Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-03-16
RMTOMARKET DYM0TOR SOLVES SHORT
HAUL" SO GOVERNMENT EXPERTS LEARNED

Hauling farm produce to market in
the successful solution of the short
haul" one Of the most difficult prob
lens which confronts the transporta
ton expert. reports the bureau of mar
kets of the United States department
Of agriculture in recent publication,
Motor Transportation for Rural Dis
tricts.''
The bureau conducted an extensive
survey of so rural motor routes to as
certain the defective practices and as
far as possible to suggest improve
ments which would stabilize the indus
try. 1t found that rural freight is haul
ed by the farmer who owns truck
and handles his personal marketing
'as well as that of his neishbor by mo-
tor; by local automobile or truck agen
cies that operate transportation trucks
rs side line: by the city transfer
coming, and by the large corporation
Which operates fleet of truck over Z
wide range of territory. Naturally
with such q diversity in the hauling
agencies there is similarly wide range
In their methods of doing business.
Pioneers have made mistakes which
should teach valuable lessons for their
SUCCESSORS. For example, too many
ambitious motor men buy their trucks
first and then make u study of local
conditions and the prospects for the
development of a profitable and per-
manent hauling business in their com
munitics. They neglect to inventory
such critical conditions as the volumes
OF farm products produced along the
contemplated routes. the volume of
miscellaneous hauling, supplementary
to regular loads; the competition of
other carriers and the character of the
highways over which the trucks must
run.
COUNTRY MUST BE SETTLED.
A motor truck route established in a
sparsely settled or nonproductive re-
gion Is foredoomed to failure. advise
the experts of the department of agri-
culture. At least a potential supply of
commodities must be available for
hauling if there is to be sufficient busi-
ness to make The route q paying one. a
region devoted to the production Of a
few staple crops which move to mar
Eet during q comparatively brief sea-
son will not provide business for per-
manent route.
Regions devoted to truck farming or
dairying provide rich fields for motor
truck operation. However. considera-
ton should be given to the nature Of
the products to be hauled as low
priced, bulky staples may not stand the
transportation charges necessary to
maintain g route.
For Illustration, it is unlikely that
hay can be transported by motor truck
for long distances except under I'M
usual distances with respect to price
Perishables may stand the motor truck
tariff IL the transportation service to
market is speedfer than the customary
means of transportation. Such COM
modities as cream, milk, and eggs,
which are high in price as compared
to bulk, may bear IL reasonably hga
transportation charge if more satisfac-
tory facilities are offered.
The back haul or return trip which
often is made without a load consti-
tutcs an extravagant practice which
truckmen should strive to avoid. At
tention should be concentrated on the
problem of arranging for freight so that
there will be profitable load on all
,,ucks ybepever tb,,, ,r, o,,n,.,,od
Eoor cnn,roti.,or 10 a,,,tto,, s,,,.
in n,oto,. t,,cl, seryice son,o onora
tors boye ronnd a ,oreiI,,o 10 oon,r,to
successrul,v Win rai,-sar,.ioa a,,d ,,a,
n CHARGE 70 tes rather Iio,nr +,,,, ,,or,
CHARGED Inv tho c,,sto,,,or,, nnrrio,,
sucb conditions hor.,,,,o,. .,,,,. o,,I,, ,,oo
sjble where tho sorvice is dorolonod ~,
a most extorsive scala
coon poans NEcEsenpx