79-621: A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker , teamster or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; an HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver , or driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore) is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck , which
158-406: A fifth wheel hitch. Box trucks have walls and a roof, making an enclosed load space. The rear has doors for unloading; a side door is sometimes fitted. Chassis cab trucks have a fully enclosed cab at the front, with bare chassis frame-rails behind, suitable for subsequent permanent attachment of a specialized payload, like a fire-truck or ambulance body. Concrete mixers have
237-453: A gross combination mass of up to 3.5 t (3.4 long tons; 3.9 short tons) are defined as light commercial vehicles , and those over as large goods vehicles . Trucks and cars have a common ancestor: the steam-powered fardier Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built in 1769. However, steam wagons were not common until the mid-19th century. The roads of the time, built for horse and carriages, limited these vehicles to very short hauls, usually from
316-408: A 12-hour period of rest to another rest period of at least 9 hours before the end of week 4. This compensation cannot be taken in several smaller periods. A weekly rest period that falls in two weeks may be counted in either week but not in both. However, a rest period of at least 69 hours in total may be counted as two back-to-back weekly rests (e.g. a 45-hour weekly rest followed by 24 hours), provided
395-485: A 25 mph (40 km/h) speed governor as they are classified as low-speed vehicles. These vehicles have found uses in construction, large campuses (government, university, and industrial), agriculture, cattle ranches, amusement parks, and replacements for golf carts. Major mini-truck manufacturers and their brands include: Daihatsu Hijet , Honda Acty , Tata Ace , Mazda Scrum , Mitsubishi Minicab , Subaru Sambar , and Suzuki Carry . Light trucks are car-sized (in
474-441: A base rate and additional pay. Base rates either compensate drivers by the mile or by the load. A company driver who makes a number of "less than truckload" (LTL) deliveries via box truck or conventional tractor-trailer may be paid an hourly wage, a certain amount per mile, per stop (aka "drop" or "dock bump") or per piece delivered, unloaded, or tailgated (i.e., moved to the rear of the trailer). The main advantage of being paid by
553-431: A break period of at least 45 minutes, which can be split into 2 breaks, the first being at least 15 minutes and the second being at least 30 minutes. The daily driving time shall not exceed 9 hours and may be extended to at most 10 hours no more than twice each week. The weekly driving time may not exceed 56 hours. In addition to this, a driver cannot exceed 90 hours driving in a fortnight . Within each 24-hour period after
632-430: A cabin that is independent of the payload portion of the vehicle. Smaller varieties may be mechanically similar to some automobiles . Commercial trucks can be very large and powerful and may be configured to be mounted with specialized equipment, such as in the case of refuse trucks , fire trucks , concrete mixers , and suction excavators . In American English, a commercial vehicle without a trailer or other articulation
711-401: A common construction: they are made of a chassis , a cab , an area for placing cargo or equipment, axles , suspension and roadwheels , an engine and a drivetrain . Pneumatic , hydraulic , water , and electrical systems may also be present. Many also tow one or more trailers or semi-trailers. The "cab", or "cabin" is an enclosed space where the driver is seated. A " sleeper " is
790-704: A compartment attached to or integral with the cab where the driver can rest while not driving, sometimes seen in semi-trailer trucks. There are several cab configurations: A further step from this is the side loading forklift that can be described as a specially fabricated vehicle with the same properties as a truck of this type, in addition to the ability to pick up its own load. Most small trucks such as sport utility vehicles (SUVs), vans or pickups , and even light medium-duty trucks in North America, China, and Russia use gasoline engines (petrol engines), but many diesel engined models are now being produced. Most of
869-404: A daily 24-hour logbook record of duty status documenting all work and rest periods. The record of duty status must be kept current to the last change of duty status and records of the previous seven days retained by the driver in the truck and presented to law enforcement officials on demand. Electronic on-board recorders (EOBR) can automatically record, among other things, the time the vehicle
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#1732848965325948-414: A destination from behind (essentially driving a fish hook-shaped route), because the most direct route cannot accommodate heavy truck traffic. Some trucking companies have tried to alleviate these discrepancies by paying their drivers according to "practical miles." This occurs when dispatchers provide a route to follow and pay the driver accordingly based on the route. This is done to compensate drivers for
1027-449: A factory to the nearest railway station. The first semi-trailer appeared in 1881, towed by a steam tractor manufactured by De Dion-Bouton . Steam-powered wagons were sold in France and the United States until the eve of World War I , and 1935 in the United Kingdom, when a change in road tax rules made them uneconomic against the new diesel lorries. In 1895, Karl Benz designed and built
1106-433: A fashion enables a crew's duties to be spread over 21 hours. The maximum driving time for a two-man crew taking advantage of this concession is 20 hours before a daily rest is required (although only if both drivers are entitled to drive 10 hours). Under multi-manning, the ‘second’ driver in a crew may not necessarily be the same driver from the duration of the first driver's shift but could be any number of drivers as long as
1185-406: A ladder if tipped on end. The rails consist of a tall vertical section (two if boxed) and two shorter horizontal flanges. The height of the vertical section provides opposition to vertical flex when weight is applied to the top of the frame (beam resistance). Though typically flat the whole length on heavy-duty trucks, the rails may sometimes be tapered or arched for clearance around the engine or over
1264-632: A logbook documenting hours and kilometres spent driving. In Canada, driver hours of service (HOS) regulations are enforced for drivers who operate a "truck, tractor, trailer, or any combination of them that has a gross vehicle weight in excess of 4,500 kg (9,921 lb) or a bus that is designed and constructed to have a designated seating capacity of more than 24 persons, including the driver." However, there are two sets of hours of service rules: one for above 60th parallel north and one for below. Below latitude 60 degrees, drivers are limited to 14 hours on duty in any 24-hour period. These 14 hours include
1343-420: A manual transmission with synchromesh (synchronizers). Bigger trucks often use manual transmissions without synchronizers, saving bulk and weight, although synchromesh transmissions are used in larger trucks as well. Transmissions without synchronizers, known as "crash boxes", require double-clutching for each shift, (which can lead to repetitive motion injuries), or a technique known colloquially as "floating",
1422-545: A manual transmission, while conventional automatic or automated manual transmissions would have anything from 5 to 12 gears. Almost all heavy truck transmissions are of the "range and split" (double H shift pattern) type, where range change and so‑called half gears or splits are air operated and always preselected before the main gear selection. A truck frame consists of two parallel boxed (tubular) or C‑shaped rails, or beams, held together by crossmembers . These frames are referred to as ladder frames due to their resemblance to
1501-463: A maximum of 13 hours driving time. Rest periods are 8 consecutive hours in a 24-hour period, as well as an additional 2-hour period of rest that must be taken in blocks of no fewer than 30 minutes. The concept of "Cycles" refers to the total amount of time drivers can be on duty in a given period before they must take time off. Cycle 1 is 70 hours in a 7-day period and cycle 2 is 120 hours in a 14-day period. Drivers using cycle 1 must take off 36 hours at
1580-405: A mechanical odometer mounted to an axle), pay the driver for every mile. Calculations are generally limited to no more than 3–5% above the estimates of mileage by the carrier before red flags appear, depending on the carrier's financial compensation or how it rates the mileage estimation capabilities of the software used. One version of hub miles includes only those per carrier designated route, i.e.,
1659-407: A method of changing gears which does not use the clutch, except for starts and stops, due to the physical effort of double-clutching, especially with non-power-assisted clutches, faster shifts, and less clutch wear. Double-clutching allows the driver to control the engine and transmission revolutions to synchronize so that a smooth shift can be made; for example, when upshifting, the accelerator pedal
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#17328489653251738-500: A more uncertain origin, but probably has its roots in the rail transport industry, where the word is known to have been used in 1838 to refer to a type of truck (a goods wagon as in British usage, not a bogie as in the American), specifically a large flat wagon. It might derive from the verb lurry (to carry or drag along, or to lug) which was in use as early as 1664, but that association
1817-406: A reduction is taken, it must be compensated for by an equivalent period of rest taken in one block before the end of the third week following the week in question. The compensating rest must be attached to a period of rest of at least 9 hours – effectively either a weekly or daily rest period. For example, if a driver reduces a weekly rest period to 33 hours in week 1, they must compensate by attaching
1896-401: A roof and floor, used for transporting fresh and frozen cargo such as ice cream, food, vegetables, and prescription drugs. They are mostly equipped with double-wing rear doors, but a side door is sometimes fitted. Refuse trucks have a specialized body for collecting and, often, compacting trash collected from municipal, commercial, and industrial sites. This application has the widest use of
1975-544: A rotating drum on an inclined axis, rotating in one direction to mix, and in the other to discharge the concrete down chutes. Because of the weight and power requirements of the drum body and rough construction sites, mixers have to be very heavy duty. Dual drive/Steer trucks are vehicles used to steer the rear of trailers . Dump trucks ("tippers" in the UK) transport loose material such as sand, gravel, or dirt for construction. A typical dump truck has an open-box bed, which
2054-578: A set number of miles. "Out of route" miles of any incentive are provided by the driver to the carrier for free. Many of the largest long haul trucking companies in the United States pay their drivers according to short miles. Short miles are the absolute shortest distance between two or more zip codes, literally a straight line drawn across the map. These short miles rarely reflect the actual miles required to pick up and deliver freight, but they will be used to calculate driver earnings. Short miles are on average about 10% less than actual miles, but in some cases
2133-704: A six-axle truck may have a maximum weight of 44 t (97,000 lb) or more. Off-road trucks include standard, extra heavy-duty highway-legal trucks, typically outfitted with off-road features such as a front driving axle and special tires for applications such as logging and construction, and purpose-built off-road vehicles unconstrained by weight limits, such as the Liebherr T 282B mining truck. Australia has complex regulations over weight and length, including axle spacing, type of axle/axle group, rear overhang, kingpin to rear of trailer, drawbar length, ground clearance, as well as height and width laws. These limits are some of
2212-414: A total minimum rest of 12 hours. Drivers may reduce daily rest periods to no fewer than 9 continuous hours, but this can be done no more than three times between any two weekly rest periods; no compensation for the reduction is required. Daily rests between 9 and 11 hours long are referred to as reduced daily rest periods. Daily rests may be taken in a vehicle as long as it has suitable sleeping facilities and
2291-447: A total weight not exceeding 8,250 kg). Large vehicles: C Vehicles over 3,500 kg with a trailer up to 750 kg. Large vehicles with trailers: Truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight , carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction, with
2370-411: A truck, of a trailer, from axle to hitch point, kingpin to rear of trailer, and turning radius are all regulated. In additions, there are special rules for carrying containers, and countries can set their own rules for local traffic. The United States Federal Bridge Law deals with the relation between the gross weight of the truck, the number of axles, the weight on and the spacing between the axles that
2449-611: A version of their Xebra electric tricycle (licensable in the U.S. as a motorcycle). Popular in Europe and Asia, many mini-trucks are factory redesigns of light automobiles, usually with monocoque bodies. Specialized designs with substantial frames such as the Italian Piaggio shown here are based upon Japanese designs (in this case by Daihatsu ) and are popular for use in "old town" sections of European cities that often have very narrow alleyways. Regardless of name, these small trucks serve
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2528-566: A wide range of uses. In Japan, they are regulated under the Kei car laws, which allow vehicle owners a break in taxes for buying a smaller and less-powerful vehicle (currently, the engine is limited to 660 cc displacement). These vehicles are used as on-road utility vehicles in Japan. These Japanese-made mini-trucks that were manufactured for on-road use are competing with off-road ATVs in the United States, and import regulations require that these mini-trucks have
2607-421: Is a common pay structure for owner-operators signed on to haul freight for specific companies. In this type of pay structure, owner-operators are paid a percentage of the gross load revenue. This percentage varies depending on the services provided by the company. For example, an owner-operator who receives 95% of the load revenue may only be provided with dispatch services while an owner-operator who receives 65% of
2686-1352: Is commonly defined as a large goods vehicle ( LGV ) or heavy goods vehicle ( HGV ) (usually a semi truck , box truck , or dump truck ). Truck drivers provide an essential service to industrialized societies by transporting finished goods and raw materials over land, typically to and from manufacturing plants , retail , and distribution centers. Truck drivers are responsible for inspecting their vehicles for mechanical items or issues relating to safe operation. Others, such as driver/sales workers, are also responsible for sales , completing additional services such as cleaning, preparation, and entertaining (e.g. cooking, making hot drinks) and customer service . Truck drivers work closely with warehouse associates and warehouse workers who assist in loading and unloading shipments. There are three major types of truck driver employment: Owner-operators, owner-drivers, and company drivers can be in these categories: In Australia , drivers of trucks and truck/trailer combinations with gross vehicle mass greater than 12 tonnes (11.8 long tons; 13.2 short tons) must rest for 15 minutes every 5.5 hours, 30 minutes every 8 hours, and 60 minutes every 11 hours (includes driving and non-driving duties). In any 7-day period, drivers must spend 24 hours away from their vehicles. Truck drivers must complete
2765-560: Is formally a "straight truck" while one designed specifically to pull a trailer is not a truck but a " tractor ". The majority of trucks currently in use are powered by diesel engines , although small- to medium-size trucks with gasoline engines exist in North America . Electrically powered trucks are more popular in China and Europe than elsewhere. In the European Union , vehicles with
2844-427: Is hinged at the rear and lifts at the front, allowing the material in the bed to be unloaded ("dumped") on the ground behind the truck. Flatbed trucks have an entirely flat, level platform body. This allows for quick and easy loading but has no protection for the load. Hanging or removable sides are sometimes fitted, often in the form of a stakebody . Refrigerator trucks have insulated panels as walls and
2923-500: Is in motion or stopped. An FMCSA ruling mandated use of EOBRs, also known as Electronic Logging Device (ELD), began on December 18, 2017. The new mandate applies to all carriers not under FMCSA exemptions. A shortage of truck drivers has been reported in the United States. Retention rates are low. Truck drivers are paid according to many different methods. These include salary, hourly, and a number of methods which can be broadly defined as piece work . Piece work methods may include both
3002-422: Is in neutral, it allows the engine speed to drop and synchronize engine and transmission revolutions relative to the road speed. Downshifting is performed in a similar fashion, except the engine speed is now required to increase (while the transmission is in neutral) just the right amount in order to achieve the synchronization for a smooth, non-collision gear change. "Skip changing" is also widely used; in principle,
3081-564: Is most often made as vans. Medium trucks are larger than light but smaller than heavy trucks. In the US, they are defined as weighing between 13,000 and 33,000 lb (5.9 and 15.0 t). For the UK and the EU the weight is between 3.5 and 7.5 t (7,700 and 16,500 lb). Local delivery and public service ( dump trucks , garbage trucks and fire-fighting trucks ) are normally around this size. Heavy trucks are
3160-455: Is mostly reserved for larger vehicles. In Australia and New Zealand, a pickup truck is frequently called a ute (short for "utility" vehicle), while in South Africa it is called a bakkie ( Afrikaans : "small open container"). In the United Kingdom, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Ireland, and Hong Kong lorry is used instead of truck , but only for the medium and heavy types, while truck
3239-531: Is no standardization between provinces and territories. In the EU, one or more of the categories of Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) licenses is required. Medium-sized vehicles: C1 Lorries between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg with a trailer up to 750 kg. Medium-sized vehicles with trailers: C1+E Lorries between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg with a trailer over 750 kg - total weight not more than 12,000 kg (if you passed your category B test prior to January 1, 1997, you will be restricted to
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3318-463: Is not definitive. The expanded meaning of lorry , "self-propelled vehicle for carrying goods", has been in usage since 1911. In the United States, Canada, and the Philippines, "truck" is usually reserved for commercial vehicles larger than regular passenger cars, but includes large SUVs, pickups, and other vehicles with an open load bed. In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the word "truck"
3397-412: Is released and the clutch pedal is depressed while the gear lever is moved into neutral, the clutch pedal is then released and quickly pushed down again while the gear lever is moved to the next higher gear. Finally, the clutch pedal is released and the accelerator pedal pushed down to obtain the required engine speed. Although this is a relatively fast movement, perhaps a second or so while the transmission
3476-414: Is stationary. ‘Multi-manning’ Multi-manning refers to (at least) two drivers driving the same vehicle during each period between two consecutive daily rests or between a daily rest and a weekly rest period. Another driver is optional for the first hour of multi-manning but mandatory for the remainder of the period. This allows for vehicles to depart from operating center and collect a second driver along
3555-516: Is used almost exclusively to refer to pickups . Often produced as variations of golf cars , with internal combustion or battery electric drive , these are used typically for off-highway use on estates, golf courses, and parks. While not suitable for highway use some variations may be licensed as slow speed vehicles for operation on streets, generally as a body variation of a neighborhood electric vehicle . A few manufactures produce specialized chassis for this type of vehicle, while Zap Motors markets
3634-422: The diesel engine did not appear in production trucks until Benz introduced it in 1923. The diesel engine was not common in trucks in Europe until the 1930s. In the United States, Autocar introduced diesel engines for heavy applications in the mid-1930s. Demand was high enough that Autocar launched the "DC" model (diesel conventional) in 1939. However, it took much longer for diesel engines to be broadly accepted in
3713-547: The hours of service (HOS) of commercial drivers are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are limited to 11 cumulative hours driving in a 14-hour period, following a rest period of no fewer than 10 consecutive hours. Drivers employed by carriers in "daily operation" may not work more than 70 hours, and continue driving, within any period of 8 consecutive days. Drivers must maintain
3792-461: The phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles includes trucks. According to The Economist magazine "Electric lorries will probably run on hydrogen, not batteries, which are too expensive." Other researchers say that once faster chargers are available batteries will become competitive against diesel for all, except perhaps the heaviest, trucks. Small trucks use the same type of transmissions as almost all cars, having either an automatic transmission or
3871-483: The US, no more than 13,900 lb (6.3 t)) and are used by individuals and businesses alike. In the EU they may not weigh more than 3.5 t (7,700 lb) and are allowed to be driven with a driving licence for cars. Pickup trucks , called utes in Australia and New Zealand, are common in North America and some regions of Latin America, Asia, and Africa, but not so in Europe, where this size of commercial vehicle
3950-555: The US: gasoline engines were still in use on heavy trucks in the 1970s. Electrically powered trucks predate internal combustion ones and have been continuously available since the mid-19th-century. In the 1920s Autocar Trucks was the first of the major truck manufacturers to offer a range of electric trucks for sale. Electric trucks were successful for urban delivery roles and as specialized work vehicles like forklifts and pushback tugs . The higher energy density of liquid fuels soon led to
4029-569: The actual work done. These routes largely follow the Interstate Highway system but sometimes require drivers to use state and U.S. highways and toll roads. Trucking companies practice this method to attract and retain veteran drivers. Household goods (HHG) miles, from the Household Goods Mileage Guide (aka "short miles") was the first attempt at standardizing motor carrier freight rates for movers of household goods, some say at
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#17328489653254108-516: The applicable rules. Heavy work time requirements in New Zealand are: "If you are subject to the work time limits (and are required to complete a logbook), you must record all your work and rest times in a logbook approved by the Transport Agency (you can only maintain 1 logbook at a time)." Emergency services drivers can exceed work hours when attending priority calls. In the United States,
4187-403: The axles. The holes in rails are used either for mounting vehicle components and running wires and hoses or measuring and adjusting the orientation of the rails at the factory or repair shop. The frame is usually made of steel , but can be made (whole or in part) of aluminum for a lighter weight. A tow bar may be found attached at one or both ends, but heavy tractors almost always make use of
4266-665: The behest of the Department of Defense for moving soldiers around the country, long a major source of steady and reliable revenue. Rand McNally , in conjunction with the precursor of the National Moving & Storage Association developed the first Guide published in 1936, at which point it contained only about 300 point-to-point mileages. Today, the 19th version of the Guide has grown to contain distances between more than 140,000 cities, zip codes, or highway junctions. Percentage-based pay
4345-507: The conditions are met. Whether second drivers could claim the multi-manning concession in these circumstances depends on their other duties. On multi-manning operations, the first 45 minutes of a period of availability is considered a break so long as the co-driver does no work. Journeys involving ferry or train transport When drivers accompany vehicles transported by ferry or train, daily rest requirements are more flexible. A regular daily rest period may be interrupted no more than twice, but
4424-431: The decline of electric-powered trucks in favor of, first, gasoline, and then diesel and CNG-fueled engines until battery technology advanced in the 2000s when new chemistries and higher-volume production broadened the range of applicability of electric propulsion to trucks in many more roles. Today, manufacturers are electrifying all trucks ahead of national regulatory requirements, with long-range over-the-road trucks being
4503-1019: The difference can be as large as 50%. An extreme (but not unheard of) example would be a load that picked up in Brownsville, Texas, and delivered in Miami, Florida, a journey requiring a driver to travel over 1,600 miles. The short routing, however, would measure the distance as only 750 miles, as if the truck could drive across the Gulf of Mexico. Another extreme example would be a load that picked up in Buffalo, New York, and delivered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, not giving any consideration that three of America's Great Lakes lie between that load's origin and destination. Other obvious obstacles would be mountains and canyons. Truck-prohibited routes sometimes create this same phenomenon, requiring drivers to drive several truck-legal routes and approach
4582-429: The driver does not exceed 144 hours’ work either before or after the rest period in question. Where reduced weekly rest periods are taken away from base, these may be taken in a vehicle provided it has suitable sleeping facilities and is stationary. Unforeseen events Provided that road safety is not jeopardized, and to enable a driver to reach a suitable stopping place, a departure from the EU rules may be permitted to
4661-449: The end of a weekly rest period and finishes when another weekly rest period is commenced, which may mean that weekly rest is taken in the middle of a fixed (Monday–Sunday) week. This is perfectly acceptable as the working week is not required to be aligned with the ‘fixed’ week defined in the rules, provided compliance of all relevant limits. Alternatively, drivers can take a reduced weekly rest period of (a minimum of) 24 consecutive hours. If
4740-544: The end of the cycle before being allowed to restart the cycle again. Cycle 2 is 72 hours off duty before being allowed to start again. Receipts for fuel, tolls, etc., must be retained as MTO officers can request them to further verify the accuracy of information contained in drivers' logbooks during inspections. In the European Union , drivers' working hours are regulated by EU (EC) No 561/2006, which entered into force on 11 April 2007. The nonstop driving time may not exceed 4.5 hours. After 4.5 hours of driving, drivers must take
4819-416: The end of the previous daily or weekly rest period, drivers must take a new daily rest period. An 11-hour (or more) daily rest is called a regular daily rest period. Alternatively, drivers can split a regular daily rest period into two periods. The first period must be at least 3 hours of uninterrupted rest and can be taken at any time during the day. The second must be at least 9 hours of uninterrupted rest for
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#17328489653254898-482: The entry-level truck driver ranged from $ 11.82 to $ 20.22 an hour and the average hourly rate was reported as $ 15.53 an hour. Certain special industry driving jobs such as oilfield services like vacuum, dry bulk, and winch truck drivers can receive a $ 22.00 or higher hourly wage. A December 2020 survey found the average truck driver in the United States works 70–80 hours per week and earns between $ .28 cents to $ .40 per mile. In Australia, heavy vehicle licenses are issued by
4977-529: The extent necessary to ensure the safety of persons, the vehicle, or its load. Drivers must note all reasons for doing so on the back of their tachograph record sheets (if using an analogue tachograph) or on a printout or temporary sheet (if using a digital tachograph) at the latest on reaching the suitable stopping place (see relevant sections covering manual entries). Repeated and regular occurrences, however, might indicate to enforcement officers that employers were not in fact scheduling work to enable compliance with
5056-483: The first internal combustion truck. Later that year some of Benz's trucks were modified to become busses by Netphener . A year later, in 1896, another internal combustion engine truck was built by Gottlieb Daimler , the Daimler Motor Lastwagen . Other companies, such as Peugeot , Renault and Büssing , also built their own versions. The first truck in the United States was built by Autocar in 1899 and
5135-443: The heavier trucks use four-stroke diesel engines with a turbocharger and intercooler . Huge off-highway trucks use locomotive-type engines such as a V12 Detroit Diesel two stroke engine. A large proportion of refuse trucks in the United States employ CNG (compressed natural gas) engines for their low fuel cost and reduced carbon emissions. A significant proportion of North American manufactured trucks use an engine built by
5214-440: The highest in the world, a B-double can weigh 62.5 t (61.5 long tons; 68.9 short tons) and be 25 m (82 ft) long, and road trains used in the outback can weigh 172 t (169.3 long tons; 189.6 short tons) and be 53.5 m (176 ft) long. The European Union also has complex regulations. The number and spacing of axles, steering, single or dual tires, and suspension type all affect maximum weights. Length of
5293-407: The largest on-road trucks, Class 8 . These include vocational applications such as heavy dump trucks, concrete pump trucks, and refuse hauling, as well as ubiquitous long-haul 4x2 and 6×4 tractor units . Road damage and wear increase very rapidly with the axle weight. The number of steering axles and the suspension type also influence the amount of the road wear. In many countries with good roads
5372-457: The last remaining major independent engine manufacturer ( Cummins ) but most global OEMs such as Volvo Trucks and Daimler AG promote their own "captive" engines. In the European Union, all new truck engines must comply with Euro VI emission regulations, and Euro 7 from the late 2020s has stricter exhaust limits and also limits air pollution from brakes and tires . As of 2019 several alternative technologies are competing to displace
5451-449: The load revenue may have a company-provided trailer, insurance, or other benefits. In most cases, the owner-operator also receives 100% of the fuel surcharges. While not common, company drivers can also be paid by percentage of the load. This is typically a percentage of revenue, the same as owner-operators, with some company drivers instead paid a percentage of the load profit. Companies such as Dupré Logistics, which traditionally paid by
5530-511: The mile may be that a driver is rewarded according to measurable accomplishment. The main disadvantage is that what a driver may accomplish is not so directly related to the effort and, perhaps especially, the time required for completion. Household goods drivers deal with the most complexity and thus are typically the highest paid, potentially making multiples of a scheduled freight-hauler. Mileage calculations vary from carrier to carrier. Hub miles, or odometer miles ("hub" refers to hubometer ,
5609-525: The mile, have switched to hourly wages. Regional and local drivers are usually paid by the hour. In 2011 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the average heavy and over-the-road truck driver hourly wage to be $ 21.74 per hour. The BLS reported in 2012 that the median hourly wage was $ 18.37 per hour. In May 2013, the BLS reported a mean average hourly pay ranging from $ 12.21 (bottom 10%) to $ 28.66 per hour (top 10%). In March 2014, Payscale.com published that
5688-647: The most challenging. Truck is used in American English ; the British English equivalent is lorry. The first known usage of "truck" was in 1611 when it referred to the small strong wheels on ships' cannon carriages, and comes from "Trokhos" (Greek) = "wheel". In its extended usage, it came to refer to carts for carrying heavy loads, a meaning known since 1771. Its expanded application to "motor-powered load carrier" has been in usage since 1930, shortened from "motor truck", which dates back to 1901. "Lorry" has
5767-424: The operation is the same as double-clutching, but it requires neutral be held slightly longer than a single-gear change. Common North American setups include 9, 10, 13, 15, and 18 speeds. Automatic and automated manual transmissions for heavy trucks are becoming more and more common, due to advances both in transmission and engine power. In Europe, 8, 10, 12, and 16 gears are common on larger trucks with
5846-668: The states but are a national standard. There are 5 classes of license required by drivers of heavy vehicles: A person must have a C class (car) license for one year before they can apply for an LR or MR class license and two years before they can apply for an HR. To upgrade to an HC class license, a person must have an MR or HR class license for one year. To upgrade to an MC class license, a person must have an HR or HC class license for one year. Driver's licenses in Canada , including commercial vehicle licenses, are issued and regulated provincially. Regarding CDLs (commercial drivers licenses), there
5925-445: The total interruption must not exceed 1 hour in total. This allows for a vehicle to be driven on to a ferry and off again at the end of the crossing. When the rest period is interrupted in this way, the total accumulated rest period must still be 11 hours. A bunk or couchette must be available during the rest period. Weekly rest A regular weekly rest period is a period of at least 45 consecutive hours. An actual working week starts at
6004-575: The truck can have on the Interstate highway system. Each State determines the maximum permissible vehicle , combination , and axle weight on state and local roads. Uniquely, the State of Michigan has a gross vehicle weight limit of 164,000 lb (74 t), which is twice the U.S. federal limit. A measure to change the law was defeated in the Michigan Senate in 2019. Almost all trucks share
6083-405: The use of diesel engines in heavy trucks. CNG engines are widely used in the US refuse industry and in concrete mixers, among other short-range vocations, but range limitations have prevented their broader uptake in freight hauling applications. Heavy electric trucks and hydrogen-powered trucks are new to the market in 2021, but major freight haulers are interested. Although cars will be first
6162-457: The way, provided this is done within an hour of the first driver starting work. Vehicles manned by two or more drivers are governed by the same rules as single-manned vehicles apart from daily rest requirements. When vehicles are manned by two or more drivers, each driver must have a daily rest period of at least 9 consecutive hours within the 30-hour period starting at the end of the last daily or weekly rest period. Organizing drivers’ duties in such
6241-631: Was available with 5 or 8 horsepower (4 or 6 kW) engines. Another early American truck was built by George Eldridge of Des Moines, Iowa, in 1903. It was powered by an engine with two opposed cylinders, and had a chain drive A 1903 Eldridge truck is displayed at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, Walcott, Iowa. Trucks of the era mostly used two-cylinder engines and had a carrying capacity of 1.5 to 2 t (3,300 to 4,400 lb). After World War I, several advances were made: electric starters , and 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines. Although it had been invented in 1897,
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