Night Deliveries

Recently a letter was published from Ruth Kelley calling for leadership from the supermarket industry to reduce the number of trucks on the streets and highways during rush hours (Oct. 16). Ralphs Grocery Co. could not agree more.

Most Ralphs markets and distribution facilities are open 24 hours a day, and arranging deliveries during the night or early morning hours could be easily accomplished. Unfortunately, most of our stores have local ordinances prohibiting deliveries between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Therefore, in most areas it is impossible to service the markets except during daytime and early evening hours.

During the 1984 Olympics, the local ordinances were relaxed to allow deliveries to the stores during the night. All of us recall how well that worked and how substantially reduced truck traffic was at that time.

Ralphs would be very pleased to minimize its fleet activities during busy traffic periods if a permanent change in the local ordinances could be made to allow early evening and morning deliveries.

BYRON ALLUMBAUGH

Chairman

Ralphs Grocery Co.

Los Angeles