Milford chronicle., 1941-01-17
HEAVY TRANSPORTATION

A demand for transportation new
er before approached in our land will
accompany the industrial expansion
due to the gigantic preparedness
program during the coming two
years, stated Harvey c. Fruehauf
President of the Fruehauf Trailer
Company. "In many parts of our
country highway facilities will be
entirely inadequate and a vigorous
road building program will have to
be inaugurated to eliminate conges-
tion and bottlenecks," predicted
Fruehauf.
Even the expenditure Of only an
extra few million dollars above nor
NAL would suffice to affect tremen-
dously the demand for all forms of
transportation. But when this ex-
penditure reaches several billions of
dollars, as 1t will during the coming
months, we can expect to find all of
our facilities taxed to their utmost,
and this goes for airways, water
ways and railways as well as high
ways.
"The increase in transportation
will not only be directly due to the
necessary movement of heavy goods
in connection with the armament in
dustries, but will also multiply as a
result of the by-products of activity
in all commercial fields. 1t must be
remembered that during the next
year or two, at least, money will be
circulated at a rate more rapid than
at any time in our history. The ma
tons total payroll will reach its
highest peak and consequently the
spending capacity Of the general
public will rise to new heights. This
will certainly bring about demand
for every type of product that we
humans employ. Even the restric-
tion of priority of materials for de-
tense purposes will only partially
throttle this tremendous commercial
which will come as a direct
result of the armament program.
whether this will constitute a
false prosperity or not is beside the |
point. The money is going to be |
spent and is going TO be put in cir
and 1t Is impossible to spend |
even small fraction of the huge
sum without accelerHting transbor-
tation.- When the staggering ain0uhts
called for in the defense program are
considered, it is not difficult to fore
see an era Of transportation activity
which will far exceed anything we
have known heretofore. II is even
To be felt now. The
Christmas volume, for example, In
many cities was at a new peak and
frafic congestion in and around the
cities likewise reached a high point.
Marine traffic on the Great Lakes for
1910 reached new high and in 1871
he great flow of fuel, ore and other
products will climb much higher,
ut will be necessary to expand Our
and improve our equip
nent to meet the demands for motor
We can readily fore
zee a replacement of obsolete equip
nent by new and modern methods ,
which are capable, of more quickly
a greater volume of
FOODS over the highways. There will
,e development in many forms of
lighter but stronger vehicles, CAP
bile of transporting increased loads
Without increasing gross weight
hodernized highways with fewer
,rade crossings and signals will be
apidly developed. The eountFy's
lle man power will be absorbed
apidly by all of these increasing ac-
ivities and improvements in motor
ehicles and motor highways as well
s in the operation and maintenance
increased motor vehicle fleets.
"As manufacturers of commercial
.ailers, we have already been called
pom to supply new types of vehicles
u the army, indicating that our
rmed forces are eagerly interested
making available the great mo-
lity of the tractor-trailer type of
nit and :. to take advantage of its
)ility to move greater quantities of
en- and materials at more rapid
tie, while conserving power and
el.
Because of the immense quantity
materials to be moved under
odern war conditions, it is of ut
ost importance to reduce road con- r.
stion to prevent delays. Each We ~
Gle must do its full share. Pack
ule methods won't suffice. Loads
ould be pulled where possible and
Iu carried. 1t is frequently poss-
Ie by use of trailers and semi
iilers to. use lesser number of
taller engines, thus taking up less
ON on the roads while carrying
eater loads with more maneuvera-
ity. This is particularly true be-
nd the lines.
'In the event of damage to the
I'd, the tractor is hot lost as it
n be quickly detached and driven
safety. Should the tractor be
maged, the load can be saved by
aching \ another tractor. The c.
ilef can act as mobile depot for
food, fuel and equip
mt while the tractor is free for
Ter work. The amazing versatil-
OF the traetor-trailer unit which
made it foremost in commercial
light haulage can frequently be Of Re-
at Importance under war condi-
ls.
transportation had its
/ beginning during the first World
r. 1t is likely that the demands of
present conflict will result in
nendous advances in our con-
tion Of highways and in the We
les which operate over them.