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6 BULLETIN NO. 770, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
that a potential supply of commodities must be available for hauling 
if there is to be sufficient-business to make the route a paying one. 
Secondary only to the total supply is the question of the character of 
production. A region devoted to the production of a few staple crops 
moving to market during a comparatively brief season each year will 
not furnish business for a permanent route. A necessary prerequisite 
for successful operation is a reasonably dependable tonnage through- 
out the year. For this reason it follows that the range of the shipping 
season is of primary interest to the truck operator. Regions of 
diversified farming, particularly those regions devoted to truck farm- 
ing, offer the most fertile fields for rural motor transportation. In such 
districts shipping starts early in the season ; new crops are periodically 
available for market, and the productive season usually extends to the 
limit set by climatic conditions. Districts devoted to the dairy industry 
are also potentially rich fields for the motor truck operator since 
dairying furnishes a dependable and reasonably uniform supply 
throughout the year. This permits the establishment of a fairly regu- 
lar routine on the part of the truck operator and to that extent 
renders easy an efficient and economical conduct of his business. 
Consideration should also be given to the nature of the products 
that will be hauled. Low-priced, bulky staples may not stand the 
transportation charges necessary to maintain a motor route. For 
example, it is rather unlikely that hay can be transported by motor 
truck for long distances except under unusual conditions with respect 
to price. Perishables may stand the motor truck tariff if the trans- 
portation service to market is speedier than the customary means of 
transportation. Commodities like cream, milk and eggs which are 
high in price as compared to bulk may bear a reasonably high trans- 
portation charge if more satisfactory facilities are offered. 
The question of supplementary business for rural truck operators is 
often an important one. The return load is discussed in a subsequent 
section of this publication. It is desired merely to take occasion at 
this point to direct attention to possible side lines of operation which 
have been responsible for the final financial success of some routes. 
Arrangements for special hauling outside of the regular schedule are 
often an important source of income to the rural motor truck operator. 
Some have found it profitable to care for the tonnage offered by indus- 
trial enterprises in their districts. Others do special hauling for farmer 
patrons outside of regular hours. Usually the operator of a general 
route secures some profitable business from merchants along the route. 
These possibilities should be canvassed in advance as their presence or 
absence may determine the feasibility of the route. Above all, atten- 
tion should be concentrated on the problem of arranging for loads so 
that there is a profitable load on all trucks whenever they are operated. 
