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Thu February 27, 2020
AASHTO Blog
May 22, 1920 was the final day of the National Ship by Truck-Good Roads Week in the United States took place. The week had been coordinated by the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company as part of its ongoing and ambitious efforts to promote the short-haul shipping benefits of trucks and — in a priority shared by such other organizations at the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) — emphasize the need for improved highways nationwide.
In laying the groundwork for National Ship by Truck-Good Roads Week, Harvey S. Firestone and his company aimed to further educate the public on both of those goals and strengthen support for each.
"Reports from all over the United States show that National Ship by Truck-Good Roads Week was very successful," reported the New York Tribune. "More than 100 motor truck demonstrations took place in as many different cities."
Throughout the week, parades featuring trucks were held in various major cities and these vehicles also took part in regional tours in a number of states. In Washington, D.C., the movie "Trucking Through Dixie" — highlighting the need for better roads in the South — was shown several times in multiple locations during the course of the week. The nation's capital also hosted daily processions of trucks on both its main streets and the grounds of the Washington Monument.
The well-attended truck parade held in Phoenix, Ariz., on the final day of the week likewise illustrated the scope and enthusiasm characterizing the coast-to-coast events. A total of 150 motor trucks of all types and sizes participated in what the Arizona Republican called "a fitting demonstration of the close of the Ship-by-Truck-Good Roads Week." This newspaper also proclaimed that the week "awakened the people of the United States to the need for good roads and motor transportation for short hauls."