option of motor-truck transportation facilities in order to
conserve the time of men in farming neighborhoods during the period of
planting, cultivation, and harvest, so as to relieve the farm labor
shortage.

The preliminary surveys by the highways transport committee in sections
of Maryland and Virginia have shown that farmers and merchants
enthusiastically indorse the plan and wherever rural motor express lines
have been properly developed they have received the support of the
communities which they serve.

=Present Development of Rural Express.=

The rural express is in successful operation in the vicinity of many of
the larger cities. The development of this system of transportation has
been particularly rapid in Maryland and a survey of existing routes in
this State has been made by the highways transport committee and shows
the general possibilities of the idea.

A detailed survey was made of 22 routes, leading from agricultural
sections into Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D. C. On these routes 30
trucks were found in operation; the total capacity of these trucks was
73 tons; the mileage traversed daily was 1,574 miles; the average length
of the routes was about 50 miles for the round trip. Most of these
routes are operated by truck owners living at the outer terminal, making
daily round trips into the marketing center. Many of these routes are
operated by farmers who first learned the advantages of motor-truck
transportation by using trucks for their individual needs.

These lines have been developed on a sane, practical basis without any
special promotion or encouragement from any state or national
organization. The trucks start at a small town, gather the produce of
farmers and merchants along the road to the city, deliver it at the
market, secure a return load from city merchants, including orders by
farmers, and return to the country terminal, delivering the orders along
the route. These lines have developed chiefly on the roads of the state
road system where the condition of the roads facilitate the use of
trucks. Many farmers living short distances away from the rural express
route bring their milk and produce to a point on this route with
horse-drawn buggies and wagons and these constitute feeders to the
lines.

A preliminary survey for the State of California has been made, showing
an extensive use of motor trucks for passenger, freight, and express
hauling throughout that state. Over 136 separ