New York State War Council War Transportation Committee Field Agents' Supervision Files

Organized into three subseries: Subseries 1, Field Agents' Reports, 1942-1945, 2 cubic feet; Subseries 2, Field Agents' Correspondence Files, 1942-1945, 3 cubic feet; and Subseries 3, General Instructions to Field Agents and Local War Transportation Administrators, 1942-1945, 0.4 cubic foot.

Subseries 1, Field Agents' Reports, and Subseries 2, Field Agents' Correspondence Files: geographic by region.

Subseries 3, General Instructions to Field Agents and Local War Transportation Administrators: chronological.

Like other War Council agencies, the War Transportation Committee (WTC) directed field agents to execute its programs and supervise local war council efforts. The WTC divided the state into six regions: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, and New York City. One field agent in each region acted as liaison for the WTC, providing advice to local programs, implementing WTC programs in their regions, and working with the WTC in resolving local transportation problems or disputes.

This series contains reports, correspondence, pamphlets and newspaper clippings documenting the work of, and the committee's supervision of, field agents in their efforts to conserve transportation resources.

Subseries 1, Field Agents' Reports, 1942-1945: This subseries contains weekly summaries of each agent's activities including meetings attended, local war councils visited, and individuals consulted. Typical subjects reported on include: car pooling; bus transportation and schedules, including charter bus lines; staggered work hours to alleviate congestion; the optimization of traffic patterns; program advertising and promotion; at-home vacations; coordination of programs with local rationing boards; and the purchase or disposal of transportation equipment.

Some newspaper clippings related to war transportation are found in this subseries. Reports from the New York City region are not found in this subseries.

Subseries 2, Field Agents' Correspondence Files, 1942-1945, 3 cubic feet: This subseries contains correspondence, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings exchanged between the field agents and the WTC office. While much of the correspondence is routine (requests for supplies or forms, meeting arrangements, check disbursements, and travel allowances), information on topics similar to those in Subseries 1 is also found, and this material often contains more specific details on particular problems or concerns. Of particular note is correspondence from field agents to the WTC office regarding unionized transportation workers and the WTC's programs. Also, in late 1944 an assessment survey of local transportation capability was conducted and it is found in many files. It noted the status of car pool programs, bus usage, and vehicles' operating condition.

Subseries 3, General Instructions to Field Agents and Local War Transportation Administrators, 1942-1945: This subseries contains form letters and pamphlets which clarified policies and promoted programs. Local war transportation administrators were members of local war councils who acted as liaisons for, and promoters of, WTC programs and goals. Topics are similar to those found in Subseries 1, but also include bus and truck driver training, gasoline regulation, and meeting agendas. Also found in this subseries are published reprints of government publications and periodical articles concerning transportation conservation from federal programs and other agencies and organizations concerned with the conservation of transportation resources.

This series was originally accessioned as boxes 279-280, 307-309, and half of 286 of old collection #77, accession -71.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.