Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-11-12
BY ARTHUR G. BUTLER.
Secretary, Motor Truck Committee,
Automobile Manufacturers
Association.

|
Association.
New York. Nov. 12-Retail sales of
motor trucks for the first ten months
OF this year have alreary exceeded the
entire twelve months period of 1929,
the previous peak year for production
and sales.
The merchandising reports indicate
sales of approximately $4,000 motor
| trucks during the past ten months as
| compared with the entire 1929 sales
| figure of 527,057 units. Estimates are
| that 100000 vehicles will have been
| sold in the United States when the
| figures for this year are released in
January. This is "a per cent higher
than 1885.
Production and registrations are re-
Elected in the sales. The estimate for
1886 production is 100000 units and it
is expected that a total of $500 900
motor trucks, new high, will be en-
tered in the registration books of the
48 states and the District of Column
bia this year.
It was predicted two years ago by
the manufacturers that demand for
motor trucks would, proportionately,
rise well in advance Of the general
return to better business.
The replacement market has been
long overdue. That now reflects the
sales of new units. Need for units to
adequately move industrial and ag-
ricultural commodities in a more in
tense traffic movement has also been
responsible for the increased registra-
tons. Heavy duty vehicles are more
i,0 IL j
building construction projects. Rail
roads are increasing their use of
trucks in providing full transpor-
tation service.
Improved Highways and Vehicles
Encourage Growth
Demand for motor trucks as dictat-
ed by these industrial and farm re-
quirements, has been encouraged by
the improvements in highways and
by further modernization of motor
truck equipment in the factory la
boratories.
Past experience not only en-
phasizes that "the motor truck is
here to stay" but also that with a
reconstruction of their distribution
methods by shippers to meet the up
tO-date requirements of consumers,
highway vehicles will, out of economic
necessity, make further inroads and
intensity their indispensability to
commerce.
| 1t is reported that much is being
done by shippers in various industries
to rebuild their shipping structures
| to facilitate handling of their COM
modities by truck IS well as by rail
and water. Truck use expanded so
rapidly that many, of these necessary
| changes for handling traffic had up to
few years ago been overlooked. This
undermining of shipping headquarters
is step which will benefit the con-
sumner in the form of low commodity
| prices brought about by the option
the shipper will, have in selecting the
lower priced and more convenient
transportation agencies for a parti-
cular type of service.
The progressive attitude is a far
cry from the, efforts made years ago
by "wagoner!s" and canal operators
who tried to- stem the tide of railroad
growth by promoting adverse legisla-
! tion 1t carries with it a word to 9TH
er transportation agencies hiatt re-
CARELESS OF how much money or eff
fort is expended to throttle the motor
truck by heavy tax burdens and I'M
reasonable regulation, it will continue
to advance, by economic decree, to
it's most useful place in distribution.
Need for Sound Regulations
1t is apparent that due to the quick