Highways and Highway TransportationChatburn, George R.
History
Highways and Highway Transportation
Chatburn, George R.
Roads; Transportation
In very congested districts motor trucks are at a great disadvantage
because they cannot be used at their most efficient speed. If the
congestion can be eliminated or at least relieved by such means as
one-way traffic, paving parallel streets, removing buildings which
obstruct passage, widening driveways, elevating railroads and street
cars, supplying overhead crossings, making subways, or by careful
rearrangement and planning of terminal facilities, warehouses, and
other accommodations, the cost of transportation in the large cities
may be materially reduced. In many such cities public service
commissions are studying these questions and applying remedies which
will allow motor trucks to operate at a greater rate of speed and much
more efficiently.
Accurate observations of motor truck performance in city trucking
business has shown that a large part of the day is given up to loading
and unloading, that the truck stands still so much of the time that the
cost is more nearly proportional to time than to mileage. Since certain
charges such as interest and insurance go on whether the truck is
idling or not, it is better to keep it moving. To do this effectively
depots, warehouses, and other terminal facilities are provided to
lessen the time of loading and unloading. It may be wise to hire an
extra stevedore or two to assist with these operations, or mechanical
devices may be installed where the saving will justify it. Usually
there is not only a saving in time when a mechanical device is used but
the amount of expensive manual labor is decreased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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