Of vehi-
cles. II may be said that at the
Z start an error was made. and a
truck OF standard az ton type was
used. with extra wide gauge OF its
driving wheels. This made much
/ difficulty. owing to the constant con.
fiict with the ruts IN the highways
/ traversed. Perfectly satisfactory for
a concrete road. With a country high.
way. difficulties were Intending. The
problem was met. however. by the
I substitution OF standard width
I truck. OF n twoton type. and for
certain types OF haul. the adoption
OF Ia ton vehicle was found ad
vantageous. especially for milk.
a long study was made OF the pro-
I posal to use the medium sized truck
with diversified. expensive pneumatic
I tires. This type has not as yet been
1 installed in this particular system.
I bu. probably will be used, based on
| the experience of other similar traf.
( fic systems elsewhere. The pneu.
matte tire proved 20 take up the vi
! bration. and 20 save milk particular
I ~ from churning on the long haul
! II also added 20 the speed POSSIBLE
tiles Of the truck. by relieving the
engine from vibration when running
over Is miles an hour.
Copyright. 1919, by Warren u.
Bullock.
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