2 BULLETIN 910, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



One-ton trucks are preferred by more of them than prefer any 

 other size. About half of the owners of J- and f-ton trucks prefer 

 sizes larger than they now own. 



In the opinions of these men the principal advantage of a motor 

 truck is in saving time, and the principal disadvantage is "poor 

 roads." 



As compared with horses and wagons, the trucks save from half 

 to two- thirds of the time required for hauling materials to and from 

 the farms. 



These men have return loads for their trucks on about one-fourth 

 of the trips. 



A majority still use their horses for some road hauling. 



On most of the farms all the hauling in the fields and around the 

 buildings is done with horses and wagons. 



About one-fourth of these men do some custom hauling with their 

 trucks. The average amount received per year by those who do such 

 work is $174. 



On the average there are about eight weeks during the year when 

 the roads are in such condition on account of mud, snow, etc., that 

 the trucks can not be used. Three-fourths of them usually travel on 

 roads that are all or part dirt. 



About one-fourth of the men have changed their markets, for at 

 least a part of their produce, since purchasing trucks. For those who 

 have changed market, the average distance to the old market is 

 7 miles, and the average distance to the new market is 20 miles. 



According to owners' estimates, each of these trucks travels an 

 average of 3,820 miles per year and is used on 173 days per year. 



The average estimated life of the trucks is between 6 J and 7 years, 

 and, in most cases, depreciation is the largest single item of expense. 



Most of the owners of the J-ton and f-ton trucks prefer pneumatic 

 tires, the owners of the 1-ton trucks are about evenly divided in 

 their preference, but most of the owners of trucks larger than 1 ton 

 prefer solid tires. 



Over two- thirds of these trucks had not been out of commission, 

 when needed, for a single day during the year covered by the reports, 

 and nearly the same proportion of the owners stated that they had 

 not lost any appreciable time on account of motor and tire trouble, 

 breakage, etc., when using their trucks. However, about one truck 

 in thirty had been out of commission 10 days or more. 



The average cost of operation of the J-ton trucks was about 8 cents 

 per mile; of the f-ton trucks about 13 cents; of the 1-ton about 12 

 cents; of the lj-ton and lj-ton about 19 cents, and of the 2-ton about 

 20 cents. 



The average cost of hauling crops, including the value of the driver's 

 time at 50 cents an hour, was about 50 cents per ton-mile with the 



