The midwest farm family could scarcely imagine itself without
the versatile half-ton pick-up truck. The ‘pick-up’ hauls
grain, fertilizer, livestock, supplies, and the farm family itself.
It is used for money-making and recreational activities. But around
the world in most agricultural areas of what has come to be called
the ‘Third World’, transportation is limited to the feet of
the farm family. Even the picturesque and efficient ox-cart is not
as common as our postcards would have us believe. Water, wood,
fruit, grain, lumber, etc. are all carried great distances on the
heads of women and the backs of men. Children start at a very early
age to carry awesome loads, often at the expense of schooling.
A simple machine, being produced by The United Methodist Church
in Missouri, can change all of this, according to its designer, Mr.
Earl Miner. A couple of years ago Mr. Miner heard a native pastor
from Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) speak at a church meeting. The pastor, Mr.
Arthur Kononuhwa, spoke of the great need for simple transportation
in his native land. It so happened that Mr. Miner, a United
Methodist layman and a professional inventor/ product designer, had
already built and tested a simple machine he felt would meet that
need. In consultation with Mr. Kononuhwa and with Bishop Dodge,
from Africa, Mr. Miner built a machine and sent it to Africa for
the Kononuhwas to test. By this time the project was an official
project of the Office of Creative Ministries of the United
Methodist Churches of Missouri.
The TRAG (TRansportation-AGriculture) is a three-wheeled vehicle
powered by an industrial 8 HP Briggs/Stratton engine, with a
built-in six to one speed reduction. Kerosene and diesel engines
have also been used. Power is transferred to the front driving
wheel by simple ‘V’-belt mechanism. By the use of a quick
change (by hand) drive chain, a total of six speeds are
available.
The front drive unit disconnects from the two-wheeled trailer by
simply pulling a pin, thus allowing for a great variety of pulled
appliances. One unit has been sent to Egypt, where a small
fertilizer spreader will be attached. The speed of the unit ranges
from a slow crawl to 30 mph. The unit has no shock absorbers or
springs. A relatively smooth ride is obtained by using a
low-pressure in the tires (6 to 8 lbs.). The unit has a friction
brake on the drive unit and simple ‘scrub’ brakes on the
rear wheels.
Every effort has been made to keep the unit simple, realizing
the lack of mechanical sophistication in many areas. The electric
and recoil starter possibilities have been discarded in favor of
the simple rope start. Lights run off the generator, so no battery
is necessary. The air-cooled engine is ‘up front’ where
maintenance is easy, and where dirt will not collect.
The program of the United Methodist Church is simple:
(1) Send a unit to missionaries or similar in the Third World
who send a request and will make a responsible use and test of the
vehicle.
(2) Follow up with evaluations and reports.
(3) If the vehicle meets a genuine need and local manufacture is
possible, the TRAG project will help the area set up its own local
manufacture.
Thus far, all of 1980, units have been sent to Pakistan,
Bangladesh, India, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Egypt, Belize,
Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Colombia, Haiti, and several
places in the U.S.A. Production has begun in Zimbabwe, and plans
are in process in Costa Rica.
The Rev. Mel West, Director of the Office of Creative
Ministries, reports, ‘The growth of this project has been
amazing. In any developing country transportation is a major
problem, and the TRAG has proven itself to be capable of helping
solve that problem. We want to keep production within the area of
need, so that the TRAG is a ‘hand-up’ and not a
‘hand-out.’
Persons interested in the project should write: TRAG, Box 733,
Columbia, Missouri 65205.
