Milford chronicle., 1952-02-01

', were over-crowded in 1870 when
tnere were 500 fewer vehicles If
there were no trucks at an. we NOT
only would have one-third less
money for our highways. We would
mo our highways and streets stilI
lete. anu VOso-
The ton-mile tax referred IN bv
Mr.. BabsOn is a scientific-sounding
scheme concocted by those honjpe
70 price truck transportatior ont
or competition with the raiIroade
however, it has been vigoronsIv
condemned as unsound, unfair. in
equitable, and discriminatory bv
three impartial federal government
studies, the latest by the u. q Rn-
reau or Public Roads. They gound
that gross weight (on' which the
tax IS levied has absolutely no
relationship to highway design or
maintenance. and that weight can-
not De related to the value of SER
vice from the highway. might ask
VINO gets more service from a high
way; car with one passenger or
nVe, or a doctor rushing to a sick
patient; an ambulance carving in
Jured persons to a hospital: a truck
loaded with dirt, or one loaded with
airpiane engine pistons?
A ton-mile tax like the one en-
acted in New York (where il is
called a weight-distance tax in an
attempt to avoid the tOn-mile stig-
MAJ might wreck the trucking in
dustry, but the costs will be paid
by the consumer of the goods be-
ing shipped. It might be better for
Mr. BabsOn to level his aim at di-
version of highway user taxes to
non-highway purposes. The $780,
| 100000 diverted in New York in
1850 and the $3O,O00,O 900 diverted
in New Jersey would buy a lot OF
new highways and modernize many
miles of older ones.
There is no supporting data for
Mr.. BabsOn's statement that 100,
of the trucks are overloaded. It
has been officially reported that in
the first eleven months at the Del
aware State Police, Troop 2 Sta
tiOn, New Castle, out of all trucks
weighed, only 1870 were in viola
tiOn. Responsible truck operators
vigorously condemn overlooking
and encourage strict enforcement,
as with any law.
The Maryland Road Test proved
little but that pavement on a gran.
+ ular (gravelD base will stand IN
, under weights far greater than de-
signed for, and pavement on clay
which turns into mud when il
, rains, will not. If truck weights
, had been the sole decisive factor in
r pavement damage. every slab in
p the four respective lanes would have
developed the same damage. They
did not. The only other conclusion
: is that the trucks jumped over a
good many slabs. This strin Of
road was given 20 years usage dur
ing the 6 months test, without nor
, NAL maintenance. Motorists once
again are driving over the strip,
hardly aware of the blacktop
patches here and there, as fast and
/. as smooth as elsewhere on u. S.
3O1.
On the question of safety, there
) may be discourteOus and reckless
truck drivers, as there are. auto
Q mobile drivers, but the trucking in
: dustry devotes a large share of its
f time. expense, and effort to make
8 its drivers the best on the highway
h and most motorists will agree
g thew have earned that title.
r The trucking industry is proud
p Of its contribution to our nation
: to our highway funds, to the pro
y motion of safety, and to the smootl
n functiOning of our manufacturing
l. and distribution system. 1t ha'
r been. truly said that whatever yoJ
z eat, wear or use. a truck brought
e it, all or part of the way"
e Our modern economy would col
lapse if the trucking industry were
+ regulated or taxed into inefiiciency
It or stagnation.
! Very truly yours.
I. MASTEN TRUCKING
+ COMPANY, INC.
It Raymond w. Masten