Highways and Highway TransportationChatburn, George R.
History
Highways and Highway Transportation
Chatburn, George R.
Roads; Transportation
Persons who are not familiar with stockyard activities will be
surprised on visiting them early in the morning at any one of the
packing-house industries to see the large number of hogs and other farm
animals arriving for the early market in motor trucks. These animals
have been brought from distances up to 60 miles, but have been on the
way less than three or three and one-half hours. Careful stockyard
figures show that in 1921 more than 6,000,000 cattle and very many
more hogs were transported in motor trucks. These animals upon arrival
are very much fresher and show less shrinkage than those that have
been driven to their home station and loaded into stock cars the day
previous. Other things being equal, the top of the market is accorded
to the fresher animals. Also for short hauls, say up to 60 miles, the
transportation costs are in favor of the trucks.
The farmer may obtain the benefits of motor transportation in at least
four different ways: (_a_) He may own and operate his own truck. This
pays when the farm is of sufficient size to keep the truck reasonably
busy. (_b_) Two or more neighbors may coöperate in the ownership of a
truck. This is applicable to small and medium-sized farms. (_c_) By
patronizing truck lines privately owned which haul products, freight,
and express upon a charge basis. (_d_) By the trucks of the United
States Postal Service.
Whether or not it pays for a farmer to own and operate a truck depends
upon the size of the farm, kind and quantity of the commodities hauled,
distance from market, character of the roads, and the loading on the
back trip. A small farm could not be expected to furnish sufficient
hauling to keep a truck busy unless intensively farmed and producing
commodities which require frequent marketing. Even a small farmer,
though, might by hauling for neighbors keep his truck reasonably busy.
Or several neighbors may coöperate in the purchase of the truck and
arrange how it shall be operated. They may even form an express line
and go into the transportation business as a side issue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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