I have been researching on this topic for many months. The primary source has been a City Directory for that year and normally using one would not have taken so long. The problem is the City Directory is massive with thousands of pages and each page has four columns of fine print. Although when this article is finished in its entirety you’ll see that Cleveland was a major trucking hub. There was a multitude of trucking companies both large and small, dozens of local cartage firms and quite a few moving carriers that could have also handled LTL freight for themselves or other truckers.

With a population as large as Cleveland, I noticed information missing when it came to compiling a list of who worked for which trucking company or the position they may have held. Space limitations for each individual resident came into play here. I found many listings for individuals with ‘driver’ or ‘dockman’ for employment, but didn’t list the company they worked for due to the limited space for pertinent information. Even with each page being four columns wide and small type of print, the publisher didn’t provide all the information desired to make it complete. The list I present below is as complete as possible. I did not list any employees whom an employer was not given. I’m not about to guess or give you wrong information.

Due to the vast amount of information on the trucking industry in Cleveland at 1947, in this article there will be an alphabetical listing of the trucking companies and various other carriers operating in the city at that time. Addresses will also be provided and when useful a photo of the present day appearance of the property included. The majority of the properties are long gone and redeveloped into other uses due to the years that have passed.

Separate articles will be posted here with the employee rosters of the trucking companies. I guarantee that it is quite the list and will take several days to type and prepare for inclusion on this website. Check back often since it will take time.

One more thing, this was the most expensive city directory I’ve ever purchased, since it is of a prominent metropolitan city with a massive population. I knew how much it would cost when ordered. If you wish to donate any money toward the expense of this one or future research materials needed in the future it will be appreciated very much. A button will appear at the end of this article should you wish to donate.

AA Trucking Co.

Abingdon Cartage Co. 1232 Webster Av

Acme Delivery Co. 3501 Detroit Av

Acme Fast Freight 1250 E 38th at Hamilton Av

Aetna Cartage Co. 2349 E 22nd

Akron Chicago Transportation Co. Inc. 4618 Hough Av

Alford Trucking Co. 1315 E 33rd at Hamilton Av

George F Alger Co. 2768 Commercial Rd

Allen Express & Moving Co. 1319 Allen Ct. Rocky River

Allmen Transportation & Moving Co. 8416 Lake Av

All States Freight, Inc. 2981 E 34th

American Transit Lines 1701 Rockwell

American Transportation Corp.

Anchor Motor Freight 544 Terminal Tower

Anderson Motor Service 2723 Orange An

Andrews Cartage Co. 3939 Superior Av

Associated Transport, Inc. 2723 Orange Av

Atchison Moving & Storage Co. 11637 Hayden Av East Leveland

Aztec Lines, Inc. 1234 E 38th at Lakeside Av

Barnett Trucking Co. 4238 E 124th

Bell Lines, Inc. 1550 E 40th

Bender & Loudon Motor Freight Co. 2413 Orange Av.

Bethlehem Transportation Corp. 2600 Terminal Tower

Bowlin Drive-Away

Brada Cartage Co. 4015 W 150tb

Brainard Freight Lines, Inc. 11915 Mayfield Rd

Bridgeways, Inc. 2723 Orange Av Room 206

Bruder Cartage Co. 9005 Woodland Av

Buck Transfer Co, 14400 Lorain Av

CABY Transportation Co. 5611-15 Hough Av

CCC Highway Inc. Docks: 2201 Orange Av at 22nd, Garage: 2343-49 Orange Av, Storage: 2628 E 22nd at Welding Ct

Cargo Carriers, Inc. shipping brokers 614 Superior Av NW #1503

Central Transit Co. contract carriers 1277 E 40th

Chaplin Truck Lines, Inc. 1455 Hamilton Av

Cleveland-Chicago Motor Express Co. 2335 E 22nd

Cleveland-Pittsburgh Freight Lines, Inc. 3515 Lakeside Av

Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Co. 1241 E 26th

Cleveland Storage Co. 629 Euclid Av Room 619

Cleveland Terminal Warehouse 1241 E 26th

Cleveland Transfer Co. foot of E 9th NE

Commercial Motor Freight Inc. 3825 Perkins Av

Cochran Bros. Transportation Co. 1585 E 18th

Consolidated Cartage & Storage Co. 2550 Woodland Av

Contract Carrier Corp. 2111 E 40th

Contract Transportation Co. 14400 Lorain Av

Continental Transportation Lines, Inc. 3500 Superior Av

JF Cowl Trucking Co.

Curtis Storage & Transfer, Inc. corner of French and Winter

Cuyahoga Trucking Co. 2565 E 33rd

Decatur Cartage Co. Inc. of Indiana 1533 Hamilton Av NE

Deregalla Trucking Co.

Direct Transportation Co. 2730 E 55th

Distribution Terminal Warehouse Central Viaduct and W 14th

Droe Cartage Co. 422 Frankfort Av

Dworkin Inc. 1315 E 33rd at Hamilton

E & R Cartage Co. 1192 E 40th

Excelsior Cartage Co. 1200 W 9th Room 204

Federal Express 1553 Hamilton

Fletcher Cartage & Storage Co. 3444 Orange Av

Freight Inc. 1620 E 41st

William Fridrich Moving & Storage Co. 14414 Detroit Av Lakewood, Ohio

Gardner Cartage Co. Inc. 2662 E 69th

Glenn Cartage Co. 720 Euclid Av Room 1114

Great Lakes Motor Dispatch, Inc. 2723 Orange Av

Frank J Hawkins Transfer & Storage Co. 8614 Cedar Av

Hayes Freight Lines 1643 Hamilton Av

Highway Express, Inc. 1500 Lakeside Av

Huber Motor Transportation

Clayton Innes Trucking Co. 623 St Clair Av North Euclid

International Forwarding Co, 1370 Ontario St Room 602

Interstate Motor Freight System 4618 Hough Av

Kaplan Trucking Co. 1607 Woodland Av

Keal Driveaway Co. 822 E 73rd

Curtis Keal Transportation Co. 5451 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway North Euclid

Kelleher Motor Freight Lines, Inc. E 9th at Berg Av

Keeshin Motor Express 5700 Belford Av

Knaack Cartage Co. 2315 W 3rd

Kramer Bros. Freight Lines, Inc. 3035 St Clair Av

Lake Shore Cartage, Inc. 11328 Euclid Av Room 203

Lake Shore Freight Lines, Inc.

Lake Shore Motor Freight, Inc. 1730 Rockwell Av

Lakewood Storage, Inc.

Lederer Terminal Warehouse

Lee Trucking Co. 4420 Payne Av

Liberty Cartage 1725 E 24tg

Liberty Highway 2440 Lakeside Av

Isaac Lipton

Lincoln Storage 5660-5704 Euclid Av

Long Transportation Co. 1554 Hamilton Av

Lyons Transportation Co. Inc. 2455 Hamilton Av

McMillen & Sons Cartage & Storage Co.

Melvin Cartage Co. 422 Frankfort Av

Merchants Freight System 2414 E 9th

Mervis Trucking Co. 7026 Lexington Av

Michigan Motor Freight Lines 3820 Lakeside Av NE

Middle Atlantic Transportation Co. Inc. 2601 St Clair Av at 26th

Mitchell Transfer Co. 1051 Bolivar Rd

Modern Motor Express, Inc. E 86th at Harvard

Mohawk Motor, Inc. 1555 Harvard Av

Moreland Trucking Co. 2854 E 111th

Motor Cargo, Inc. 1600 E 19th

Motor Express, Inc. 2101 Rockwell

National Carloading Corp.

National Cartage Co. 3401 Trumbull

National Storage Co.

National Terminal Corp.

Neal Storage Co.

North American Van Lines

Norwalk Truck Line Co. 3141 St Clair Av

O’Brien & Nye Carting Co.

Ohio Delivery, Inc.

Ohio Motor Transport, Inc. 1300 W 9th

Ohio Moving & Transit Co. 3323 W 59th Place

Ohio Terminal Warehouse Corp.

Ohio Transport Service 9821 Bessemer Av

Otis Terminal Warehouse

Penn Ontario Transportation Co.

Pittsburgh-Wheeling Truck Service, Inc. 1585 E 18th

Quality Moving & Storage Co. 11629 Miles Av

Rainbow Transfer Co. 2282 E 100th

Ramus Trucking Lines, Inc. 1290 Webster

Red Star Transit Co. Inc. 1253 E 55th

River Cartage Co. 9005 Superior Av North Euclid

Roadway Express, Inc. 703 Eagle Av

Sherman Moving & Storage Co. 1758 Crawford Rd

Shippers Dispatch, Inc. 2825 Orange Av

Shirks Motor Express Corp. 4650 Payne Av at 47th

O C Smith Cartage Co. 1200 W 9th Room 104

Standard Freight Lines, Inc. 1585 E 18th

Summit Fast Freight, Inc. 4618 Hough Av

Superior Transfer Co. 4707 Euclid Av

Suwak Trucking Co. 2723 Orange Av Room 204

Tassi Trucking Co. 12808 Broadway Garfield Heights

Trans American Freight Lines 2259 Orange Av

Transfer Cartage Co. 1093 E 68th

Trucking, Inc. 18625 Detroit Av Lakewood

U.S. Truck Lines, Inc. of Delaware 606 Terminal Tower

United Van Lines 2108 Payne Av Room 215

Universal Carloading & Distributing Co. 1191 E 40th

Universal Cartage Co. 1809 Rockwell

Wahl Moving & Transfer Co. 1949 E 55th

J P Ward Moving & Storage Co.638 E 99th

Warner & Smith Motor Freight 1444 Lakeside Av NE

Wells Fargo Carloading Co. Inc. 829 Canal Rd NW and 1681 Columbus Av

Wells Truck Line 1455 Hamilton Av

Western Express Co. 1277 E 40th

White Star Trucking, Inc. 4420 Payne Av

Whitworth Bros. Storage Co. Inc. 1313 E 105th

Wilson Freight Forwarding Co. 2723 Orange Av Room 203

Wilson Transit Co. 614 Superior Av NW

Windermere Storage Co. 14441 Euclid Av

Wolverine Express, Inc. 1234 E 38th

Zak Box & Cartage Co. 7100 Clark Av

Zeno Bros. Trucking Co. 2981 E 34th