The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-27
TRUCK DEMAND
SHOWS TREND
OF BUSINESS
White Company Reports
$3.50 White Trucks In
Use Now

The healthy condition of business in
general the last year was reflected very
noticeably in the increased production
and use of motor trucks during 1923
Invariably with business expansion
there comes the demand for additional
fransportati ton facilities. Business and
transportation being inseparable the
motor truck because of its ability to
move goods quickly and economically,
has aided materially all lines of bust
ness. An idea of the extent to which
motor truck transportation has contrib
uted toward better business the White
from statistics compiled by The White
company covering fleet operation of
trucks.
The White company publishes an
nually the roll call, listing all owners
of 10 or more White trucks and show
ing the growth of truck usage year by
year since 1910. The list is unique in
that nothing to approach it in size has
ever been published by any other truck
manufacturer. HE roll call not only
furnishes an excellent barometer of
business conditions, but shows in
graphic manner the strides being made
by motor truck transportation. Last
year for example the list of owners OPP
far the greatest growth in the COM
pany's history. e.,
755 Owners Operate
At the beginning of the year there
we're 755 companies and individuals
operating "a total of 28,166 White
trucks in fleets of 10 or more. During
the year, 1852 owners operating 6,393
trucks in fleets of ten or more were
l. Al IL "a t.,
nection it is interesting to note, as evil
dence of the increasing use of motor
trucks, that the addition of fleet owners
the last year was greater than all
White truck owners, using ten or more
trucks, seven years ago. In 1917, the
entire White roll call comprised $50
names and 5000 trucks, or less than
one-fifth the number of owners and
trucks on the list today.
List More Than Tripled In Six Years
There are three notable things about
the White roll call its extent, growth
from year to year and character of
ownership. The list has more than
tripled the last six years. The steady
progress shown in the size of the fleets
is especially interesting to all truck
users as, almost without exception, the
fleets show growth from year to year.
As to character of ownership the list
contains the foremost names in indus
try and commerce, representing all lines
of business and in most cases the lead
ers in their respective industries.
One Owner Operates 1,441 Trucks
Many of the owners on the roll call
operate hundreds of trucks. The owner
Of the largest individual fleet is the
Gulf Refining company with 1,441
trucks, representing an investment of
more than $4,OO0,O00. About 200 more
Whites will be delivered to the Gulf
Refining company at an early date.
This company has used White trucks
since 1911.
e Few of the other large fleet owners
are the Associated Bell Telephone COM
panies with 1,123; the Standard Oil
company of New York, 100; Union Oil
company of California, 712; Atlantic
Refining company, 507, and the Ameri-
can Railway Express, 433.
In addition to the users who operate
fleets Of ten or more there are 6,S13
owners operating fleets of less than
ten, totalling 37,417 trucks, making a
grand total of fleet owners of 1868 and
the number of trucks they operate 65,-
683. In addition there is host of own
ers who do not operate fleets.