Many might not realize the importance of Dayton, Ohio as a trucking center in the early 1950’s. Dozens of common carriers maintained terminals in Dayton and several of the company names represent carriers that eventually merged into others or became fallen flags for other reasons.

The research for this article came mostly from a 1951 city directory. I found this particular directory to have among the most information concerning trucking companies.

Following is an alphabetical list of trucking companies with operations in Dayton, Ohio in 1951, along with a roster of employees and their positions at the time.

The A & S Transfer Company 1630 East 1st Street Pool car unloading and Distributing, Local Drayage ( shared terminal with these other companies: Burnside Motor Freight Lines, Bell Lines Inc, Yankee Lines Inc, Akron-Chicago Transportation , Ace Trucking Service, And Middle Atlantic Transportation)

G R Armstrong- President and Treasurer, Mrs. Barbara Armstrong- employee, Thomas E Easterday- salesman, Homer Huff- supervisor,

Ace Trucking Service 1630 East 1st Street

Benjamin C Niswanger- owner, Ernest Goetsinger- foreman,

Acme Fast Freight, Inc. 428 Washington Street

Joseph E. Dorset- manager, EG Bradley-commercial agent, Carl E Kimmich- employee, Jack King Jr- employee, Charles Lowery – employee, Arden J Youngerman- dockman

AirLine Transit

Earl M Gall-

Akron-Chicago Transportation Company 1630 East 1sr Street

Benjamin C Niswanger- agent

Atlantic Freight Lines 1111 Springfield

Ralph D Hart- manager

Best Motor Lines 712 East 1st Street

John R Folsom- terminal manager, Charles Doyle- driver, John B Folsom- terminal manager, Mrs Mabel Gray- stenographer, Roy A Halsey- driver,

Burnside Motor Freight Lines, Inc. 1630 East 1st Street

DE Somersault- agent

CCC Highway (Cleveland Columbus & Cincinnati Highway, Inc.) 701 East 1st

Herbert Akeshire- clerk, James Booth- driver, Ward D COE- foreman, Oscar L Fulkerson- manager

C & D Motor Delivery Company 845 South Perry Street

Verne’s Bradley- checker, William J Buchanan- chief mechanic, Andrew W Burke- clerk, Thomas T Byrd- dockman, Marion T Hess- manager, Harold G Channel- driver, Walter F Crampton- driver, Daniel W Crigler- driver, Carl R Delaney- driver, Noah W Drake- dispatcher, Walter Dumas- checker, Kennedy W Fink- assistant foreman, Speed H Flaugler- driver, Amos Gregory- driver, Robert E Guthrie- driver, Sidney E Hamlin- driver, Rolla D Harlow- foreman, Asberry Hatcher- checker, Marcus T Helm- mechanic, James R Heard- driver, Earnie Higham- driver, James Howard- dockman, Willie Jackson- checker, Charles R Jackson- salesman, Frank Jones- checker, James R King- driver, Glen Kirkland- dockman, Herbert Kirksey- driver, William A Lavison- driver, William A Lehman- driver, Wilbert E Lofty- driver, Gladys M Luallen- cashier, Charles Martin- dockman, Ovie P Parks- checker, Madison M Parks- checker, Johnnie Pope- dockman, Willie Powers- checker, Hulett Prather- checker, Elmer R Raines- driver,

Carolina Motor Express Lines 1747 Stanley Avenue

Ira J Erbaugh- employee,

Columbus & Chicago Motor Freight, Inc. 3621 North Dixie Drive

Clifford Cotterman- driver, William Daly- solicitor

Commercial Motor Freight, Inc. of Indiana 21 Taylor Street Daily Service to Anderson, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Marion, Terre Haute, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville

Hubert Alcorn- Freight handler, John J Berger- biller, John S Bishop- chief clerk, Owen K Bowman- checker, Robert E Boyd- driver, Cosmo R Brockington- driver, Ed Carback- driver, Hershel L Brown- checker, Robert L Clarke- driver, William C Coliins- driver, Wendell L Cowan- foreman, Samuel J Cowperthwaite- Freight handler, William C Collins- driver, Raymond E Dirck- driver, Bernal C Dutchmen- foreman, George A Focht- Freight handler, Edward L Franklin- freight handler, DD Gardner- Vice President, Charles H George- Freight handler, Walter George- driver, Buster Grant- freight handler, Mrs. Vera G Greene- office worker, John Hall- driver, Melvin R Hamilton- driver, Ray Hartman- driver, Robert H Hill- mechanic, Herbert O Hull- salesman, John J Idle- driver, James H Jones- watchman, Aubrey Kenner’s- foreman, Russell Kinman- driver, James K Kingrey- driver, Emery A Love- Freight handler, Herbert E Lyon- driver, Donald C Mayan- driver, Herbert F Miller- driver, Robert T Osborn- mechanicMarquis A Page- driver, Earl B Paxton- driver, Monte Perkins- branch manager, Harold W Pestke- driver, Russell Popham- driver, Harold W Rismiller- dispatcher,

Commercial Motor Freight, Inc of Ohio

in this city directory there is no identification as to whether employees worked for Commercial of Indiana or Ohio, so for this list all all placed under the Indiana Company

E DeMaria- President, Elmer C Rismiller- branch manager

Continental Transportation Lines, Inc. 1765 Stanley Avenue

Elmer Alcorn-employee, Toney Belcher- employee, Bette L Binns- employee, Chester M Brown- checker, Paul W Emrick- employee, Charles R Hall- employee, William Hanshaw- employee, James E Hardin- dockman, Kenneth W Huston- manager, Mrs Eleanor M Jenkins- employee, Hubert H Jenkins- terminal manager, Charles McIntosh- employee, Glenn W Neitman- driver, Doyle Peavyhouse- driver, James M Ryan- employee, Jerome V Storck- driver, James Thompson- employee, Lyman Ward- employee,

Cushman Motor Delivery Company

Clyde D Ashbaugh- manager, Charles J Ebert- office manager, Charles R Gunn- driver

D & C Transportation Co. Inc. 28 Stanton Avenue Overnight Service to Jamestown, Jeffersonville, South Solon, Washington Court House

Zane F Baker- office worker, Charles D Beam- driver, Harry W Beekman- dockman, Raymond H Btoerman- salesman, George C Chester- driver, JW Harlow, President, Donald M Harlow- Vice President, Henry G Harlow- Secretary and Treasurer, Oscar A Dorn- driver, James E Duncan- driver, Warren G Freeman- driver, Ray Harlow- dockman, Arthur F Heitkamp- clerk, Paul J Hines- driver, Helen S Lyons- clerk, Helen F Penwell- clerk, Arthur Ridley- driver, George Simon- driver,

DG&U Truck Lines, Inc. 116 Webster Street

Paul W Hempler- manager

Dance Freight Lines, Inc. 712 East 1st Street terminals in Asheville NC, Atlanta GA, Chattanooga TN, Dayton OH, Cincinnati OH Knoxville TN Charlotte NC and Greenville SC

Vernon Adams- dockman, Dale Ahlbrand- checker, Walter E Allen- driver, Gerald F Barnes- manager, Clifford M Bond- dispatcher, Marshall K Burns- driver, CF Barnes- manager, Mae R Ewing- office worker, Lester L Funstan- driver, Ruth R Hartman- office worker, Raymond O Bieber-Office worker, Raymond E Howell-driver, Samuel Lawrence-driver,

DeCamp & Rice 312 Linden Avenue

Decatur Cartage Company 200 South Clinton Street

Lowell J Kimball- clerk, Frederick L Pansing- terminal manager, Elwood M Ritchie- dispatcher, Earl J Russell- driver,

Dixie-Ohio Express 710 Albany Street

George H Abell- office worker, Alden Bales- employee, Claude L Brown- dockman, Ray Coleman- employee, Robert Edgington- employee, Albert L Fair- employee, Herbert Gordon- employee,

Duff Truck Line, Inc. 1639 Stanley Avenue Towns served irregularly from Dayton: Ada, Bellafintaine, Belle Center, Columbus, De Graft, Russell’s Point, Quincy, Delphos, Huntsville, Lakeview, Lima, Waynesfield, West Liberty, Van Wert

Eugene Duff- President, Edwin C Hawk- manager

 

Dworkin, Inc. 1031 East 3rd Street

Robert Holmes- terminal manager

Eastern Motor Dispatch, Inc. 417 San Jose

Ray E Bosley- salesman, William L Gallenstein- driver, John S Haddix- driver, Jack Johnston-driver, Mrs Helen P Kelly- clerk, Patricia D Lowry- clerk, John W McDaniel- driver, Philip W Purcell- dispatcher, Ruth E Schmitt- clerk, Ralph Smth- driver, Carl O Ward- checker, Arthur O Wells- office manager,

Eastern Motor Express, Inc. 1763 Stanley Avenue

Kenneth M Bosworth- employee, Mrs. Evelyn Cartmeil- employee, James Fitzpatrick- employee, Wilbur Hughes- employee, William E Larrison- employee, Kenneth Lefler- employee, Walter E Purkeypile- employee, Alfred P Tracey- employee, Fred Wessell- employee, Earl R Whitten- employee

Elliott Transportation, Inc. 316 Warren Street

Sanford Dishler- manager

Foster Freight Lines 1757 Stanley Avenue

Betty J Barnhart- clerk, Norman J Coates- employee, Vivian R Goode- clerk,

General Transportation & Storage Company 15 Bacon Street

CJ Angerer- President, Stanley J Gretchen- secretary and treasurer, Frank Grasshoff- Director,

Haeckl’s Express, Inc. 1736 East Monument Avenue

Philip Ebright- driver, Robert T Fowler- office manger, Reginald J Foote, manager, Dillard Greer- dockman, Benton M Geer- dockman, Benton M Geer Jr- driver, Garnett Gross- driver, Oscar L Hinton- checker, Frank P Hinton- driver, Howard W Hunter- representative, John W Johnson- dockman, Nelson Kinison- driver, Leroy J Kinnson- driver, Robert L Kirby- dockman, Charles Noland- driver, Carl Pitts- supervisor, John Quakenbush- dockman, Robert D Roseburrough- clerk, George E Sampson- driver, Richard F Seward Jr- driver, Ernest Swindler- driver, Arthur A Welz- driver,

Harlow Transportation Company 1111 Springfield

Calvin E Gearhardt- supervisor, Homer Hennick- owner,

Hanson Motor Express, Inc. 712 East 1sr Street

Phillip Gadd- driver, Tom alum is- terminal manager, Edward O’Connell- solicitor,

Harnett Cartage & Storage Company 135 Webster Street

Roy Downey- driver, Raymond Hall- superintendent, Mrs Eileen Halley- clerk, James J Hartnett- owner, John Highly-driver, John Manning-driver, Jewell Thomas-clerk,

Hayes Freight Lines, Inc. 1759 Stanley Avenue

John W Aydelette- employee, Gerard Behnken- employee, Mildred Birtle- employee, Paul A Clayton- employee

Helms New York-Pittsburgh Motor Express, Inc. 1771 Stanley Avenue

Jess Beam- employee, James Blanton Jr- employee, Lawrence Fulkerson- manager, Walter Larrison- employee James Long- employee, Mrs Ann Meyers- employee,

HolthausTransportation Company 2000 East 2nd Street

Albert A Hokthause- President ( lives in Covington, Ky), John H Holthause- Vice President ( lives in Norwood Ohio), Paul W Holthaus- secretary and treasurer( lives in Lebanon Ohio), Melvin Collins- driver, Frank E Dalton, driver, Evelyn Gehele- office worker, George L Goodpasture- driver, Jerry L Herr-office worker, Lionel R Hill-driver, Edward Huddleston-driverJames Johnson- driver, Sterling D Kier- driverC Dean Kier- driver, Juliana D Lieson- office worker, Chester A Manning- driverJoseph A Moedor- driver, Clifford Reece- driver, Glenn Sergeant- driver, Robert Weaver- driver, Andrew J Yeazell Jr- driver

IRC&D Motor Freight 228 Ziegler Street

Robert J Alexander- driver, William R. Bahr- employee, Thomas E Fischer- driver, William L Graf- driver, Willie Hall- employee, ES Sinnard- terminal manager, Gaylord Miller- salesman, Woodrow Miller- employee, Arthur J Scott- employee, Frank B Young- driver,

Interstate Dispatch, Inc. 929 Deeds Avenue service to Chicago, Milwaukee, Sri-Cities, Indianapolis, Springfield and St. Louis

Ernest Baker- dispatcher, Eugene Blanton- driver, Denver Burnett- driver, Evelyn Crigler- clerk, Geneva Hamilton- cashier, Thomas W Jollie- driver, Otho S Marko-terminal manager, John H Kennedy- driver, James W Luman- driver, Robert Marker- sales manager, Gerald H Pinkerton- clerk, Curtis Reeder- driver, James D Saylor- driver, Vernon West- driver, Frank T Winfield- yardman,

Interstate Motor Freight System 925-27 Deeds Avenue

Paul W Borden- driver, Isabelle Bruerlup- typist, Robert A Brush- driver, Mrs. Evelyn Eubanks- cashier, David Fuller- driver, Rowland Gassler- dockman, Robert Konkler- solicitor, Lester Kougler- driver, Ernest B Lamoureax- manager, Clark Terry- clerk,Mrs. Alice Voyles- typist,

Lewis & Mitchell, Inc. 100 Gale Street

Keeshin Motor Express 712 East 1st Street

Charles H Allen- manager, Robert DeDiemar- clerk, Fred Gassner- driver, Ralph L Goodrich- driver, Phyllis Lewis- clerk, Ralph A Lockhart- driver, Joseph McDevitt- office manager, Thomas L Ward- driver,

Judson Freight Forwarding Company 204 Webster

L Winters- manager

Michigan Motor Freight Lines, Inc. 929 South Patterson Blvd.

Donald Beckman- driver, Denver M Hudnall- terminal manager, Ezra Wyatt- billing clerk

Middle Atlantic Transportation Co. 1518 East 1st Street

Homer Beal- clerk, Raymond Besanceny- clerk, Warren J Garber- clerk, Mrs Phyllis Hanna- clerk, Thomas G Herbert III-office manager, Mrs Mary McMahon-clerk, Raymond D Driscoll-manager

Middle States Motor Freight Lines, Inc. 712 East 1st Street

Glenn R Hartnell- driver, Edward K Joyce-driverDonald Shrine-Driver, Wayne K Thompson-driver

Mohawk Motor

Mrs. Nellie Alcorn- clerk, Charles Billinski- dockman, William O Bostick- driver, Iscar R Branham- driver, Raymond Brummitt- dockman, Chester Crawford- dockman, Adelbert S Cutcher- manager, Robert A Dougherty- dockman, William Geswein- driver, Frank Hampton- driver, Vertner A Harp- mechanic, BernardIdell- driver, John W Kistner- driver, Mrs Frances Knipter- clerk, John F LaMar- driver, Clifford McNealy- driver, Charles Price- dockman, Raymond Price- dockman, Shirley Puckett- typist, Courtney A Roe- dockman, Hubert Stargill- driver, Jerry Taylor- janitor, Virgil Weaver- driver,

National Transit Corporation 116 Webster Street overnight service between Dayton, Detroit, Flint, Bay City and Saginaw

Bennie F Alcorn- driver, James A. Bame- driver, Charles C Blankenship- driver, Charles H Byers- district manager, Chauncey Dunaway- driver, Homer F Gluck- driver, Raymond A Gregory- dockman, George B Holmes- janitor, John B Krause- foreman, Rosemary H Wright- rate clerk

Ohio Motor Lines, Inc. 620 East 1st Street

Peerless Transportation

Frank M Dull- driver

Reinhardt Transfer Company 1665 Springfield

Byron Boone- terminal manager

Rocket Freight Lines 104 Lonhworth

C Booker- driver, Kermit W Chriswell- President, John G Davidson- office manager, David Foley- driver, James P Geswein, driver, Robert L Haynes- Vice President, Carl F Hoke- driver, Maurice S Mann- driver, WMSemler- driver, Lester L White- driver

St Johns Transportation

Walter L Crout- driver

Security Cartage Company

Edward H Camp- driver, John J Dickey- billing clerk, Bettye L Goodyear- cashier, William E Grice- driver, John J Harvey- driver, Homer E Heath- manager, William H Hull- dispatcher, Harry E Hunting- driver, John J Koehmen- clerk, William King- driver, Gerald S O’Dell- clerk, Lawrence E Shade- driver, Mrs Kathleen Ziegler- office manager

Standard Freight Lines, Inc. 116 Webster Street

Bernard B Farrell- driver, Chester A Gregory- manager, Wilbert A Jewett- driver,

Sterling Freight Lines 287 Linden Avenue

John Grove- owner

Suburban Motor Freight, Inc. 20 Stanton Avenue

Dale Collins- driver, Phil Cooper- clerk, Harold F Disbennett- driver, Robert Edgel- driver, Arthur Fargo- mechanic, Boyd W Goodpasture- driver, Berlin Hall- driver, Ray Konzal- clerk, Joe Leveck- driver, William Maynes- driver, Sam Millinanio- driver, Leslie Oliver- driver, Chester Patrick- driver, Charles Rathburn- driver, Eugene M Richie- driver, Douglas Rowland- driver, Robert Sears- driver, Walter L Smith- driver, William C Smith- driver, Ralph Starkey- dispatcher, Elmer Stauf- driver, William Strine- driver,

Superior Motor Freight Company 1639 Stanley Avenue

Joseph E Billings- employee, Glenn W Blake- driver, Robert C Blake- driver, William Bodogan- driver, John L Breakfield- driver, Phil Cooper- clerk

Trans-American Freight Lines 944 East Monument

Raymond Boil- regional manager, Walter Byers- dockman, Harold F Cranes- sales rep, William B Findlay- sales representative, Clarence W Goodrich- dockman, Clarence E Hall, dockman, Clarence B Hall- dockman, H Hudson- driver, Donna Moore- cashier, Grafton K Redfern- dispatcher,H Redmond- driver, C Robinson- driver, Robert A Rosencrans- sales rep, Elmer E Swank- driver, Maurice Turner- driver, Robert Turpin- clerk, William Waldron- clerk, Lawrence A Wolf- office manager

Transportation Service, Inc.

Donald O Barber- representive, James A Barber- Vice President, Earl Clingman- clerk, Leo K Davis- driver, Vernon Hinton- driver, Charles E Johnson Jr- assistant terminal manager, Clifford Leeds- mechanic, Delmer E Mashburn- driver, Ernest L McErfish- driver, Kazimer Silvinski- driver, William Weatherhead- assistant terminal manager,

Trojan Freight Lines, Inc. 1225 Daller Street

Harry S Kibler- cashier,

Trucking Service Inc.

Herbert Haney- driver

Union Storage Company

Walter Gross Jr- foreman, Walter E Haag- driver, Saville Haddix-warehouseman, James R Hartley- Vice President,

United Trucking Service, Inc. 500 Keowee Street

Billie B Brown- driver, Charles Bryson- driver, Thurmond Burris- dispatcher, Nenneth Burris- dispatcher, Joe Cantrill- driver, Charles Clayburgh- driver, Mrs Olive Laytham- bookkeeper, Paul McCoy- driver, Lincoln Orange- driver, Gerald O’Hare-driver, Clarence Paris- driver, Clarence Pierson- driver,Henry J Reicht- dispatcher, John Rickey- driver, William B Snetz- driver, Charles D Stockdale- driver, Harlan P Strine- mechanic, Thomas M Uzbek- driver, William E Wagner- driver, Ralph Webber- driver, James Woodall- driver,

Viking Freight Company 124 South Clinton

Howard G Billings- checker, Albert Boldman- driver, William E Bollinger- driver, P David Carman- traffic rep, Alice L Chipman- clerk, Leroy F Gross- driver, Martha L Holmes- cashier, Allen B Kostyra- driver, Floyd H Miller- driver, Robert E O’Connell- clerk, Harry F Spear- checker, Jesse L Sutton- dock worker,Herbert W Wright- dock worker

Wilson Freight Forwarding Company 228 Ziegler

Howard A Huston- foreman, Robert Nicely- mechanic, William F ReillySr- manager

Yankee Lines, Inc 1630 East 1st Street