12 N. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Station Bull. 307 



sale milk; indepeudent haulers for 40 per cent, and dealers' trucks for 

 51 per cent. These figures, taken in conjunction with Figure 4 indi- 

 cate a strikingly different "trucking pattern" from that found in the 

 Boston supply area. There, no dealers' trucks were reported. In 

 Nashua, this group was important. 



As in Lancaster, producei-s bringing their own milk used a variety 

 of conveyances. Pleasure cars and trucks were of greatest importance. 

 In a number of instances, producers worked in Nashua and brought the 

 milk on their way to work. 



Routes operated by dealers' trucks were those in which either the 

 dealer himself or an employee hauled the milk. Many of the Nashua 

 dealers who trucked milk did so largely as a service to their producers, 

 who were usually free to haul their own milk if they preferred. Rates 

 were fixed by the dealers and in many cases were set at the levels au- 

 thorized by the bargaining co-opei-ative to which many of the producers 

 in the area belong. These rates tended to be higher than those charged 

 by independent truckers to producers in corresponding localities. Pay- 

 ment of a flat price at the fai'in. often results in producers being un- 

 aware of the amount allowed for transportation. This may in part ac- 

 count for the existence of a rate structure in the Nashua milkshed which 

 charged producers living only two or three miles from the market high- 

 er rates than those 10 or 15 miles distant." 



The 16 commercial routes to Nashua showed fully as much, if not 

 more, variation than did those in Lancaster. Table I shows average 

 figures which, while of value for purposes of comparison with those of 

 Lancaster, should be used with great care. 



The comparison of Lancaster and Nashua suggests some interesting 

 conclusions. Before discussing them further it would seem advisable 

 to include other truck routes throughout the state so that any general- 

 ization might be applicable to a greater area. 



General Features of the Commercial Hauling of Milk 



in New Hampshire 



Commercial truck routes as distinguislied from routes where in- 

 dividuals haul their own milk or exchange hauling with neighbcrs, ac- 

 counted for about 88 per cent of the milk haudletl l)y country stations 

 in Lancaster and about 91 per cent by city plants in Nashua. 



Tliese propoi'tions do not hold for all counti'y stations and city plants 

 in New Ilampshire. Some of the smaller handlers receive all uiilk from 

 "self-haulers'*; while at the other exti-eme, at a few plants ncai'ly all 

 the milk is collected on commercial truck routes. Licluding all handlers 

 in New Hampshii-e wlio receive fluid milk from jiroducers. milk hauled 

 on commercial routes averages about 82 per cent of the total. Ex- 

 pressed in terms of numbers of ])roducei's, the p<M'centage is 83. 



These figures indicate the dominant position held by commercial 

 truck routes in the field of milk hauling. Because of their import auce 

 and because the non-commercial routes by their very nature cannot be 

 included in an analysis of charges, this atnl following sections of the 

 study are confined to commercial routes. 



For detailed description of rates see below, page 23. 



