The Backroads Newspaper Dealership

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. . . IF YOU CAN MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN EQUIPMENT

Unlike city newspaper routes which are usually delivered on foot or by bicycle, country routes are covered with a car or pickup. That means a vehicle which starts every morning, doesn't gulp gasoline, handles well, and is big enough to haul a hefty load of fat Sunday papers. A Volkswagen, of course, qualifies as well as anything on the first three points (and many carriers use them) . . . but only has so much room. We started with a Rambler and, at 110,000 miles, traded it for a Datsun wagon. The Datsun is still, after two years, in good shape and we use it for other hauling jobs as well.

WATCH THOSE EXPENSES

No matter what kind of vehicle you drive while making your deliveries, your operating expenses can make or break you. The thousands of starts and stops every month can be murder on the machine's brakes, spark plugs, and points . . . and will set the car or truck up for an oil change and lube job at least once a month. Even if you don't have any mechanical ability, however, you can learn to handle this maintenance yourself.

An investment in some quality hand tools, a grease gun, and an oil pan will return a small basket of money within a year's time. And if you absolutely don't know an exhaust pipe from a carburetor, your local automobile dealer or auto supply house will sell you a service manual (usually for less than $10) that contains detailed "how to do it" information for exactly your make and model of car.

Gasoline, of course, will always be your major item of expense and there are ways to shave its cost too. Keep your car tuned for minimum fuel consumption, swear off hot rodding and jackrabbit starts, and plan your route so that you can drive it with the least possible backtracking.

And here's one bright note about gasoline: Although our expenses for fuel are much higher now than they were back in the days of 30¢-a-gallon gas, the increase in fuel costs hasn't hurt our bottom line profit at all. Our expense allowance from the newspaper, you see, has been increased every time the price of gasoline has gone up. In fact, the allowance-adjusted for the number of miles we travel and the number of stops we make—has always been liberal enough to buy all the gas we use and leave a little over for tires and other expenses.

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