The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-01-08
Letter To
The Editor

1Ue puUAaGs We nave U6en H0lds Is
getting fed up In ) syndicsted ar
tiele By Joe Breig9 appearing in
a recent issue Of the Catholic
Times. the cause Of this unhappy
situation We are assured, has to do
with the inadequacies Of Ohios
highway system that forces" the
public to use secondary roads in
their quest for better avenues Of
highway transportation.
According 10 this article. the
blame has been laid upon our pub
lie officials for taking our high
ways away from the public use
and giving them over to domino.
ton by the motor truck transpor-
tation industry.
First. we would like If clearly
understood that We. aS members or
through our close association TO
the motor transportation industry
realize that the real problem of
traffic congestion is one oi made
quate roads not problem Of
congestion thru motor transporta-
ton vehicles. 1t is not trucks that
cause highway congestion. Rather,
it stems from lack Of adequate
highways suitable 10 the needs of
all highway users.
Neither the motor truck trans
portation industry nor our public
officials are to blame for the sorry
traffic muddle our state is in. The
fact is that the demand for motor
freight services has kept ahead Of
the highway improvement pro
gram, until We now find ourselves
in the unfortunate position of at
tempting TO fit traffic TO suit the
roads.
Our present highway system,
this article by Mr.. Breig states,
was not built for heavy freight.
Yet il is q fact that oul primary
highway system carries most Of
our freight and passenger traffic.
We can't possibly solve the high
way problem by restricting cars or
trucks without hsndicapping
transportation system so vital to
our current high standard Of liv-
ing.
Moreover, the Constitution Of
the United States emphatically de-
ciares that roads shall be estab-
lished and maintained by the gov
ernment for the nations defense,
commerce and postal service. Ger
tainly, the Ohio Trucking industry
plays an important part in carry
ing out its functions under these
requirements.
Trucks are not on the road for
pleasure We. who make our liveli-
hood by rendering to the public
quick and economical form of mo-
tor transportation service, do so
because the public demands that
the things they eat, wear and Use
be shipped by efficient truck
transportation. The increased num-
Der OF trucks on Ohios roads today
has been brought about by the de-
mands of merchants and manufac-
turers for this type of economical
truck transportation service. Thou
sands OF small communities in
Ohio depend on truck transporta-
ton alone. 1t is the only means of
transportation available to them.
We've got plenty Of highway
miles in Ohio. But our primary
roads are oyerWorked. Unfortu-
nately, it is these roads that carry
the largest percentage of our traf-
fic. Modernizing these roads is go
ing TO take lot OF money.
The trucking industry stands
ready 10 pay its full and fair share
of the funds that are needed to
pay the bills for adequate high
ways. But it is up 10 the state to
lead the way in highway construc-
ton.
New highways are being built
for the public through truck taxes.
The figures available indicate that
Ohio trucks represent about one
eighth of the total motor vehicle
registration Yet these same
trucks pay in excess OF one-third
OF the total registration and high
way use taxes.
The recent enactment of the
axle-mile tax will place = still
greater portion of the cost of high |
way building and maintenance on |
the Ohio trucking industry.
We've got our problems, some
of them caused by our own fault,
some of them due to conditions be-
yond anyone's control. Most of
them are due TO the inability Of
our main highways to carry mod
ern traffic volume and the result
ing resentment of the motorist who
finds us much closer at hand than
those responsible for the actual
construction of our primary roads
and highways.
Still, truck operators are spend
ing millions of dollars and millions
of hours of time annually in al
tempting TO improve everything
about their operations. This indus
try believes it has nothing to fear
from a properly informed public
opinion.
That is why We believe you will
want TO know the real part that
the trucking industry of Ohio is
playing in bringing to the people
of our great state flexibility of
transportation that forms a life
line in todays living