Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-11-12
Motor Truck Sales Are
Now Highest In History
First Ten Months of 1886 xceed 12-Month Period of
1879; requirements and General Business Activity
Responsible for Ri sing Registrations

expansion in truck use that the re-
gulations and taxation applied to it
have been of an unscientific variety.
Motor truck taxes have mounted to
gigantic proportions largely because
of the efforts of those who would
curb highway transportation progress,
and also because this method of tax
ing has been convenient revenue
producer for politicians seeking funds
for other purposes than highway con-
struction and maintenance.
Regulations have been adopted hap
haZardly due to efforts to curb truck
use, without regard to encouraging
this comparatively new agency to per-
form it's service as economically and
flexibly as possible with due consid-
GRAFTON for safe operation, the preser-
| other highway users.
AS means of placing this essential
medium of transportation on a sound
economic plane, owners and manufac-
turers of equipment are cooperating
with federal, state and municipal law
administration and enforcement Off
Gals in their studies for an equitable
solution in the public interest.
| OnlIOrm Laws In view
A Committee of our Association re-
Gently appeared before the Motor Car
rier Division of the Interstate Com
merce Commission favoring the equip
ment requirements promulgated by
the Safety Division of the Interstate
Commerce Commission Motor Carrier
Bureau. 1t is felt that these regula-
lions are sound, that they actually
can be made to apply in practice to
motor truck operation, and that they
will encourage the adoption of uni
form safety regulations in all the
states, SO essential to adequate en-
forcement and to a free and unham-
pered flow of traffic over the high
ways in Interstate commerce.
More than $4,000 for-hire operators
have filed applications with the Com
mission for certificates and permits
to operate as common and contract
carriers respectively.
Included among the developments
in it's administration of the Act has
been the issuance of insurance regula-
tiOEs and the regulations on safety
which are expected to become effec-
tive with minor changes in less than
two months. Numerous hearings have
been held on certificate applications
and on requests of large operators
and railroads to buy up the franchises
and equipment of smaller operations.
This latter procedure is an indica-
ton that administration and enforce
ment of the Act NAV encourage a
trend toward Capitalization of equip
ment and franchise ownership in the
hands of a comparatively few opera
tors. including Independents and rail-
road subsidiaries. Up to this time,
motor truck transportation for-hire
has been in the hands of thousands
of small operators, with very few com
panies having fleets of more than
fifty units in service.
Shippers Trucks Are Check
Against Monopoly
This trend might be regarded as
return to a transportation monopoly
if it were not for the fact that truck
transportation is largely a personal
lied service for shippers who own
and operate over 80 percent of the
units registered. AS long as the Gov
eminent and the Courts recognize
that the shippers truck is a tool of
private enterprise and make no at
tempt to surround the shipper arbi-
trarily with public utilities regula-
tions, shipper ownership will always
serve as buffer against monopoly.
The rate problem has not yet been
solved by passage of the Act. In GER
tain sections of the country, parti-
culary in the midwest, the competi-
ton has been so keen that rates of
many operators have been forced
down below the point where they can
| yield truckers a reasonable return
on their investments. Rate bureaus
representing the operators are study
ing this problem with view to plac-
ing rates on a sound basis that will
be low enough to attract shippers and
at the same time high enough to as
| sure truck operators fair profit.
| 1t may be several years before the
| Interstate Commerce Commission will
| get through the maze of details aris-
ing out of the Acts provisions.
Up to this time, decisions it has
rendered would indicate that the
Commission intends to deal with
motor trucks as an individual and
separate transportation agency.
If motor truck service is regarded
as a distinct and individual trans
portation agency that will always
compete with, as well as supplement
water and rail transportation, there
is every reason to look forward to
further growth of motor truck Use