In the early days of common carriers there were truck terminals close to downtown areas with multiple tenants. Similar to an office building that would be home to different companies and individuals these truck terminals  would have been rented to firms of all sizes. In some locales these facilities were named Union Truck Terminal.  The… Continue reading The Louisville Terminal at 110 North Floyd Street

Imagine you are a contestant on the TV show Jeopardy and you are about to answer a question in the bonus round. “Alex, I’ll take Trucking Company Headquarters For $1000”, you say as you hope for an easy to remember answer. Then Alex Tribec says, “ The answer is “What was the city in which… Continue reading Trucking In Bloomington, Indiana In 1955

Consolidated Motor Lines was one of the eight trucking companies that merged together in 1942 to create Associated Transport, Inc. Like Associated, Consolidated was formed earlier by swallowing up other carriers until it was one of the largest trucking companies in New England. This is the story of that company, as well as the brainchild… Continue reading Consolidated Motor Lines

Located in west central Wisconsin and just 90 miles east of Minneapolis, Minnesota Eau Claire was served by 18 Interstate and 13 intrastate Motor Carriers. Only seven of those carriers actually had terminals in the city of 37,000 residents. Those carriers were Briggs Transportation Company, Cary Transfer Corp, Chippewa Motor Freight Line, Gateway Transportation, Osterman… Continue reading Trucking In Eau Claire, Wisconsin In 1964

Eau Claire, Wisconsin is located in the west central part of the state and about 90 miles east of Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1964 several large industrial factories were in the city, among them US Rubber Company, National Presto Industries and several baking plants. The city had around 38,000 resident. The city was served by 18… Continue reading Who was in the Trucking Industry in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1964

Usually I do not present contract carriers as this blog delves into the history of less than truckload carriers, but while researching an ICC volume of motor carrier cases this one was interesting with lots of details. This company was submitting a Contract Carrier Application with the Interstate Commerce Commission in the 1930’s. The application… Continue reading Fostoria Cartage, Inc.

This is a brief historical look at two companies that merged together to form Midwest Emery Transportation Company. It begins with Milton Ratner, who in 1940, incorporated Truck Transport Inc as a general transportation business in Indianapolis, Indiana. In October 1949, David Ratner, a brother, sold his interests in Midwest Transfer Company and Emery Transportation… Continue reading History of Midwest Emery Transportation

When I purchase a city directory on EBay there is usually a reason for selecting a particular one. I bought a 1947 Charlotte, NC directory since that city was the headquarters for several trucking companies and also had a massive Associated Transport office and terminal. I bought a Saginaw, Michigan directory merely for the basis… Continue reading The Trucking Employees of Coldwater, Michigan in 1974

In Volune 1 Of Interstate Commerce Commission Reports Of Motor Carriers Cases, there is a printed decision concerning the Common Carrier application for a Florida-based company named Acme Freight Lines, Inc. Their application for an operating certificate was filed on February 10, 1936 and the ICC granted the certificate on December 14 of the same… Continue reading The Short Lived History Of Acme Freight Lines, Inc.

The earliest history that I have been able to locate is that on May 24, 1928 a permit was issued in Tennessee for the company to transport freight between Johnson City and Elizabethton in 1936 the Johnson City, Tennessee Headquarters was at 111 Tipton Street. 1937- Submitted ICC application to lease physical property and operating… Continue reading ET & WNC Transportation