Need for Closer Supervision of Loading 



Observations at the shipping points indicated that closer supervision of 

 loading of the trailers by the shipper and more systematic arrangement of the 

 shipper's loading orders to the truck drivers would contribute to greater uni- 

 formity of loads, better loading methods, and more efficient handling. For 

 example, in one test load of 20 stacks, all stacks except the 14th contained 

 fiberboard boxes of apples arranged as follows: the first 4 stacks contained 

 120-count boxes; the 5th and 6th stacks, 160-count boxes; the 7th and 8th 

 stacks, 140-count boxes; the 9th stack, a mixture of 140- and 120-count boxes; 

 the 10th stack, a mixture of 120- and 100-count boxes; the 11th stack, 100- 

 count boxes; the 12th stack, a mixture of 100- and 80-count boxes; the 13th 

 stack, 80-count boxes; the 14th stack, wooden boxes; the 15th through the 18th 

 stacks, a mixture of 140- and 120-count boxes; and the rear 2 stacks, 100-count 

 boxes . 



Containers with dissimilar dimensions were mixed in the same stacks and 

 throughout the load. This shipment was loaded at two cold storage warehouses 

 in two widely separated parts of the origin point, some boxes of each count 

 having been loaded at each warehouse. Such an irregular load, in which the 

 stacks do not come out evenly and do not fit compactly, cannot be properly 

 secured and has too much lateral slack. Therefore, it is more susceptible to 

 damage, especially container failure, than if the boxes of similar size were 

 placed together instead of interspersed throughout the trailer. 



If the shipper arranged his loading orders so the boxes of similar size 

 and count were loaded together and compactly, the adverse loading conditions 

 of the mixed-box-size load could have been eliminated. This would provide a 

 load less susceptible to damage as well as a reduction in the loading time. 

 It appears that the shipper depended too much on the truck driver to load 

 properly. A considerable amount of time was lost by the drivers by having to 

 stop to plan how to properly and safely stow an irregular load of containers 

 of many different sizes. The containers were thus subjected to more handling 

 than was necessary, resulting in additional bruising to the apples and some 

 container damage. This situation might be corrected by more careful supervision 

 of the loading by an experienced employee of the shipper. 



Lack of Ventilation Openings in Boxes 



None of the fiberboard apple boxes used in the test loads had ventilation 

 openings. They were all regular slotted boxes, the top flaps usually sealed 

 together with a strip of heavy sealing paper. If the boxes had ventilation 

 openings in each end, the apples could be refrigerated more effectively in 

 transit, especially during the warmer part of the apple shipping season. This 

 is especially important with controlled-atmosphere storage apples, which are 

 shipped in April and >fay. Also, as the controlled-atmosphere storage apples 

 move by truck southward toward the Florida destinations their degree of firm- 

 ness decreases rapidly, and their susceptibility to bruising increases from 

 the progressively warmer temperatures unless adequate refrigeration is 



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