Age of Trucking Began in New York City After Grueling 40-Mile, 2-Day Horse Race

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n 1903, the Automobile Club of America sponsored a contest in New York City to determine whether the motor truck had progressed far enough to replace the horse-drawn vehicle for commercial purposes.

Twelve vehicles — seven steam-powered, four gasoline and one electric — entered the contest. Eight of them completed the 40-mile course over two days.

First to finish was an air-cooled, two-cylinder, 16-horsepower delivery wagon from Knox Automotive Co. of Springfield, Mass.

“On the whole,” according to a contemporary report on the contest by a reporter for the Motor World newspaper, “the motor wagons and trucks beat those drawn by horses, passing them steadily.” While not a race as such, some horse-drawn drays could not match the new vehicles’ performance.

For the full story, see the Oct. 6 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.