Truck history in the US

If you are working as a truck driver, you definitely know everything about these vehicles, but do you know anything about the history of trucks? Do you know who invented the first truck? The overarching priority of our review is to go back to the history of trucks and find out how everything began.

The Variety of Trucks that Exist These Days

• Just take a look at the roads of the USA and you’ll see the variety of trucks. The most common types are the following ones: Light trucks (used by individuals to carry small cargos);
• Medium trucks (firefighting, garbage, house, box or multi-shop trucks);
• Heavy trucks (much bigger models). This category encompasses the following models: concrete pump, dump, refuse hauling trucks, etc.
• Off road. This is the biggest options, comprising extra-heavy vehicles endowed with off-road features.

Go back to the history of trucks: From Steam Wagons to Internal Combustion

It is worth noting that all vehicles (including trucks) have one common ancestor. This is a steam-powered fardier, which was developed by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot in 1769. Yet still, the society didn’t appreciate this invention and they were not in use for more than 100 years because of the roads that were built for the needs of horses and carriages only.

In one hundred years after this invention, the first semi-trailer appeared. They were widely used until the World War 1. These vehicles were towed by a steam factor.

Karl Benz, a well-known scientist made a breakthrough in the history of trucks. He developed a truck, powered by the internal combustion engine. Nevertheless, they weren’t used as the vehicles allowing people to carry cargoes. In several years, Netphener company decided to modify them and created the first motorbus. During the next several years, this truck was modified greatly by various companies that tried to create their own versions.

Trucks of that period of time had one common feature – all of them were using two-cylinder engines. Their carrying capacity varied from 3,200 to 4,500 lb.

The first mass production was noticed in 1904 when one of the US companies developed more than 700 heavy trucks. In ten years, the production increased to more than 25000 per year.

Trucks Powered by Diesel Engines

Regardless of the fact that diesel engines were invented in 1890 they were not widely used neither in the USA no Europe until the 1970s. During that time period, gasoline engines were more popular.

Later, first light trucks appeared. The first one was Might-E truck produced by Canadian Electric Vehicles. Nevertheless, such small and light trucks are more popular in Asia or Europe.

Medium trucks are comparatively bigger; their weight varies from13.000 to 33.000 lb. They are used for the purpose of local deliveries and some public services (garbage or fire-fighting trucks).

There is one more category of modern trucks. We mean heavy trucks that are regarded to be the most popular ones on the roads of the USA. Mostly, they are used to deliver cargos from one part of the country to another one.

It is worth noting that the US States Federal Bridge Law has particular requirements for the size of the vehicle. In other words, every state determines the biggest possible size of the vehicle, the weight of axles and combination.

As a conclusion, it is also worth noting one more truck model which is absolutely different as compared to other models you can see on the US roads. This year, Tesla released the Electric Semi-truck or Tesla Semi. This vehicle is empowered with an in-house-designed chassis. Their main target is to integrate the battery packs. The manufacturer confessed that this truck was developed with the aim to guarantee the safety and the driver’s comfort. They promise that their invention can go for around 500 miles on one charge (the max weight traveling is 60mph). The truck has an appealing design and is deemed to be an environmentally friendly vehicle. Probably very soon, all delivery companies will substitute their ordinary trucks with such models. Nevertheless, it will not happen overnight!