The Washington herald., 1922-09-10
TRAFFIC MANAGERS
SOUGHT In TRADE,
AUTHORITY SAYS
Merchandise Trade OF.
fers Field for Ex-
perts.

Traffic management, states an Of
hcial from La Sale University, has
sometimes been defined as the
science OF securing efficient and
economical transportation between
producer and consumer" but II Is
more than this because II vitality
concerns every one OF us. II direct
ly affects the prosperity OF every
individual, every business. and
very city In America. 1t helps decide
how much we are to pay for our
food, our clthes, our furniture ana
our building materials. 1t enters
into the cost Of everything We use.
The cost OF growing or manufac-
turing a product Is one thing. The
expense involved in transporting 1t
from The farm or the factory to the
buyer is another and equally i'm
portant in determining the selling
price. A grand piano made and sold
in Chicago will not cost the pur-
chaser as much as a morris chair
made In Grand Rapids and shipped
by rail to northern Ontario and
from thence carried over the ice by
dog-team to a trading post in the
Hudson Bay country.
Millions OF Dollars Lost Annually.
Americas freight bill is over $2.-
900, 900, 900 annually. This Is 1000
times $1,000, 900. The new freight
rates recently put into effect add
$250,000.000 more to this enormous
sum, which averages approximately
$l25 for every family in the United
States.
This tremendous amount OF money
spent for transportation is many
millions OF dollars more than II need
be. 1t represents a great waste
or money, both overcharges and un-
dercharges. resulting from the lack
of trained traffic knowledge on the
part of both shippers and railroad
employees.
Every time a shipper pays IS too
much or the railway company
charges IS too little. some one loses
money. Regardless Of whose fault
II Is, the money Is wasted. II the
manufacturers in one city are pay
ing freight rates 10 per cent higher
than the manufacturers OF city
similarly situated, the former group
Of business men Is seriously handi-
capped and the prosperity Of their
city Is in danger.
That Is why trained trafi1c men
are needed by railroads. manufac-
turers, and commercial clubs.
Transportation is the greatest ex-
pense in the world, and those who
are to administer the expenditures
of these vast sums must be especial
ly qualified for the work. They
must know freight rates, freight
classifications, and thee heapest and
quickest routes. The man who is
equipped with this information can
choose his position. His salary will
range from $4,000 to $1,000. Some
traffic men make more than this.
Freight Rates md PROFITS.
Until recently, American manu-
facturers and civic associations did
not take into consideration the ef-
feet of transportation charges upon
particular lines of industry. The
buyer pays the freight" was the
slogan Of the manufacturer who To-
Gated his factory irrespective of dis
tance from his market.
The successful manufacturer to-
day knows that profitable selling of
his goods is dependent upon Cd ac-
cessibility of the raw material sup
ply to his factory, and (2) distrl.
button Of his product throughout the
widest area Of lowest possible
transportation expense.
Hence the trained traffic manager
works closely with the sales man
ager. He sees that the traffic de-
partment furnishes the sales depart
ment with charts or tabulations OF
rates showing selling cost of the
article plus transportation cost to
more important selling points. He
also sees that charts are furnished
showing transportation rates which
competitors have to pay to the same
points.
with this Information. the sales
manager Is able to take into con-
sideration his own transportation
costs and his competitors trans