Singing Wheels - Early 1940's Trucks and Transport in America

The Motor Truck Committee of Automobile Manufacturers Association sponsored this film in an effort to raise public awareness of the vital role trucks had for the economic and social benefit of America.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• transport
• trucks
• 1940's
• poathtv
• highways
• roads
• ford
• general motors
• classic cars
• Ford Motor Company
• Driving
• trucking industry
• big rigs
• Public aids to transportation
• educational documentary
• history
• Documentary Film

[owengl]

This great film doubtless was produced between 1939 and the end of 1941--not in 1946. References were made to "Lightning war," "national defense," and "new triangular divisions," but not to "victory" or to America being at war. Also, all military trucks shown were commercial vehicles bought for military use, not military vehicles made specifically made for the military. Lastly, the jeep--which the army considered a truck--is neither mentioned nor shown anywhere during the film.

[wdtvlive42]

@owengl

There's a reference to the "recent report to congress of Public Aids to Transportation: v. 1-4" starting at 14:08. A bit of searching shows that report released in 1940 so a 1941 release date is quite plausible. I've been looking at signs & billboards in the background to see if there is anything that better dates the film but no luck. Some of the signs indicate footage filmed around 1936.

Think we'll just have to say the movie is from "the early 1940's".

[MrMegaFredzeppelin]

I guess when I make deliveries the truck I drive has Singing Wheels.ROCK ON!!!!!

[wdtvlive42]

@MrMegaFredzeppelin

My car tires hum - perhaps they forgot the words to the song ;-)

[ginjaninja1988]

@wdtvlive42 If it helps.....look at 08:16 there is a whole lot of trucks with 'Defend your country...US Army' adverts on the side.

[llanamejia]

And then railroads were making documentaries extolling the virtues of railroading over other transportation systems. It seems time gave trains the reason. But with the passing of years the reason behind a given film can gave been rendered irrelevant but those magnificent images of a bygone era remain

[queenofyeay]

The curious thing is, much of the footage used in this film was years old when the film was released, the DC-2 at 4.17 was set aside by the worlds airlines for the larger, faster and more powerful DC-3 before the start of WWII and the P-36 fighter plane shown in the film, all shiny and new in1935, was woefully obsolete by the start of WWII and would have been scrapped long before the end of the war... by 1946 it was a distant memory.

[westlock]

It seems pallets and forklifts have saved a huge amount of labor in warehouses, and before trucks had radios, drivers had to supply their own music.

[MrMegaFredzeppelin]

@wdtvlive42 I hope my car tires don't sing flat,take care and ROCK ON!!!!