Long Haul Truck Driver

Trucks Explained - A Brief History of Trucks

Although the first truck ever made is credited to England in 1885, Ford Motor Company is best known for taking the truck to the next level of mass production in the early 1900's. Fords third vehicle produced in 1900 was a pickup type truck and in 1917 Ford introduced the Model-T One Ton truck chassis. In 1925 the first mass produced pickup truck came off the Ford assembly line. It featured a cargo box, tailgate, stake pockets and a heavy-duty rear suspension. Since the main purpose of the truck is to move cargo, trucks quickly started gaining in popularity as an efficient and economical way to transport products. As the versatility of the truck grew in popularity, along with improved roads, the truck today is the primary method for transporting goods.

Types of Trucks

The first trucks were unable to transport large and heavy loads. As the industrial revolution of agriculture and manufactured goods continued to increase in the twentieth century, the need for larger trucks that could handle larger and heavier loads increased. Today, trucks generally have 3 major classifications, light duty, medium duty and heavy duty.

Light duty trucks are normally your typical pick up type trucks and are generally under a maximum GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 14,000 lbs or less. The greater majority of pick up trucks utilize gas engines and their drive trains are more similar to passenger cars then other classifications of trucks. When selling a used truck, pick up trucks tend to hold their value better than passenger vehicles because of their versatility.

Medium duty trucks are generally between 14,001 and 26,000 lbs GVW (gross vehicle weight). Even though there are some gas engines in medium trucks, the greatest majority are diesels because of the lower fuel costs and the life expectancy is generally three times greater than a gasoline engine. If you're looking for trucks for sale or used trucks for sale in the medium category, you should always look for trucks with diesel engines. Medium trucks are often used in local deliveries, so when looking for trucks for sale, it's better to find a truck that was used for longer hauls. Stop and go traffic with local routes is much harder on the drive train.

Heavy duty trucks are over 26,000 lbs GVW (gross vehicle weight) and are generally always diesel engines because of the higher torque, low fuel costs and durability. When purchasing a used truck for sale, look for trucks for sale that have lower mileage. The cost of replacing an engine or transmission could run into the 'tens? of thousands of dollars. Heavy duty trucks are cab only and pull one to three trailers at a time. Heavy duty trucks are almost always long distance haulers due to their ability to transport large and heavy payloads.

In summary when looking for a truck for sale, look for a truck with a diesel engine because of fuel costs, durability and the ability to handle heavier loads and towing. If your looking for a used trucks for sale, look for trucks for sale that have low mileage and trucks for sale that have more highway miles than local miles. Following these guides could save you thousand of dollars in the long run.

Robert Tate - Region Sales Manager of Mascus UK. Mascus is an electronic marketplace for used trucks, trailers and tractors. Mascus makes trading in trucks more efficiently by collecting all information in one place. Contacts: Robert Tate Regional Sales Manager - UK Mob:+ 44 (0) 7970 230055 E mail: robert.tate@mascus.com

Comment on "Trucks Explained - A Brief History of Trucks"

MORE ARTICLES:

Two Thousand and Twelve Veterans to be Hired In 2012!
      MIAMI, Nov. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The CDL School today announced the commitment to placing two thousand and twelve veterans into open jobs within the US ground transportation industry in 2012.  The CDL School will work with its hiring partners who collectively have over 10,000 available positions for entry level drivers.  Several major national companies, including Steven's Transport of Dallas, TX have committed to the program. (Photo:  ) As reported on CNN there is currently a national shortage of 400,000 entry level drivers.  This is caused in part by the increase in freight hauled in the past 22 months.  First year earnings for entry level drivers t ...

Nation's Best Truck Drivers Provide Life-Saving Tips to Motorists During Thanksgiving Day Travel
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 42.5 million motorists are expected to travel over 50 miles this Thanksgiving Holiday (Wednesday – Sunday), according to AAA.  Elite professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free miles will offer advice on how to navigate safely through highway traffic and arrive at your destination safely.

Jackson truckers charged in mill fraud
Four Jackson County truck drivers face federal wire fraud charges in connection to a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme that allegedly cheated a Rome cardboard mill out of $4.8 million.

Not so fast: Road ban worries local truckers
Facing public outcry over a proposed law that could ban tractor-trailer trucks from some county roads, Oglethorpe County's commission chairman has revised the ordinance to make sure that local haulers can keep their big rigs at home - at least for now.

Nation's Best Truck Drivers Provide Life-Saving Tips to Motorists During Thanksgiving Day Travel
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the American Trucking Associations: (Logo: ) Summary: Over 42.5 million motorists are expected to travel over 50 miles this Thanksgiving Holiday (Wednesday – Sunday), according to AAA.

An Open Letter from America's Port Truck Drivers on Occupy the Ports
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- We are the front-line workers who haul container rigs full of imported and exported goods to and from the docks and warehouses every day.

Nation's Best Truck Drivers Provide Life-Saving Tips to Motorists During Thanksgiving Day Travel
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the American Trucking Associations: (Logo: ) Summary: Over 42.5 million motorists are expected to travel over 50 miles this Thanksgiving Holiday (Wednesday – Sunday), according to AAA.