Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-28
HEARINGS ON TRUCK
SITUATION STARTED
|. c. c. Begins Inquiry to De-
termine Policy of Govern
ment Toward Carriers.
BY J. C. ROYLE.

The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Is preparing for what probably will
be the most important year in its his
tory It is doing this by its program
of holding hearings on the bus and
truck situations in a score OF cities
throughout the United States.
This is one Of the major problems
which the rail carriers have to meet.
It's Importance cannot be overest1-
mated because the main problem of
the return of prosperity is dependent
largely on distribution.
Distribution has Jagged far behind
production in efficiency. No country
can be prosperous unless the distribu-
ton systems are operating at full eff
profit. It is equally true that famine
and panic incident to famine have
never existed in any country which
had an efficient system Of distribution.
Short haul Competition.
The railroads regard bus and truck
competition as one of their chief prob
lens. Many of them have taken over
competing bus and truck lines and are
operating them on their own account.
Difficulty arises from the fact that bus
and truck transport so far has been
efficient only over distances limited TO
$50 miles. 1t, therefore, means a
short-haul competition. The railroads
are in position to meet long-naul
competition, but they have cut their
own costs to the bone and on the snort
hauls they face a loss.
The truck admittedly is competitive
factor in the eSS-than-trainload tramc
of freight, and now the operators are
experimenting with trains OF buses or
trucks. Independent manufacturers
also are looking closely into the posi-
bility of making delivery by their own
truck routes instead OF patronzing the
railroads.
one example stands out. The Pere
Marquette Railroad serves Flint, Mich,
the home of the Buick automobile.
over short distances the truck con-
Germs have been able to cut the rail-
road rate almost in half and General
Motors is experimenting with the pos
sibility of operating its own truck lines.
This cannot and will not De zone
without severe opposition. States al
ready are passing regulations limiting
the length of individual trucks ana
restricting the use Of their roads by
truck trains.
Regulation Demanded.
The head of one of the five great
Eastern trunk line railroads declares
that the truck situation is major
problem. he dSSeIIS tLIa1 u oN>S r.
be regulated with the same severity
as to operation, financing and regula-
ton as are the railroads. He points out
that the trucks pay no maintenance
for the public highways, whereas
tremendous percentage of railroad reve-
nues are devoted to maintenance OF
way.
These are problems that are going
to come up before the next congress
In spite of the brevity of the session,
it is possible that some definite action
NAV be taken which will place the
truck companies under the same regu-
lations in interstate commerce as are
imposed upon the steam lines. 1t is
with this in view that the Interstate
Commerce Commission is gathering q
tremendous volume of information and
evidence at its hearings, which VIII
he held from now until December /.
(Copyrfght, l930.)