Ba Sk. 
RAI“ AND TRUCK RATE STRUCTURES 
Basic Freight Rates 
According to Commodity 
The structure of truck rates for most of the fruits and vegetables 
analyzed in this survey differed substantially from the rail rate structure. 
The differences are chiefly according to commodity and market. The rail 
and truck charges are summarized in tables h-11, which make up the appendix 
to this report. 
Different truck rates were quoted on practically every type of vege- 
table shipped from Florida, according to the rate schedules analyzed in 
this study. Rates available on vegetables from the southern part of Florida 
to New York City ranged from $1,20 per 100 pounds for potatoes to $2.68 for 
peppers and escarole, with few vegetables having precisely the same rate. 
On the other hand, railroad rates were frequently the same for a large 
number of vegetables. From points in southern. Florida to New York City and 
a large number of other_destinations, the.same basic freight rate (excluding 
refrigeration) per 100 pounds applied to beets, carrots, and turnips (each 
with tops), Swiss chard, kohlrabi, onions, peppers, squash, tomatoes, chicory, 
endive, escarole, romaine, cucumbers, eggplant, and lettuce. Another rate 
applied to anise, beans (lima or snap), collards, okra, English peas, radishes, - 
broccoli, mustard greens, parsley, spinach, and turnip greens. 
According to Market 
Railroad rates on fruits and vegetables generally followed the typical 
railroad pattern, "tapering off" with distances; i.e., rates increased as 
distance increased, but with a decreasing rate of progression (see tables 
4-11). 9/ For example, the basic rail freight rate on snap beans from 
Belle Glade, Fla., to Atlanta, a distance by rail of 608 miles, was $1.20 per 
100 pounds. -To Cleveland, a distance of 1,317 miles, over twice as far, the 
rate was. $1.85, or a Little over 50 percent higher than the rate to Atlanta. 
nisi) Denver's, 1,9h3 miles away, over three times.as far as to Atlanta, the rate 
was b2 6 38, or-about twice the Atlanta rate. Beyond Denver, the rate re- 
‘mained the same all the way to the West Coast, to pednts over 3,00 miles away. 
Truck Bee for most of the movements sod in this study increased 
in proportion to distance much more closely than rail rates. For example, 
the truck rate on snap beans from Belle Glade to Cleveland was almost twice 
the rate to Atlanta,.while the highway distance to Cleveland was also about 
twice the distance to Atlanta. To Denver, the rate was 3-1/l times as high. 
The rate to Seattle was over 5 times that to Atlanta, and the distance was 
slightly less than 5-1/2 times as great. 
a As noted above, both rasa and truck rates in the tables apply to several 
origins in Florida: Sanfofd for oranges and grapefruit, Hastings for potatoes, 
and Belle Glade for the ‘remaining commodities, These are points in important 
producing areas for the respective commodities. 
