Evening star., 1931-12-15
NEW RA|L-M0T0R
RATE ESTABLISHED
!. C. C. Rulings Will Soon Be
Put Into Effect by
Carriers.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special OlSpdtCH 10 ne StdI
NEW YORK, December 15.-As the
Interstate Commerce Commission has
established fiat rates on the hauling Of
truck bodies Ito meet motor truck COM
petition" both truckers and carriers are
now preparing to put the co-ordlnated
transportation service into effect.
The advantages claimed for this new
rail-motor service are, cheaper rates for
tho shipper of leSS-t han-carload lots Of
freight, flat rate to the railroad for
truck bodies, whether empty or loaded,
thereby assuring revenues both ways;
sa.ings to taxpayers by having fewer
trucks on already crowded highways be-
tween populouS centers, lowered costs
on insurance, operations and maintc-
nance to the truck companies.
One truck firm operating between
here and Philadelphia, will use 20 truck
bodies starting January l, 1882. 1t now
uses two. Another trucker, operating
between here and Baltimore. will use IA
truck bodies beginning in January.
Contract haulers for prominent beV-
erage concern and for Americas largest
grocery chain plan similar services.
New Rates in Effect.
Between Jersey City, Philadelphia,
Bal imore, Richmond, Va, and Scran-
ton Pa, the Pennsylvania Railroad,
Baltimore l. Ohio, Richmond, Fred
err ksburg & Potomac, Central of New
Jersey and Delaware, Lackawanna &
WCo.ern Roads have made the new
ra IS effective.
Under the I. c. c. experiment, which
is effective only for one year, railroads
may charge fiat rates on loaded or
empty truck bodies furnished by the
shippers, who are responsible for pack
ing and loading them. The bodies
must be equipped with hooks by which
they may be lifted between freight cars
and trucks or trailers by cranes
Heretofore some carriers like New
York Central and Pennsylvania, ran a
container service, in which case the
ess-than-carload lots bore the rate of
the highest class of freight in the con-
tainer. Since the commission ruled the
reads cannot charge fiat rates on con-
tainars they own. the Pennsylvania
road is turning over At containers to
non-railroad companies.
Progressive trucking corporations are
considering the use CT demountable
bodies The railroads are improving
their lifting equipment. Because the
Interstate Commerce Commission per-
mitted trial of only one year, neither
motor nor rail service feels justified in
spending large sums at present on a
service that makes the motor truck a
direct customer of the railroad apd the
individual shipper a direct customer OF
the motor truck and an indirect GUS
toner of the railroad.
Some Freight Excluded.
This new" motor-rail service, de-
signed to win back to the rails part OF
the less-than- carload freight lost to
trucks, is not available to all shippers,
because it excludes perishables, ex-
plosives fresh flowers, articles Of ex-
traordinary value, like money; precious
metals or goods manufactured there
from: securities, deeds, drafts and
stamps, and, between October is and
April l5 liquids liable to freezing.
Railroads are relieved of all respon-
sibility for improper packing or load
ing, which is done by the shipper-the
corporation, forwarding company or
trucking concern When the railroads
crane begin transferring the truck
body from truck or trailer, the road
assumes responsibility until the body
is delivered on the truck or trailer.
Motor trucks can reduce operating
expenses, it is said, by reducing per-
sonnel per load, as heavier shipments
are permitted by rail than by motor.
They can cut insurance costs, since
trucks have cargoes for shorter periods
of time in their custody. They are also
able to eliminate the numerous extra
license plates now required in many
States.
The demountable truck body is not
new 1t originated in Cincinnati be-
tween the five stations of the Cleve-
land, Cincinnati, Chicago & st. Louis
Railway on May 26, 1917 The father
of this idea was Benjamin F. Fitch,
organizer of the Cincinnati Motor Ter
minal Co. and now president OF Motor
Terminals &C.
CoDtainer Service.
New York Central, parent of the
Cleveland Cincinnati, Chicago & St,
Louis Railway, viewed this motor rail
idea favorably and had the company
collaborate with it in establishing a
container service between Cleveland and
Chicago. Later Cincinnati Motor Ter
minal started a service now in use, be-
tween Cincinnati Dayton, Toledo and
Detroit.
Railroads ignored the demountable
truck body idea a decade ago because
they were interested in developing new
giant types of box cars, unmindful that
the hand-to-mouth buying policy of
merchants-to reduce inventories-was
lowering the transportation unit from
the carload to the truckload Today
there is considerable jockeying for
positions among truck companies, con-
tainer services, forwarding companies
and railroads in the swiftly changing
American transportation scene.