eir own
businesses and by motor express and haulage companies. In a majority of
cases, however, these trucks, after delivering a load, return empty,
whereas there are shippers who would be glad to avail themselves of the
opportunity to send a load back on such a truck to its home town if they
knew it was going back empty. On the other hand, the truck owner would
be equally glad to secure a return load because the charge made for
hauling it would reduce his own haulage cost.

To bring the shipper and truck owner together serves the interests of
both. It doubles the efficiency of the motor truck, enables business men
to make prompt shipments or secure deliveries in a day instead of
several, relieves the railroads of much short-haul freight, and thereby
releases cars for necessary long-distance haulage of munitions,
equipment, and other supplies for our Army in France, and for
foodstuffs, fuel, etc., for the civilian population at home.

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE BRING SHIPPER AND TRUCK OWNER TOGETHER.

The logical agency for bringing the two interests together is the local
business men's organization in each locality--the Chamber of Commerce,
Board of Trade, or by whatever name it is known. They are in direct
touch with the manufacturers and merchants in their respective
communities, they know the present difficulties of shipping and they
have the facilities for most quickly and systematically putting the
shipper in touch with the man who has the facility for haulage.

The method of doing this is by the establishment of a Return-Loads
Bureau--an information department that acts as a clearing house for this
particular purpose. Once initiated, the work of such a bureau can, in
most cities, be carried on by a single employee of the Chamber, probably
in addition to his other duties. If necessary or desirable, a small
charge can be made to the truck owner or the shipper for the service to
cover whatever expense may be involved in starting and maintaining the
bureau. But the plan affords an opportunity to be of such additional
service to members of the organization and to business interests of the
city generally that the increased support which may be gained through it
should offset the cost incurred. Apart from this is the opportunity it
presents to be of patriotic service to our country by increasing its
transportation facilities at a time when the safety of the Nation
depends absolutely upon transportation.

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