Costs and Practices of Selected Cooperatives in Operating Bulk-Feed Trucks

Excerpts from the report: This study was made in response to recommendations made to the U.S. Department of Agriculture by the Marketing Research Advisory Committee. It is the third phase of a study of motortruck operations and costs. These costs are needed to provide benchmarks for the guidance of cooperative managements in helping to increase efficiency in bulk-feed distribution and to reduce feed costs to patrons. A list of cooperative associations operating bulk-feed trucks was developed from information obtained in this Farmer Cooperative Service study. Of 33 cooperatives operating bulk-feed trucks in 1959, only 9 cooperatives operated truck fleets of 10 or more. Interviews were made during the summer of 1964 and usable information on operating characteristics and costs was obtained from 7 of the 9 cooperatives. At the time of this study, 2 of the cooperatives were operating fewer than 10 trucks. Information obtained from these 7 cooperatives is the basis of findings reported here. The data were obtained by personal interview