ehicles empty, return-load bureaus are established. These bureaus are
a means of bringing together the shipper having goods to move and the
operator of an empty vehicle which is possibly running to the point
for which the goods to be shipped are destined.

With the cooperation of State councils of defense, chambers of
commerce, local war boards, and other organizations the Council of
National Defense, through its Highways Transport Committee and its
State Councils Section, is building up a system for the efficient
utilization of the highways of the country as a means of strengthening
the Nation's transportation resources and affording merchants and
manufacturers relief from necessary railroad embargoes and delays due
to freight congestion.

State Highways Transport Committees are being organized in all States
of the Union. The primary functions of the State Highways Transport
bodies are the development of the five outstanding activities to which
instant attention is being given by the Highways Transport Committee
of the National Council of Defense, as follows:

Return Load Bureaus, Rural Express, Cooperation with Federal Railroad
Administration, Educational, Transport Operating Efficiency.

These activities encompass, briefly, and in the order named, the
following:

Elimination of empty running of trucks by bringing together shipper
and truck owner in such way as to provide full loads wherever
possible.

Rapid development, over fixed routes, of daily power-vehicle service,
with definite schedules of stops and charges and provision made for
gathering shipments both on outgoing and incoming trips.

Substitution of adequate truck service that the intracity and
short-haul service of rail carriers may be relieved and partially
supplanted; the relief of congested terminals, and an effective
store-door delivery plan.

Organization of a campaign to place highways transport work throughout
the States in its proper light before the public, that the support of
the people in favor of national policies may be made certain. To this
end an outstanding feature of the work will be enlistment of the
support of all users of highways transport.

Making transportation more efficient through encouragement of such use
of highways transport as will eliminate making trips with part loads,
the loss of time in loading and unloading, and unnecessary delays in
the handling of receipts.

By taking part of the burden of the "short haul"