2 
Frequently a single rate was quoted for a number of different commod- 
ities and was based on the type and size of container, regardless of the 
gross weight. For example, the commercial cartage charge within zone 1 of 
Chicago was 9 cents per bushel basket of snap beans (gross weight 35 pounds), 
lima beans (3 pounds), cucumbers (57 pounds), escarole (28 pounds), and 
peppers (28 pounds); and per crate of zreen corn, generally weighing 
50 pounds, As a result, the charge per 100 pounds varied widely, ranging 
from 16 cents for cucumbers to 32 cents for escarole, lettuce, and peppers-- 
examples of produce in bushel baskets, In Boston, the commercial charge for 
most commodities was 10 cents per bushel basket or hamper, 12 cents per 
100-pound bag of potatoes, etc, 
Substantial variation also existed among markets. The commercial charge 
for carting 2 standard box of oranges, weighing 100 pounds, ranged from 
20 cents in Philadelphia and 16 cents in New York City to 8 cents in Cleve- 
land and St, Louis. Philadelphia and New York generally had the highest 
commercial cartage costs among the markets analyzed here. New Orleans and 
Cleveland had the lowest. 
The costs of carting in the dealers! own trucks in Atlanta, Dallas, 
Los Angeles, and Washington were estimated as lower than the charges by 
for-hire truckers in most other cities, At Denver, all wholesale receivers 
had rail sidings at their doors, and no cartage was necessary. 
Differences in Levels of Rail and Truck Charges 
In considering the relationships between the cost of shipping by rail 
and by truck, two types of comparisons are important. One comparison is 
between the charges made by railroads and trucks, including the charges for 
necessary supplementary services in transit, such as refrigeration. Another 
comparison would adda to these carrier charges other shipper costs which 
differ between rail and trucks, such as terminal cartage costs which are 
necessary to many wholesale receivers if rail service is used, but generally 
avoided if trucks are used, 
According to Commodity 
Rail Rates Plus Refrigeration and Cartage Charges vs. Truck Charges.-- 
For 6 of the 8 commodities analyzed here, total costs of shipping by rail 
were generally higher than truck charges to important markets east of the 
Mississippi River and in certain Midwestern and Southern States. These 
markets are within the area to which by far the bulk of these commodities 
