LOADING METHODS 

 FOR TRUCK SHIPMENTS OF 

 APPLES IN FIBERBOARD BOXES 



By Ronald A. Shadburne 



Transportation and Facilities Branch 



Agricultural Marketing Service 



BACKGROUND 



For some time shippers of New England-grown Mcintosh apples have had 

 considerable damage in long-distance motortruck shipments of apples in cell- 

 pack fiberboard boxes, particularly on movements to Florida markets. Part of 

 the damage was caused by load shifting and partial telescoping, or crushing, 

 of the boxes in the forward parts of the loads. Additional and more serious 

 damage appeared to have resulted from partial telescoping of the boxes in the 

 lower layers of the stacks at the rear of the loads due to a combination of 

 overhead weight and vertical vibration at that location. 



In addition to the container damage, there has been considerable fruit 

 bruising, to which the Mcintosh variety of apple is particularly susceptible. 

 These conditions caused waste of marketable fruit with a loss to both shippers 

 and receivers. It was desirable that a solution to this problem be found to 

 reduce this loss to a minimum, hold down marketing and transportation costs, 

 and improve the quality and condition of the fruit delivered to the consumer. 



METHODS OF OBTAINING TEST DATA 



Observations of a general nature were made on 12 random nontest loads 

 during a preliminary survey in Maine and Massachusetts in November 1957, 

 including some long-haul shipments to points other than in Florida, to 

 familiarize the project personnel with the prevailing truck transportation 

 methods. The test shipments were begun in December 1957, with 17 truckloads 

 of apples from regular cold storage in Maine and Massachusetts to Florida 

 markets. The work on these December tests consisted principally of checks 

 to determine the types and extent of transit damage and a study of the loading 

 and handling methods, types of transportation equipment used, and methods of 

 securing the loads. These tests provided a means for the development of any 

 needed changes in the loading and handling practices and in the project work 

 plan for subsequent test shipments. 



1958 Test Shipments 



A total of 21 test truckloads of New England Mcintosh apples in regular 

 slotted riberboard boxes beginning with Test 18 was made from Massachusetts 

 and Maine to Florida destinations during February, March, April, and the first 

 part of May, 1958. Thirteen of these loads were from regular cold storage and 

 8 were from controlled -atmosphere storage. 



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