28 BULLETIN 931, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The loss reported by men who had used their trucks different 

 lengths of time is as follows : 



Of 305 who had used their trucks 12 months or less — 

 260 reported the loss of no time. 

 40 reported the loss of 1 to 5 per cent. 



4 reported the loss of 6 to 10 per cent. 



1 reported the loss of more than 10 per cent. 

 Of 2S5 who had used their trucks 13 to 24 months — 

 215 reported the loss of no time. 

 60 reported the lpss of 1 to 5 per cent. 



5 reported the loss of 6 to 10 per cent. 



5 reported the loss of more than 10 per cent. 

 Of 46 who had used their trucks 25 months or more — 

 31 reported the loss of no time. 

 15 reported the loss of 1 to 5 per cent. 



Eighty per cent of these men stated that they had lost no appre- 

 ciable time on account of motor and tire trouble and other mechani- 

 cal difficulties, and only about 1 in 40 reported a loss of more than 

 5 per cent. As the trucks grow older the amount of time lost and 

 the number of days out of commission will become greater, but farm- 

 ers in the Eastern States whose trucks have been in use longer than 

 most of these do not often report any serious loss (see Department 

 Bulletin 910, " Experience of Eastern Farmers with Motor Trucks.") 



The average length of haul for these corn-belt truck owners is 

 about 9 miles, and the average time required for the round trip is 

 not far from 2^ hours. (See Tables V to VIII.) A loss of 10 per 

 cent of the time on the average trip would mean a delay of only 

 about 15 minutes. Such delays even with the trucks which give the 

 most trouble would scarcely be as serious as the loss due to having a 

 truck out of commission for several days when it is needed. 



To a certain extent the reliability of a motor truck, as of any 

 other complicated machine, depends upon the ability of the operator, 

 and the care which the machine is given. About 90 per cent of these 

 trucks are operated by their owners, or some member of the family, 

 and it is to be expected that the owner of such an expensive machine 

 as a motor truck, or any member of his family, would give it a rea- 

 sonable amount of care, and at least endeavor to operate it intelli- 

 gently. Furthermore, automobiles are owned on 95 per cent of these 

 farms, and tractors on 50 per cent of them. Thus nearly all the men 

 who drive the trucks have doubtless had considerable experience 

 in the operation of similar machines. The exceptionally small 

 amount of trouble which these trucks have given is doubtless due in 

 part to these facts. 



