The Rural Motor Express | Page 2

gathering farm produce, milk, live stock, eggs, etc.,
and delivering them to the city dealer and on the return trip carrying
merchandise, machinery, supplies, etc., for farmers and others along the
route. This service amounts to a collection and delivery that comes to
the farmer's door with the same regularity that the trolley car passes
over its tracks.

=The Plan of Organization.=
The Council of National Defense adopted the following resolution on
March 14, 1918:
The Council of National Defense approves the widest possible use of
the motor truck as a transportation agency, and requests the State
Council of Defense and other State authorities to take all necessary
steps to facilitate such means of transportation, removing any
regulations that tend to restrict and discourage such use.
The highways transport committee of the Council of National Defense
is charged to carry out the purpose of this resolution. The several State
councils of defense have been asked to appoint highways transport
committees, or to delegate the organization of rural express to some
committee which will have charge of the development of the work
within the State. These State committees will in turn further the work
through local organizations.
=Indorsements of Rural Express.=
The Council of National Defense approved the widest possible use of
the motor truck in its resolution of March 14, 1918.
The Post Office Department has demonstrated the value of motor-truck
transportation through experimental lines of parcel-post trucks now in
operation in several of the Eastern States.
=The Need.=
The United States Food Administration has approved the plan in the
following statement by the Food Administrator:
The development of the rural motor express idea, in my opinion, is in
the line of progress and should redound to the benefit of the producer,
the consumer, and the railroads. This means of transportation should
facilitate delivery, conserve labor, conserve foodstuffs, and should
effect delivery of food in better condition.

The United States Department of Agriculture through its bureau of
markets has inaugurated an investigation of the efficiency of
motor-truck transportation in the marketing of farm produce.
The United States Department of Labor through its employment service
urges the adoption of motor-truck transportation facilities in order to
conserve the time of men in farming neighborhoods during the period
of planting, cultivation, and harvest, so as to relieve the farm labor
shortage.
The preliminary surveys by the highways transport committee in
sections of Maryland and Virginia have shown that farmers and
merchants enthusiastically indorse the plan and wherever rural motor
express lines have been properly developed they have received the
support of the communities which they serve.
=Present Development of Rural Express.=
The rural express is in successful operation in the vicinity of many of
the larger cities. The development of this system of transportation has
been particularly rapid in Maryland and a survey of existing routes in
this State has been made by the highways transport committee and
shows the general possibilities of the idea.
A detailed survey was made of 22 routes, leading from agricultural
sections into Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D. C. On these routes
30 trucks were found in operation; the total capacity of these trucks was
73 tons; the mileage traversed daily was 1,574 miles; the average
length of the routes was about 50 miles for the round trip. Most of these
routes are operated by truck owners living at the outer terminal, making
daily round trips into the marketing center. Many of these routes are
operated by farmers who first learned the advantages of motor-truck
transportation by using trucks for their individual needs.
These lines have been developed on a sane, practical basis without any
special promotion or encouragement from any state or national
organization. The trucks start at a small town, gather the produce of
farmers and merchants along the road to the city, deliver it at the

market, secure a return load from city merchants, including orders by
farmers, and return to the country terminal, delivering the orders along
the route. These lines have developed chiefly on the roads of the state
road system where the condition of the roads facilitate the use of trucks.
Many farmers living short distances away from the rural express route
bring their milk and produce to a point on this route with horse-drawn
buggies and wagons and these constitute feeders to the lines.
A preliminary survey for the State of California has been made,
showing an extensive use of motor trucks for passenger, freight, and
express hauling throughout that state. Over 136 separate lines were
found; some traversing routes as long as 125 miles on daily trips. Large
quantities of farm produce are handled, and charges are made according
to published rates. The excellent highways of California made it
possible for these lines to develop rapidly.
The detailed survey among patrons of a