Trucking Language

Serah, I think I would rather take the time to learn any other language over trucker language honestly. It's bad, really bad.

It is true that there is a lot of harsh language on the CB, but, I enjoy when I hear (and use when I know what I am talking about) the jargon unique to truckers. I believe it promotes camaraderie and is part of trucking history that can be kept alive, like, a tradition.

Daniel B. Some of the words a trucker might use could be very helpful, ie., Black eye A headlight out. "Driver going eastbound, you've got a black eye". What if another one passed by you and you heard A Full-grown bear is on your front door. Maybe not everyone uses these terms but "its always good to know, coz you never know"!!!

I don't think I need someone to tell me on the CB that I have a headlight out. You should be able to notice one is out while you're driving in the dark, if not that then notice it during an inspection or walk-around. Not trying to sound elitist.

I would rather use that time to learn an actual language that would benefit me in the long run. And I for sure would rather listen to my K-Love instead of trying to decipher what the heck a trucker means by "home 20". Maybe thats just me but I hate saying stuff that won't make sense to a person outside of trucking. I prefer "you have a headlight out" over "you have a black eye".

I guess what it boils down to is I don't understand why anyone would every want a CB yet alone learn their "language". Respectively, the only thing a CB is good for in my opinion is traffic updates and weather updates from other drivers but Im on my third winter and I'm doing just fine without one. Nor do I know any CB trucker language.

But to each their own!

The first time I heard " hey westbound there's a full grown sittin in center field just past the pickle park, shootin yer donkey as you go by" I nearly fell out of my seat laughing.

Translation: there's a state trooper in the median past the rest area with a radar gun.

But because I drive for pretty much the slowest company trucks on the road, I don't listen to the cb hardly ever because of the daily, non stop bs said by other drivers about our slow trucks.

The first time I heard " hey westbound there's a full grown sittin in center field just past the pickle park, shootin yer donkey as you go by" I nearly fell out of my seat laughing.

Translation: there's a state trooper in the median past the rest area with a radar gun.

But because I drive for pretty much the slowest company trucks on the road, I don't listen to the cb hardly ever because of the daily, non stop bs said by other drivers about our slow trucks.

another for this is shootin ya in the face which is he is lookin right at ya with the radar, or ya have a sitter and however many chasers which is a goober snatcher , or ****roach (cop) , smokie with a radar that just sits and others go after ya .

doughnut brigade is more than one sitting together

steering wheel holder is a driver that has no clue on what he is doing , we have lots of those.

truck stop sitter , driver who rather be in truck stop instead of driving

solar powered truck a driver who wont drive after 5 pm

Serah, I think I would rather take the time to learn any other language over trucker language honestly. It's bad, really bad.

It is true that there is a lot of harsh language on the CB, but, I enjoy when I hear (and use when I know what I am talking about) the jargon unique to truckers. I believe it promotes camaraderie and is part of trucking history that can be kept alive, like, a tradition.

Daniel B. Some of the words a trucker might use could be very helpful, ie., Black eye A headlight out. "Driver going eastbound, you've got a black eye". What if another one passed by you and you heard A Full-grown bear is on your front door. Maybe not everyone uses these terms but "its always good to know, coz you never know"!!!

I don't think I need someone to tell me on the CB that I have a headlight out. You should be able to notice one is out while you're driving in the dark, if not that then notice it during an inspection or walk-around. Not trying to sound elitist.

I would rather use that time to learn an actual language that would benefit me in the long run. And I for sure would rather listen to my K-Love instead of trying to decipher what the heck a trucker means by "home 20". Maybe thats just me but I hate saying stuff that won't make sense to a person outside of trucking. I prefer "you have a headlight out" over "you have a black eye".

I guess what it boils down to is I don't understand why anyone would every want a CB yet alone learn their "language". Respectively, the only thing a CB is good for in my opinion is traffic updates and weather updates from other drivers but Im on my third winter and I'm doing just fine without one. Nor do I know any CB trucker language.

But to each their own!

Daniel, what you do on your time is definitely your business, like learning a new language or whatever. Just keep in mind that "trucker" language was around before you were and there is a brother and sister connection with these words that will never go away.

You have to know the history before it is dismissed as annoying.

It is true that there is a lot of harsh language on the CB, but, I enjoy when I hear (and use when I know what I am talking about) the jargon unique to truckers. I believe it promotes camaraderie and is part of trucking history that can be kept alive, like, a tradition.

...Just keep in mind that "trucker" language was around before you were and there is a brother and sister connection with these words that will never go away.

You have to know the history before it is dismissed as annoying.

I agree completely. I love knowing all I can about the history of trucking in the U.S. and I love that I was a part of it for a long time. The camaraderie meant a lot to me. Not everyone subscribes to the camaraderie and all that, but plenty do. I've spent a lifetime playing sports and I've always worked blue collar jobs so that bond that people share when they face the same challenges in their lives wasn't just something I experienced but it was an integral part of my everyday life.

I'm also the type that really gets into everything I do. I want to be immersed in it 100%. I want to learn all I can about it and become as good as it as I can. I loved being "one of the guys", or in trucking because women are so integral to the industry we'll call it "one of the gang".

Not only do I like the lingo, but I'm one of those guys that loves nicknames. There's hardly anyone in my life I'm close to that I call by their first name. I always call people some sort of nickname they've earned somewhere in the past doing something. Heck, I still call my best friend "Ed" because he was an awesome version of Ed Grimley (from Saturday Night Live) for Halloween when we were in 8th grade. Even my animals all wind up with nicknames of some sort based on some sort of identifying feature or behavior. That's all just the fun part of bonding with someone.

And the CB? Man....some of the most incredible conversations I've ever had in my life were with people over the air whose faces I never laid eyes on. There was nothing like taking off at 10:00 p.m. on an all-night run and finding someone to travel with passing the time, sharing your life stories. As the hours went by the conversation only got better. Before you know it you spot a glimmer of light on the horizon and you realize, "OMG it's almost dawn! We've made it through the entire night already!" Time would just fly by when you had someone out there to share it with.

The entire reason I started this website was because I know how incredibly hard it is getting your trucking career underway. I lived it, so I wanted to help others get through it if I could. Even helping rookies get their career underway is all just part of the love I have for trucking and the respect I have for the people out there now that took the reins from me when my time was up. So I'll pass the torch to you guys and gals and help out any way I can.

Knowing the history of things I'm involved with is so important to me. That's why I go off on long essays whenever the topic of labor unions comes up. It's not because I'm passionate about unions, but because I'm passionate about this history of this country and I respect the many generations of my family that struggled so mightily in the past to make my life so wonderful today.

Maybe thats just me but I hate saying stuff that won't make sense to a person outside of trucking. I prefer "you have a headlight out" over "you have a black eye".

I guess what it boils down to is I don't understand why anyone would every want a CB yet alone learn their "language". Respectively, the only thing a CB is good for in my opinion is traffic updates and weather updates from other drivers but Im on my third winter and I'm doing just fine without one. Nor do I know any CB trucker language.

But to each their own!

Daniel, what I love most about you is that you have that same spirit that has been the driving force behind truckers for decades. You refuse to settle for doing less than your best and you won't let anything keep you from being a top tier professional out there getting the job done safely. But on top of that you take just as much pride in helping others as you do in the job you're doing out there and that's rare.

Right now you're a young man in a world where the average driver is old enough to be your father. You've only been in trucking for a few years so you're still focused on proving yourself and carving out your own niche out there. But as time goes on you're going to look back on the years you've spent out there and you're going to love all the little things that only truckers know. You're going to wonder from time to time where certain sayings came from or why certain things are done a certain way and you're going to learn to love the history of trucking.

I mean, even the littlest things are sometimes the most fun. Like why the heck are truck steering wheels still so big???? Well back in the day there was no power steering so you needed a huge steering wheel to help get enough leverage to turn it. Over the years a big steering wheel just became a part of trucking even long after they were no longer necessary. I think that's just neat to know. Every time I'd crank on that big wheel I'd think back to years gone by and how lucky I was to have power steering!

I think of the stories my family told me of no a/c and sleepin under the trailer , i thought bout tryin a time or 2 just to go thru what my brothers n sisters did to pave this road.

Brett, that's me. I believe if I get into something, I want to know all there is to know about it.

Rolling Thunder, thanks for the "Trucker Dictionary". Very informative.

Daniel B., after checking out the Trucker Dictionary, I can honestly say I did not see any harsh language. It was very helpful.

Terry C, thats the reason I asked about trucking language. If that guy was giving me that info, I would have been scratching my head wondering what he was talking about.

I believe that nothing can replace the human being, not even technology. I learnt that the hard way - during storm Sandy. Never felt so alone....... So I will mix them up!!!! Stay safe and warm out there and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.