Evening star., 1928-05-27
MOTOR TRUCK TRADE
INCREASES IN YEAR
Commercial Houses Making Larger
Use of Modern Delivery
Vehicles.

Growth of the motor truck industry
was marked during 1927, according to
President s. NJ. Williams of the Motor
Truck Association of Illinois, who cited
figures showing increase in commercial
vehicles in the United States as COM
pared with horse-drawn vehicles.
THE most essential element enter
ing into the proposition Of motorizing
business Is that Of operating cost" said
Mr.. Williams Statements emanatiYfg
from horse association have recently
been called TO my attention, In which
the costs OF maintaining motor trucks
and horse-drawn vehicles were COM
pared. Among these comparisons was
one referring 10 New York City, in
which Is was stated that the delivery
of ice cream with team and wagon,
including salesman's compensation
costs on an average Of $1,000 per week.
while the cost Of gasoline trucks in the
same service was given as $l86.7t per
week. This statement could have been
amplified had 1t been cited that con-
gestcd traffic conditions similar TO those
existing In Chicago's Loop and fire.
Quent stops with short hauls between
these stops accounted for this differ
ence in costs, making the comparison
more clearly defined, There were also
some errors Of omission In these state
ments Of the routes covered In making
ice cream deliveries and the units COW
ering them. They state that 23l routes
we're covered by 667 horses, but neglect
ed To state how many trucks covered
the routes supplied by gasoline trucks
and, most important Of all, the mileage
covered by these gasoline trucks"
In further comment on these state
ments pertaining TO the use Of horses
In Chicago by milk distributors and
carriage companies. Mr.. Williams said
that here again appeared the questions
of short haus and frequent stops. also
congested trafflc conditions. He went
on 10 say there was no question about
about the practicnbility Of the use Of
horses under certain operating con-
ditions but that the use Of horses in
Chicago in general has been on the de-
cline for years, as is evidenced by regis
tration records. These show that In
1910 90 per cent Of all commercial
hauling was covered by horse-dfawn
equipment and only ! per cent by mo-
tor trucks Since that year and up 10
the present time there has been a grad
uai decrease In horSe~draWn equipment
and gradual Increase In motor trucks
to the extent that the latter now covers
30 per cent and the former 20 per cent
of all commercial hauling
Mr. Williams further stated that In
any comparisons between the perform
ance of horses and motor trucks 1t r.
only fair to the latter 10 bring out the
fact that motor trucks are reaching out
into operations that were never dreamed
III IN the days that horses were more
frequently used This can be attekted 10
by the numerous motor trucks OH the
highways encountered by passenger Car
opera tors, who very often nnthinkingiy
criticize these truck operations. com"
Dletely overlooking that they are com
mercial fixtures. moving commodities al
all kinds particularly perishable goods
from point ~ point. not only more
quickly but also more economically.
III conclusion Mr. Williams said that
one 0f the outstanding purposes 0f the
Motor Truck Association Of Illinois Is
~ make proper presentation Of the use
and benefit ~ motor trucks 10 those
whose business calls for the Use of
transportation, and IN so doing due
recognition Is gwen 10 Tbs merits ~
horse drawn equipment under certain
operating conditions,