28 BULLETIN 031, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
The loss reported by men who had used their trucks different 
lengths of time is as follows : 
Of 305 who had used their trucks 12 mouths or less — 
260 reported the loss of uo time. 
40 reported the loss of 1 to 5 per cent. 
4 reported the loss of 6 to 10 per cent. 
1 reported the loss of more than 10 per cent. 
Of 285 who had used their trucks 13 to 24 months — 
215 reported the loss of no time. 
60 reported the loss of 1 to 5 per cent. 
5 reported the loss of 6 to 10 per cent. 
5 reported the loss of more than 10 per cent. 
Of 46 who had used their trucks 25 months or more — 
31 reported the loss of no time. 
15 reported the loss of 1 to 5 per cent. 
Eighty per cent of these men stated that they had lost no appre- 
ciable time on account of motor and tire trouble and other mechani- 
cal difficulties, and only about 1 in 40 reported a loss of more than 
5 per cent. As the trucks grow older the amount of time lost and 
the number of days out of commission will become greater, but farm- 
ers in the Eastern States whose trucks have been in use longer than 
most of these do not often report any serious loss (see Department 
Bulletin 910. " Experience of Eastern Farmers with Motor Trucks.") 
The average length of haul for these corn-belt truck owners, is 
about 9 miles, and the average time required for the round trip is 
not far from 2^ hours. (See Tables V to VIII.) A loss of 10 per 
cent of the time on the average trip would mean a delay of only 
about 15 minutes. Such delays even with the trucks which give the 
most trouble would scarcely be as serious as the loss due to having a 
truck out of commission for several days when it is needed. 
To a certain extent the reliability of a motor truck, as of any 
other complicated machine, depends upon the ability of the operator, 
and the care which the machine is given. About 90 per cent of these 
trucks are operated by their owners, or some member of the family, 
and it is to be expected that the owner of such an expensive machine 
as a motor truck, or any member of his family, would give it a rea- 
sonable amount of care, and at least endeavor to operate it intelli- 
gently. Furthermore, automobiles are owned on 95 per cent of these 
farms, and tractors on 50 per cent of them. Thus nearly all the men 
who drive the trucks have doubtless had considerable experience 
in the operation of similar machines. The exceptionally small 
amount of trouble which these trucks have given is doubtless due in 
part to these facts. 
