A Truck by Any Other Name is Still a Truck

What’s in a name? As far as trucks go — a lot. In North America, we usually describe a truck with a two-part phrase, the first word being the descrip­tive (ex: “garbage truck”). For example, a truck used to transport waste may be called a garbage truck or trash truck. Another example is a fire truck, which may include pumpers, ladders, aerial, HAZMAT, rescue, and emergency vehicles. Wreckers become tow trucks or recovery trucks, depending on the region. There are concrete trucks, refrig­er­ated trucks, crane trucks, tanker trucks, and semi-trucks.

Trucks are called “lorrys” in the UK, Hong Kong, India, and Malaysia. When my eldest grandson was four years old, living in Great Britain and enamored with trucks, my wife and I pho­tographed trucks on our USA highways, compiled them in a book as gift, and called it “That Big Lorry!” In Australia, large work vehicles are referred to as trucks, but what we in North America would call a pickup truck is called an “Ute.” And then there are the massive multi-car “road trains.” In South Africa, it’s a “bakkie” – Afrikaans for “container.” In French and Spanish, a truck is a “camion.”

Trucks have been called 40-footers, KOTR (King of the Road), pro­nounced, “coaters.” Box trucks, flatbeds, and RV’s fill our roads and highways. A group of trucks trav­el­ling together is a convoy, and trucks owned by the same orga­ni­za­tion become a fleet. There’s a lot of trucking going on, a lot of trucks, and a lot of names for trucks.

Some owners give their trucks a name like “Betsy,” “Silver bullet,” “Baby Blue,” “George,” and “Stonewall.” Regard­less of what you call your truck, the best name may be “work-horse,” because that’s what they are. Trucks may be the most adaptable, flexible, and useful thing man has ever invented. A truck by any other name is still a powerful tool. If you’d like your name on your truck we can help.