The Rural Motor Express | Page 3

number of these routes
discovers the fact that there are three great economic advantages in this
method of transportation:
1. Food production is stimulated since the regular outlet to market
encourages many farmers to expand production which they would not
be justified in doing if they were obliged to transport their own produce
to market.
2. Shortage of labor is greatly offset from the fact that the system
leaves the farmer on the farm and his time is not consumed in trips to
market.
3. There is immediate improvement in the efficiency of the farm since
supplies, machinery, and repairs can be secured promptly from city
distributers of fertilizers and farm machinery.
From the national standpoint these routes aid in several ways:
1. They relieve the railroads of local freight which permits car-load lot
of materials and foodstuffs from distant points to enter the terminals.

2. They help to avoid the necessity for local freight embargoes.
The need for the system of carrying goods to market without requiring
men and teams is generally recognized by farmers and where
production of the individual farmer has justified the purchase of a
motor truck, the adoption has been very rapid during the past few years.
On many farms, however, the quantity of production is not sufficient to
justify the investment in a truck by the individual farmer if he must
maintain his teams for farm power. The use of the rural express with its
greater speed enables the farmer to operate the same or an increased
acreage with fewer horses, making more land available for food
production which was previously needed to grow grain and hay for
teams. In many instances, the introduction of rural express has enabled
farmers to engage in the production of milk which requires daily
marketing.
The rural express greatly aids the country merchants in carrying more
complete stocks of goods; in filling special orders promptly, and in
avoiding temporary shortage of staples due to delayed shipments or
embargoes on the railroad. In many instances the country merchants
have reported that their business has been greatly improved because of
the daily delivery service from wholesale centers.
=Expansion to a National System.=
The success of existing lines of rural express is convincing evidence
that the expansion of the system is an immediate necessity, both for its
value in meeting the present emergency and as a means of permanently
improving rural transportation. What has already developed becomes
an integral part of our national transportation system.
The present strain on our transportation facilities has emphasized our
need for improved means of internal communication not only between
cities, but also reaching out into every agricultural community.
The rural motor express is not, however, a development to meet an
emergency only, but rather an expansion of transportation facilities to
meet the growing demands, to bring the consumer in closer touch with

the producer; to relieve the producer of the burden of marketing his
produce and permit him to remain on the land where his labor is of
highest value to the community.
=The Organization of New Routes.=
The state highways transport committees are organizing local
committees in all communities where there appears to be the need for
improved rural transportation. The local committee first secures
co-operation of the local press and leading organizations interested in
transportation and food supplies. Among the various groups who might
be interested are the following: Chambers of commerce, boards of trade,
merchants' associations, local food administrators, farmers' clubs,
county agricultural agents, dealers in farm implements, feed, fertilizers,
grain, and other farm produce.
Meetings of the representatives of these organizations are held to
explain the plan of rural express and to make general survey of local
needs. Among the facts that are brought out at such meetings are the
following:
1. Experience of existing motor-truck lines in the locality.
2. Instances of localities now lacking such facilities.
3. Conditions of highways in such localities.
4. Labor shortage among farmers.
5. Transportation facilities of country merchants from wholesale
centers.
After a general survey of the country or district has been made the local
committee conducts an intensive survey by means of mailed
questionnaires or personal visits among farms and merchants along
route of prospective lines. Lists of names of farmers and merchants are
secured through county agricultural agents or their local organizations.

When the desirability of establishing a new route for a certain section
has been determined the committee proceeds to consult owners of
trucks, farmers, and other private owners to locate a man to establish
the route. Questions of scale of charges, the schedule of the trips,
character of produce to be carried, etc., are worked out by the
committee on the basis of experience of existing lines in the same
community, or other lines which have been surveyed by the state
committee.