Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-25
TRUCK OPERATORS
OPPOSE CONTROL
Fanciulli and Campbell Tell
Senators Regulation Would
Hinder Growth.

Motor truck operators of washinets4
and Virginia today united in opposition
to Federal supervision Of these property
carriers
Two witnesses - Jerome Fanciulli
executive secretary of the Commercial
Motor Vehicle Owners Association Of
the District Of Columbia and the chair
man Of The Executive Committee of thu
Virginia Motor Truck Owners Associa-
ton, and w. S. Campfield of Staunton.
Va, secretary of the Virginia State
Horticultural Society-who appeared AZ
a Senate Interstate Commerce Commit
tee hearing ON measure for modified
control protested for commerce and
agriculture that such legislation would
hinder development of this form Of
transportation and be the entering
wedge for additional restrictions.
Would Require Permits
The bill under consideration, which
Is sponsored by Senator Couzens, Re-
publican, of Michigan, chairman Of the
committee, would require permits for
the operation of trucks in interstate
service 1t would also provide for su-
perViSion of the reports. and accounts
Of common carriers operating over fixed
routes and provide safety. regulations
for common and contract carriers.
Emphasizing the situation that would
exist in the District, where the sub
urban areas are located across State
lines, Fanciulli said: This bill would
have the effect of Subjecting trucks that
are used solely for local delivery pur-
poses to regulations that are apparently
designed for trucks used In mtercity
operations. Under this bill every coll
ored trash man as well as local retail
establishments and some newspapers
which have trucks to make their local
deliveries would be affected BY its pro-
visions. In fact. there Is hardly q
branch of local industry and trade, as
we'll as numerous individual services.
which would not be affected by the re-
quirements of this bill.
Would Increase Costs
Faneiulli said he realized that this
measure does not propose to regu-
late rates but he warned that it would
have the effect Of increasing costs.
the contract haulers, which would
greatly reduce competition, with re-
sultant increased charges but it would
pave the way for regulation and taxa
ton by the individual States. which
would further curtail competition and
increase costs These results would
combine to reduce available truck facili-
ties to the point where in times of ex-
ceptionsl need such as the movement
of crops, truck service would be at a
premium" He warned "if legislation Is
adopted regulating contract trucks
the way will be paved for similar
regulation of private trucks" Fanciuln
told the committee that 81 lines Of
business are represented in the aSs0cia-
ton and that approximately two-thirds
do not use motor trucks for hauling or
delivering for compensation in any sense
whatever.
Contract trucks he said, aid those
establishments which are not prosper
Gus enough to own their own trucks.
He said that any demand for regu-
lation comes only from selfish ship
pers."
Service Indispensable
Campbell told the committee that
unrestricted truck service was indis-
pensable to the agricultural industry.
During the past season." he said,
the motor truck has been responsible
for giving apples the widest and most
thorough domestic distribution in the
entire history Of apple growing" He
said he represented between 500 and
900 apple and peach growers.
He pointed out that railroad freight
rates on farm produce are from 10 TO
80 per cent higher than 20 years age,
while the price of orchard and farm
products is from 30 to 40 per cent lower.
adding that the freight bill on a car
of apples or peaches IS often greater
| than the net receipt by the grower,
which holds true Of other farm
products"
He blamed the high. cost Of railroad
| transportation to "evercapitalisation
unreasonably high wages q burdensems
overhead of high-salsried officials, IN
flexible and complicated rate structures
that necessitate an army of detailed
elerkships, and the high retainer fec
necessary to maintain influential repFe-
sentatives in practically every county
in the United States for ATTENDING %
legal matters and guiding lesisaatioAE