Every career field has special terms and lingo. Sometimes, these words and phrases stem from the unique demands and culture of the occupation, but other times, they’re invented purely for fun or convenience! Truckers are certainly not strangers to slang. Especially because they often communicate via radio and need to ensure clear communication despite not being face to face, many truck drivers have a unique way of chatting. If you’re planning to enter the field of truck driving, you might be wondering about trucking slang 101. Let’s discuss the basics!
The Basics of Trucker Lingo
First, it’s important to note that truckers use CB Radio to communicate on the road. So, some trucker slang is also radio slang and vice-versa. Also, you might hear some trucking slang referred to as CB slang.
Now, let’s get into it! We’ve divided this into three categories: general terms, types of vehicles, and 10 codes.
General Terms
These terms run the gamut! They can be used in numerous scenarios.
- Alligator: A piece of tired on the road. Sometimes called a “gator.”
- Back Door: The area directly behind your truck.
- Backslide: A return trip.
- Bear: Law enforcement officer on the highways.
- Bear Cave: Police station or checkpoint.
- Bear in the Air: Police helicopter.
- Big Slab/Road: A large highway.
- Black Eye: A truck with one headlight out.
- Bobtail: Driving only a tractor.
- Boulevard: Multi-lane highway.
- Brake Check: A sudden traffic slowdown.
- Bumper Sticker: A tailgating vehicle.
- Cash Box/Register: A toll booth.
- Chicken Coop: A weigh station.
- Choke and Puke: A truck stop or restaurant.
- Comedian: A median strip.
- Convoy: A group of trucks traveling together.
- Deadhand: Driving a truck with an empty trailer, typically after a delivery.
- Double Nickel: Driving 55 miles per hour.
- Ears: CB radio.
- Featherfoot: A driver who is light on the gas pedal.
- Go-go Juice/Motion Lotion: Diesel.
- Greasy: Icy or slippery.
- Greasy Side Up: A vehicle that has flipped over, exposing its underside.
- Grossed Out: Driving at the maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
- Hammer Down: Speed up.
- Hammer Lane: The left lane.
- Hot Load: A shipment that needs to be delivered ASAP.
- Jet Pilot: A speeding vehicle.
- Lollipop: The small reflectors or marker poles along the sides of the highway.
- Magic Mile: The last mile of the trip.
- Pay the Water Bill: Take a break to use the bathroom.
- Pickle Park: Rest area.
- Road Pizza: Roadkill.
- Roger: Okay.
- Skins: Tires.
- Toothpicks: A lumber load.
- Yardstick: A mile marker.
- Zipper: A dashed lane divider.
Types of Vehicles
These might come in handy when you’re chatting about the vehicles driving alongside your truck.
- Belly Dump: A trailer that dumps its load from the bottom.
- Covered Wagon: A flatbed trailer with sidewalls and a soft top.
- Draggin’ Wagon: A tow truck.
- Dry Box: A non-refrigerated trailer that transports non-perishable goods.
- Four-wheeler: Any passenger vehicle.
- Hopper: A trailer used to haul grain.
- Kiddy Car: School bus.
- Meat Wagon: An ambulance.
- Pancake: A flatbed trailer.
- Parking Lot: A car hauler.
- Pony Express: A truck carrying mail.
- Reefer: A refrigerated trailer.
- Salt Shaker: A snowplow dumping salt.
- Skateboard: A flatbed or flatbed trailer.
- Wiggle Wagon: A double or triple trailer.
10 Codes
You might notice we skipped a few numbers! These are just some of the most common codes.
- 10-1: Receiving poorly.
- 10-2: Receiving well.
- 10-3: Stop transmitting.
- 10-4: Message received, i.e., “Okay.”
- 10-6: Busy, standby.
- 10-7: Out of service (often used to say you’re going on a break).
- 10-8: In service.
- 10-9: Repeat message.
- 10-20: Location. (Ex: “What’s your 20?”)
- 10-33: Emergency traffic, typically used in an urgent situation.
- 10-36: “The correct time is . . .”
- 10-42: “Traffic accident at . . .”
- 10-44: I have a message for you.
- 10-62: Unable to copy. Use phone.
- 10-100: A restroom break.
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These lists certainly aren’t comprehensive, but they should help you get a feel for trucking lingo. Now that you’ve got trucker slang 101 under your belt, are you ready to hit the road?
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