Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-17
Trucks on Farms
Save Much Time

Niiot 10 you HIlu 70 De tIle great
est advantage Of owning a motor
truck?"
OF 753 farm owners Of motor trucks
who We're asked this question by the
United States department OF agri-
culture, 81 per cent said saving
time"
About % per cent of these men
had found better markets since
buying their trucks, but 40 per cent
of them had not cut down the num-
Der of their work stock by as much
as single head, while less than one
man in ten had cut down his work
stock more than two head.
Saves Time Rather Than Expense.
(Which merely goes-to show" says
a department specialist in farm
power, how difficult 1t is to arrive
at definite conclusion in matter
like this motor truck study we have
just completed. 1t would certainly
appear that any saving attributable
to the motor truck on the farm is in
time saved rather than in expense.
Most of these men think that the
profits accruing from the saving In
time more than overbalance any eX-
ira expense, entailed by the use OF
the motor truck. 1t Is significant that
the majority of these farmers are To-
Gated q considerable distance from
market more than -fifths OF
them being miles or more from their
shipping points, and the saving in
| off cd 1,v nf
is naturally greater than it would be
on the average farm, which lies near
err to market than do most Of the
farms concerned in this investiga-
ton The experience of the 1853 farm
ers who have contributed to this
study should enable the farmer him
self to judge with fairdegree OF
accuracy as to whether the motor
truck would prove advantageous un-
der his conditions"
The investigation in question was
made during the past winter and
spring. Farmers in the States Of
Maine, New Hampshire. Vermont.
Massachusetts,. Rhode Island. Con-
necticut. New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware. and Indiana.
who have motor trucks for use on
their own farms. were asked to re-
port to the department the types and
sizes of their farms, the use they
make of their trucks. the cost OF
operating them, the advantages and
disadvantages of trucks for farm use,
and other related information.
"A study of the reports Of 753 OF
these farmers has just been complet-
ed by the Office of Farm Management
and Farm Economics. The farms
which these men operate are Of all
sizes and types and the motor trucks
are of all sizes. from one-half to 5
tons. The rated capacity of very few
of the trucks is greater than 2 tons,
however, and nearly half Of them are
of the 1-ton size.
Among the important facts revealed
by the investigation may be men
toned the following:
Only Is per cent OF these farms
are less than niles from market
and nearly ne-fourth Of them are
20 miles or more from market.
Ninety-fiv per cent of the farm
ers believe that their trucks will turn
out to be profitable investments.
One-ton trucks are preferred by
more men than prefer any other
size. About half of the owners OF
one-half and three-fourths ton trucks
prefer sizes larger than they now
own.
In the opinions Of these men the
principal disadvantage of a motor
truck is poor roads"
Trucks Are Time Savers.
AS compared with horses and wag-
ons, the trucks save from one half to
two thirds Of, the time required for
hauling materials to and from these
farms.
These farmers have return loads
for their trucks about one-fourth of
the time.
A majority of them still use their
horses for some road hauling.
On the majority of the farms all
the hauling other than road hauling
is done with horses and wagons.
About one-fourth Of the men do
some custom hauling with their
trucks. The average~ amount re-
ceived per year by those who do
such work is STA.
On the average there are about
eight weeks during the year, when
the roads are in such condition on
account Of mud. snow. ETC., that these
trucks can not be used. The roads
on which three fourths of them US
ually travel are all or part dirt
About one fourth of the farmers
have changed their markets for at
least a part of their produce since
purchasing trucks. For those who
have changed markets. the average
distance to the new market is 20
miles.
Average Life Of Trucks.
The owners estimate that. on the
average, their trucks travel $500
miles per year.
The average life of the trucks is
between 61a and years, and in most
cases depreciation il the largest
single item of expense in connection
with their operation
Most of the owners OF one half
and three fourths ton trucks prefer
pneumatic tires. the owners of 1-ton
trucks are about evenly divided in
their preference, and most Of the
owners of trucks larger than l ton
prefer solid tires.
Over two-thirds Of the trucks had
not been out of commission when
needed for a single day during the
year covered by the report, and near
ly the same proportion Of the owners
stated that they had not lost any APP
preciable time on account of motor
and tire trouble, breakage, etc, when
using their Trucks However about
one truck in thirty had been out OF
| commission 10 days or more.
The average cost of operation OF
the one half ton trucks was about
& cents Der mile: of the three fOlllui1s