Truck Busses

One of the leading features in general business during the past year has been the great activity of bus manufacturers. All over the country busses are entering into competition with local railway trains and traction companies. Even with-in the limits of moderate-sized cities, there is a strong tendency for independent or traction-owned bus companies to enter the municipal transportation field. The outlook is as reassuring to bus manufacturers as it is dark and gloomy to the old-fashioned electric traction companies.

In the U. S. there are four leading bus making companies-- International Harvester, Mack Trucks, White Motor, Pierce Arrow. Smaller makers include subsidiaries of

General Motors and other pleasure-vehicle companies. In the first half of 1925, the above-named "big four" bus makers sold 22,150 vehicles--an increase of 4,670 or 27% over similar sales for the last half of 1924. Ordinarily, the best months for this type of manufacturing are March, April, May and June. This summer, however, production has run much higher than usual, owing to the great impetus toward bus transportation throughout the country. Sales of Mack trucks for July, for example, were about 1,050 machines--an increase of 66% on July, 1924, and within 150 of the best month this year. July is ordinarily a fairly slack production month.

As between the "big four" during the first half of 1925, International Harvester led in unit sales with a round total of 9,000 vehicles, compared with 6,500 last year; Mack Truck's sales were 5,900 against 4,400 in 1924; White sold 6,200, against 5,500 last year; but Pierce Arrow sold only about 1,050 this year against 1,080 last year.