Category Trucker Lingo/ CB Trucker Slang

The trucking industry is a large one, with its own unique culture, rules, regulations, and operational protocols. For newcomers, it can take some time to adapt, especially when experienced truckers use common trucker lingo and slangs that might sound like a foreign language. 

To navigate this world and communicate effectively, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with common trucking terms. The good news? This compilation provides nearly all the key terms you need to understand, covering everything from operational jargon to regulatory bodies. Consider this your ultimate guide to mastering trucking lingo and engaging confidently with your colleagues.

A 

1. Accessorial Charges: Extra fees for transportation services such as fuel surcharges, inside delivery, waiting time, or storage.
2. Aggregate Gross Weight: The total weight of a vehicle and its load.
3. Air Brake: A type of brake that uses air (usually compressed) to function.
4. Alligator: Pieces of a tire on the road, also called ‘gators.’
5. Asset-Based Carrier: A carrier that uses its equipment and vehicles to transport freight.
6. ATA (American Trucking Associations): The largest trade association for the trucking industry in the U.S.
7. Authority: The legal permission given by the FMCSA to operate for hire.
8. Average Length of Haul: The average distance (in miles) that freight is transported.
9. Axle: The shaft on which the wheels revolve; includes brakes and suspension.

B

10. Backhaul: The return trip of a truck transporting cargo or freight.
11. Bill of Lading (BOL): A legal document between the shipper and carrier detailing the type, quantity, and destination of the goods.
12. Blind Spot: The area around a commercial truck where the driver has limited or no visibility.
13. Bobtail: When a semi-truck operates without the trailer attached.
14. Breakbulk: A method of shipping goods individually rather than in containers.
15. Broker: An individual or company that arranges transportation of goods by truck for a fee.

C

16. Cab: The driver’s compartment of a commercial truck.
17. Cabover: A truck where the cab is situated over the engine, making the vehicle shorter in length.
18. Carrier: A company that transports goods.
19. CB (Citizens Band Radio): A two-way radio that peaked in the 1970s. CB radios remain a staple among truckers and motorists, used for purposes ranging from traffic updates and emergency communications to casual conversations.
20. CDL (Commercial Driver’s License): A license required to operate vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lbs or more.
21. Common Carrier: A business available to the public for transporting goods.
22. Consignee: The person or place where a shipment is to be delivered.
23. Consignor: The person or place where a shipment originates.
24. Cross-Docking: Unloading goods from an incoming vehicle and loading them directly onto outbound transport.
25. Cube Out: When a trailer is filled to capacity without exceeding the weight limit.

D

26. Dead Mile: Miles a truck is driven without carrying freight (also called empty miles).
27. Deadhead: Driving a truck without cargo.
28. Dedicated Lane: A route a driver travels frequently.
29. Demurrage: A fee charged for holding a trailer for too long.
30. Detention Time: The time a driver waits for cargo to be loaded or unloaded, potentially incurring fees.
31. Dispatch: The act of sending a driver on a run.
32. DOT (Department of Transportation): U.S. government body overseeing transportation infrastructure, laws, and regulations.
33. DOT Inspection: An examination of commercial motor vehicles to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
34. Double Drop: A trailer designed to haul very large freight.
35. Driver Log: A record of a driver’s hours of service.
36. Drop and Hook: A method where a driver swaps a loaded trailer for another without waiting for loading or unloading.
37. Dry Van: A standard enclosed semi-trailer for general freight hauling.

E

38. ELD (Electronic Logging Device): A device that automatically records a truck’s driving time and service hours.
39. Expedited: Shipping faster than standard transit times.

F

40. FAK (Freight of All Kinds): A mixture of different products shipped together in one shipment.
41. FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration): A branch of the DOT regulating the trucking industry.
42. Forced Dispatch: Assigning loads to drivers without their input.
43. FSC (Fuel Surcharge): A fee paid for the cost of fuel.
44. Full Truckload (FTL): A truck carrying one dedicated shipment that typically fills the entire semi-trailer.

G

45. GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight): The total weight of a vehicle and its payload.
46. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): The maximum operating weight of a vehicle, as specified by the manufacturer.

H

47. Hazmat (Hazardous Materials): Dangerous goods posing a risk to health, safety, or the environment.
48. HOS (Hours of Service): Maximum time a commercial driver can be on duty.
49. Hot Shot: Expedited freight deliveries that are time-sensitive.

I

50. IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement): An agreement to simplify fuel use tax reporting for interstate carriers.
51. Inbond: Goods that have not cleared customs.
52. Intermodal: Transporting freight using multiple modes (e.g., truck and rail).

J

53. Jackknife: A skidding situation where the trailer spins and faces backward.
54. JIT (Just in Time): Inventory management strategy ordering goods only as needed.

K

55. Kingpin: The coupling pin on the front underside of a truck trailer.

L

56. Lanes: Paths or routes for freight transport.
57. LCL (Less than Container Load): Smaller ocean freight shipments.
58. Linehaul: Freight movement between major cities.
59. Live Load/Unload: When a driver waits for cargo to be loaded or unloaded.
60. LTL (Less Than Truckload): Shipping method combining several smaller shipments in one truck.

M

61. Manifest: A document listing cargo, passengers, and crew.
62. MC Number: Identifies carriers in interstate and intrastate commerce.

O

63. Overdimensional Load (OD): Freight that exceeds standard size limits.
64. Owner-Operator: A self-employed driver who owns their trucking business.

P

65. P&D Driver (Pickup and Delivery Driver): A driver handling local or regional deliveries.
66. Pallet Jack: A tool for lifting and moving pallets.
67. Payload: The weight of the load being hauled.
68. Placard: A sign marking vehicles carrying hazardous materials.
69. Pre-Haul: Preparing cargo for transport.
70. Private Carrier: A business operating trucks for its own products.
71. Proof of Delivery (POD): A receipt confirming delivery.
72. Public Scale: A certified state scale for weighing vehicles.

R

73. Rate Confirmation: A document confirming the agreed payment for a load.
74. Reefer: A refrigerated trailer maintaining specific temperatures.
75. Relay Driving: System where drivers switch trucks after reaching driving limits.
76. Roadrailer: A trailer that works on roads and railroads.
77. Road Test: A driving test required to obtain a CDL.
78. Rollover: A trucking accident where a truck tips over.
79. RPM (Revolutions per Minute): Measures rotational frequency of an engine.

S

80. Satellite Tracking: GPS technology for vehicle tracking.
81. Shag: A short truck moving trailers within yards.
82. Shipper: The supplier or owner of goods.
83. Short Haul: Short-distance trucking route.
84. Sleeper: A sleeping compartment behind the cab.
85. Sliding Fifth Wheel: A movable fifth wheel to redistribute weight.
86. Straight Truck: A truck with cargo mounted directly on the frame.

T

87. Tandem: Two axles positioned together.
88. Terminal: A facility for freight preparation.
89. Through Trailer: A trailer moved from origin to destination without changing vehicles.
90. Tractor: The engine-powered unit of a truck.
91. Trailer: The cargo-carrying unit of a truck.
92. Tractor-Trailer: A truck consisting of a tractor and a trailer.
93. Transloading: Transferring goods between transport modes.
94. Tri-Axle: Three axles grouped together.
95. Turnpike Double: A tractor with two long trailers.
96. TWIC: An identification card for secure maritime access.

W, Y, Z

97. Waybill: Document detailing goods being transported.
98. Weigh Station: A checkpoint for weighing vehicles.
99. Wharfage: A fee for handling cargo at a dock.
100. Yard Jockey: A worker moving trailers in a yard.
101. Yaw: A vehicle’s side-to-side swaying motion.
102. Yield: The weight of goods loaded for delivery.
103. Z-Plate: Special license plate for truck tractors.
104. Zone-Hopping: Loading and unloading within the same area for increased pay.
105. Zone Rate: Rate for transport based on geography.

CONCLUSION

We have gotten to the end of the trucking terms, and we hope that you have been able to master a couple of trucking terms by reading through. We recommend saving this blog post so that you can always go back to it when you need to. 

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Long before cell phones and social media, CB (Citizen Band) radio was the communication tool of choice among truckers. Rather than communicating in full sentences, truckers mainly relied on CB 10 codes which allowed them to pass vital messages quickly and save airtime. With CB radio talk, you could effectively say more in little time.

You could ask a fellow trucker to call for an ambulance, warn of danger, or just pass relevant updates via CB radio codes. And even though we now have modern technology, the CB radio still exists. Learning these codes can help you in a lot of ways. It will help you communicate better with your colleagues, bond with them, and help you avoid confusion whenever you hear others using them.

So, let’s travel back to the 1900s, when these codes first emerged, and get familiar with some of the most popular ones.

CBD RADIO CODES FROM 10-1 TO 10-200

10-1: Receiving Poorly or I can’t hear you

10-2: Receiving well or I can hear you

10-3: Stop transmitting (pipe down)

10-4: Message received

10-5: Relay message (Let others know)

10-6: Busy, stand by

10-7: Out of service (out of range)

10-8: In service (active)

10-9: Repeat Message (Go over that again)

10-10: Transmission completed

10-11: Talking too rapidly (Slow down)

10-12: Visitors present (Outside parties present)

10-13: Advise weather/road conditions

10-16: Make pick up at (Location)

10-17: Urgent Business (High-priority matter/ Time-sensitive issue)

10-18: Anything for us? (Any news?)

10-19: Nothing for you, return to base (No updates for you, head back to base)

10-20: Your current location

10-21: Call by telephone

10-22: Report in person to…

10-23: Stand by

10-24: Completed last assignment

10-25: Can you contact [person’s name]

10-26: Disregard Last Information/Cancel Last Message

10-27: I’m moving to channel … [channel number] (When a trucker sets to leave their current location)

10-28: Identify your station

10-29: Time is up for contact

10-30: Does not conform to FCC Rules

10-32: I will give you a radio check

10-33: Emergency traffic at this station (gives prominence to emergency messages)

10-34: Trouble at this station, help needed (alerts others to a problem)

10-35: Confidential information

10-36: Need correct time

10-37: Wrecker needed at [location]

10-38: Ambulance needed at [location]

10-39: Your message delivered

10-41: Please tune to channel [channel #]

10-42: Traffic accident at [location]

10-43: Traffic jam

10-44: I have a message for you

10-45: All units within range please report

10-50: Break channel

10-60: What is the next message number?

10-62: Unable to copy, please use phone

10-65: Awaiting your next message or assignment

10-67: All units comply

10-70: Fire at [location]

10-71: Proceed with transmission in sequence

10-73: Speed trap

10-75: You are causing interference

10-77: Negative contact

10-84: My telephone number is

10-85: My address is

10-91: Talk closer to the mike

10-92: Your transmitter is out of adjustment

10-93: Check my frequency on this channel

10-94: Please give me a long count (used when a trucker is interested in the details of a story)

10-95: Transmit dead carrier for 5 seconds

10-99: Mission completed; all units secure

10-100: Bathroom break

10-200: Police needed at [location]

CONCLUSION

Using CB radio 10 codes is a way truckers keep their heritage alive. As a new trucker, learning all the codes at once might feel overwhelming, but with daily practice, you’ll soon master them and communicate effortlessly.

You should also check our guide on other trucker lingo and slang to widen your trucking knowledge.

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There are a lot of interesting things about being a truck driver, and one of them is the trucker lingo and slang. Truck drivers communicate via CB radio, and without knowing these terms, it can be hard to keep up with what they’re saying. 

If you’re new to the trucking business, or just an enthusiast looking to learn new things, we have compiled all the trucker lingo you need to know!

A-Z TRUCKER LINGO

Alabama chrome – duct tape. 

All locked up – Means the weigh station has been closed.

Alligator – This is a piece of a blown tire on the road that can cause accidents. It resembles an alligator lying on the pavement. A small piece of tire is referred to as a “baby alligator,” while multiple pieces are called “alligator bait.” It can also simply be referred to as a “gator.”

Anteater – The Kenworth T600, named because of its sloped hood. It is also known as an aardvark and It is one of the first trucks that came with an aerodynamic design. 

Back door – Something behind you.

Back it down – Slow down.

Backed out of it – Unable to maintain speed, leading to a downshift. Often used when a driver loses momentum and has to let up off the accelerator. 

Back row: The last rows of parking in a truck stop.

Bambi – A deer.

Base station or unit – A powerful CB radio set in a stationary location.

Bear – A law enforcement officer at any level, but usually a State Trooper, Highway Patrol.

Baby bear – a rookie law enforcement officer

Bear bait – A speeding vehicle, usually a four-wheeler, which can be used to protect the other speeding vehicles behind it.

Bear bite – A speeding ticket.

Bear den or bear cave – Law enforcement headquarters, station.

Bear in the air – A law enforcement aircraft that can monitor the traffic and speeds below.

Bear in the bushes – Law enforcement (at any level) is hiding somewhere, probably with a radar gun aimed at traffic. 

Billy Big Rigger – Another term for “supertrucker” who brags about himself, or his big, fast, shiny truck.

Bingo cards – These are cards used to hold stamps from each state a motor carrier would operate in. They are no longer used and have been replaced by the Single State Registration System (SSRS).

Bedbugger – A household moving company or the household mover himself.

Belly Dumper – A trailer with a bottom dump

Big R – A Roadway truck.

Big road – The Interstate, or any big highway.

Big truck – An 18-wheeler or tractor-trailer. “Come on over, big truck”.

Bird dog – A radar detector.

Big word – Closed, when referring to weigh stations. Small word, on the other hand, means open.

Black eye – A headlight out. 

Blew my doors off – Passed at a high speed

Bobtail – Driving the tractor only, without the trailer attached.

Boogie – The top gear (the highest gear) of the transmission.

Boulevard – The Interstate.

Brake check – The traffic tie-up ahead, requiring immediate slowing down or stopping.

Break – Saying “break-number” is the proper way to gain access to the channel and begin talking when a radio is breaking up.

Breaking up – Signal is weak or fading. 

Brush your teeth and comb your hair – Be on you best driving behavious because a law enforcement officer is shooting vehicles with a radar gun and looking for who to give tickets. . 

Bubba – What you call another driver, often in a kidding way.

Bulldog – A Mack truck.

Bullfrog – An ABF truck.

Bull hauler – A livestock hauler.

Bumper sticker – A vehicle that’s tailgating. Also called a “hitchhiker“.

Bundled out – Heavily loaded, or to maximum capacity. 

Bushels – Weight of load in 1000’s (i.e. 43 bushels = 43,000 pounds)

Buster Brown – A UPS truck or driver. 

Cabbage – A steep mountain grade in Oregon. 

Cabover – Abbreviated term for Cab-Over-the Engine (COE) type of tractor. It is no longer commonly used in the US.

Cash register – A tollbooth. 

CB Rambo – Referring to a wannabe tough guy on the CB Radio

Checking ground pressure – The weigh station is open, and they’re running trucks across the scales. 

Cheese Wagon – A yellow schoolbus

Chicken coop – A weigh station, often called just a “coop”. 

Chicken lights – Extra lights or marker on a truck and trailer. 

Chicken hauler or truck – A big, fancy truck; a large, conventional tractor with a lot of lights and chrome. Also used to refer to a truck that hauls live chickens. 

Choke-n-Puke – A greasy spoon restaurant

City kitty – A local law enforcement officer

Coal bucket – A dump trailer

Come-a-part engine – Cummins engine.

Come back – An invitation for the other driver to talk, often used when you couldn’t hear the last transmission.

Come on – Telling another driver that you hear him calling you, and to go ahead and talk. 

Comedian – The median strip in between opposite lanes of traffic. 

Comic book – The logbook. 

Commercial company – A prostitute. 

Container – An overseas container; intermodal transportation. 

Convoy – A group of trucks traveling together. 

Copy – Transmission acknowledged, agreed with, or understood, as in “copy that, driver”. 

Cornflake – Consolidated Freightways truck. 

County Mountie – County police, usually a sheriff’s deputy. 

Covered wagon – Flatbed type of trailer, with sidewalls, and a tarpulin. 

Crackerhead – A derogatory term; insult. 

Crotch rocket – A motorcycle built for speed; not a Harley-Davidson. 

Curtain Sider – Trailer similar to a box trailer except that the sides are movable curtains.

Deadhead – Pulling an empty trailer. 

Destruction – Road construction. 

Diesel car – A semi-tractor. 

Diesel cop – A DOT, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer. 

Dispatcher Brains – Light or empty load

Donkey – Behind you. “A bear is on your donkey”. 

Do what? – I didn’t hear or understand you. 

Double nickel – 55 mph, considered the optimal balance between speed and fuel efficiency. 

Doubles – A set of double trailers. 

Drawing lines – Completing your logbook 

Driver – What drivers call other drivers on the CB, especially if their CB handle is not known. 

Driving award – A speeding ticket. 

Downstroke – Driving downwards, downhill, on a decline. 

Dragon wagon – A tow truck. 

Dragonfly – A truck with no power, especially going uphill. 

Dry box – An unrefrigerated freight trailer. Also called a dry van.

Evil Knievel – A law enforcement officer on a motorcycle. 

Eyeball – To see something. 

Feeding the bears – Paying a ticket or citation. 

Fingerprint – To unload a trailer by yourself. 

Flip-flop – A U-turn, or a return trip. 

Flying Hook – Pilot Flying J Truck Stop

FM – An AM-FM radio. 

Four-letter word – Open; referring to weigh stations being open or closed. 

Fox in the hen house – Unmarked police vehicle

Free Truck Wash – Rain

Freight shaker – A Freightliner truck. 

Front door – In front of you. 

Full-grown bear – State Trooper, or Highway Patrol. 

Garbage hauler – Produce haulers or produce load.

Gear Jammer – A driver who speeds up and slows down with great frequency. 

General mess of crap – A GMC truck 

Georgia overdrive – Putting the transmission into neutral on a downgrade, to go extremely fast. Not recommended.

Go-go juice – Diesel fuel. 

Good buddy – Used to be the thing to say: “10-4, good buddy”. Not anymore, as this is now calling someone a homosexual. 

Good neighbor – To show appreciation to another driver. For example, “thank you, good neighbor”. 

Got my nightgown on – I’m in the sleeper, and ready to go to sleep. 

Go to company – Telling another driver from your company to go to the designated company CB channel. Drivers do this so that they can talk about company business or personal matters without monopolizing channel 19. 

Go to the Harley – Turn your CB to channel 1. 

Got your ears on? – Are you listening? 

Gouge on it – Go fast, put the throttle to the floor, step on it, etc. 

Granny lane – The right, slower lane on a multi-lane highway, or the Interstate. 

Greasy – Icy, or slippery. 

Greasy side up – A vehicle that’s flipped over. 

Greasy spoon – A cheap restaurant.

Green Stamps – Money. 

Grossed out – Your gross vehicle weight is at maximum capacity; commonly 80,000 pounds. 

Ground Clouds – Fog

Ground pressure – The weight of your truck, as in “you are testing your ground pressure”. 

Gumball machine – The lights on top of a patrol car. 

Hammer down – Go fast, step on it. 

Hammer lane – The left, passing lane of traffic. 

Hand/Han – Referring to another driver. Gotten from the term farmhand, meaning helper, or fellow worker. 

Handle (CB handle) – Nicknames that are used to identify the speaker, in place of an actual name, encouraged by the FCC.. 

Happy happy – Happy New Year; “Have a happy happy, driver”. 

Happy hooker – A tow truck hauling a truck.

Harvey Wallbanger – A driver who is driving recklessly or appears to be drunk

Having “shutter trouble” – Having trouble keeping awake. 

Ho Chi Minh Trail – Refers to California Highway 152, known for its abundance of accidents. 

Hole in the wall – Mountain tunnel entrance

Holler – Call me on the radio, as in “Give me a holler”. 

Home 20 – A driver’s home location. 

Hood – A conventional tractor, as opposed to a cab-over. 

How ’bout – When you’re trying to contact other drivers, you can say “how ’bout you, eastbound?”

Hundred dollar lane/High dollar lane – Prohibited lane for trucks in the far left lane of heavily populated areas. Violations come with a heavy fine. 

In my back pocket – Behind you or a place you’ve passed. 

In the big hole – The top gear of the transmission. 

Jackpot – The same as a gumball machine, or a patrol car’s lights. 

Jet Pilot – A speeding vehicle

Juice Box – A tanker hauling perishable liquids preferably juice

Key down – When you talk over somebody who’s trying to transmit. A bigger, more powerful radio can easily drown out a lesser one. 

Key up – Pushing the transmit button on the CB Mike. 

Kiddy Car – A school bus

K-whopper – A Kenworth tractor, or just KW. 

Kojak with a Kodak – Law enforcement using a radar gun. 

Landline – A stationary telephone; not a cellular phone.

Large car – A conventional tractor, often with a big sleeper, lots of chrome and lights.

Left Coast – The West Coast. 

Local information – A driver asks for local information when he needs directions in an area he’s unfamiliar with. 

Local-yokel – A county, city, or small-town officer. 

Lollipop – The small reflector or marker poles on the sides of the highway. 

Lot lizard – A prostitute that solicits truck-to-truck in a truck stop or rest area. 

Lumper – Casual labor that loads or unloads your trailer and requires payment in cash. 

Mama-bear – Refers to a female law enforcement officer. 

Male buffalo – A male prostitute. 

Mash your motor – Go fast, step on it. Same as gouge on it and hammer down. 

Meat wagon – An ambulance. 

Merry merry – Merry Christmas. 

Motion lotion – Diesel fuel. 

Moving on – Heading down the road. 

Mud duck – A weak radio signal. 

Negatory – Negative or no. 

On the side – On standby

Ovalhead – Peterbilt owner; Fan side –

Parking lot – An auto transporter, often used when the trailer is empty. 

Pay the water bill – Taking a bathroom break. 

Pickle park – A rest area frequented by lot lizards (prostitutes). 

Pete – Peterbilt Truck

Pigtail – The electrical connection from the tractor to the trailer. 

Plain wrapper – An unmarked law enforcement vehicle. 

Plenty of protection – Means there are plenty of police in the area. It is also used to tell drivers to go ahead and step on it because there are speeding four-wheelers ahead blocking or covering for them. 

Pogo stick – A metal, flexible support located on the tractor catwalk, holding up the connections to the trailer. 

Pole Cat – Skunk

Power up – Go faster or speed up. 

Preeshaydit – Appreciate it; thank you.

Pumpkin – A Schneider truck, because of its orange color. 

Radio – A CB radio. 

Radio check – How’s my radio doing? Is it transmitting and getting out there?

Rambo – Someone who talks big on the radio, especially when they’re in a place where no one else can find them. 

Ratchet jaw – Someone who monopolizes the radio, talking constantly and not giving anyone else a chance to speak.

Reading the mail – Just tuning in to the radio and listening.

Reefer – Typically a refrigerated van trailer, but sometimes it just means the reefer unit itself.

Rest-a-ree-a – Rest area. 

Road pizza – Roadkill on the side of the road. 

Rockin’ chair – A truck that’s sandwiched between two other trucks.

Roger – Yes; affirmative. 

Roger beep – An audible beep that signals when someone has released the mic and finished their transmission. This feature is found on only a small percentage of radios. 

Roller skate – Any small car. 

Rooster cruiser – A big, flashy truck; a large conventional tractor decked out with plenty chrome and lights.

Runnin’ you across – The weigh station is open, and they’re likely weighing trucks quickly. 

Salt shaker – The snowplows that spread salt or sand on the highways during winter. 

Sandbagging – Listening to the radio without speaking, also known as “reading the mail.”

Sandbox – A runaway ramp, often filled with sand to help stop vehicles. 

Schneider eggs – The orange cones in construction areas. 

Seat cover – A term sometimes used to refer to drivers or passengers of cars (four-wheelers).

Sesame Street – Channel 19 on the CB radio, often called that because it’s where everyone “hangs out.”. 

Shaky – California in general, sometimes Los Angeles, and, occasionally, San Francisco. 

Shiny side up – Your vehicle hasn’t rolled over after an accident. “Keep the shiny side up” is a way to wish someone a safe trip. 

Shooting you in the back – You’re being shot with a radar gun as your vehicle passes a law enforcement vehicle. 

Short short – A short amount of time. 

Shutdown – Put out of service by the DOT because of some violation. 

Sleeper Creeper – A prostitute; same as a lot lizard. 

Skateboard – A flatbed, or flatbed trailer. 

Skins – Tires. 

Smokin’ scooter – A law enforcement officer on a motorcycle. 

Smokin’ the brakes – The trailer brakes are overheating and smoking from excessive use on a steep downhill grade.

Smokey or Smokey Bear – A law enforcement officer, usually highway patrol. 

Split – A junction, where the road goes in separate directions. 

Spy in the sky – A law enforcement aircraft, same as a “bear in the air”. 

Stagecoach – A tour bus. 

Stand on it – Step on it, go faster. 

Swinging – Carrying a load of swinging meat. 

Taking pictures – Law enforcement using a radar gun. 

Thermos bottle – A tanker trailer. 

Through the woods – Leaving the Interstate to travel secondary roads. 

Throwin’ iron – To put on snow tire chains. 

Too many eggs in the basket – Overweight load or gross weight. 

Toothpicks – A load of lumber. 

Travel agent – The dispatcher, or sometimes a broker. 

Triple digits – Over 100 mph. 

VW – A Volvo-White tractor. 

Wagon – Some drivers refer to their trailer as a wagon. 

Walked on you – Drowned out your transmission by keying up at the same time. 

Wally world – Wal-Mart (the store or the distribution center), or a Wal-Mart truck. 

West Coast turnarounds – Uppers refer to speed or Benzedrine pills, which some drivers might use to travel from the East Coast to the West Coast and back without needing to sleep. This practice is obviously illegal.

Wiggle wagons – A set of double or triple trailers. 

Yard – A company terminal, drop a lot, etc.

Yardstick – A mile marker on the highway. 

0-4 – OK, message received. Some drivers just say “10.”

4-wheeler – Any passenger vehicle; cars or pickups.

18-wheeler – Any tractor-trailer.

42 – Yes, or OK.

85th Street – Interstate 85.

95th Street – Interstate 95.

NAMES OF CITIES

Aside from the slang terms listed above, truckers also have a unique way of referring to different cities. Here’s a rundown, so you’re never left wondering when you hear them on the road.

Air Capital – Wichita, Kansas

Alamo City – San Antonio, Texas

A-Town – Atlanta, Georgia

Armadillo – Amarillo, Texas

Astrodome – Houston, Texas

Bean-Town – Boston, Massachusetts

Beer City – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Beer Town – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Big A – Atlanta, Georgia

Big Apple – New York

Big D – Dallas, Texas

Big O – Omaha, Nebraska

Bikini – Miami, Florida

Bright Lights – Kansas City, Kansas

Bull City – Durham, North Carolina

B Town – Birmingham, Alabama

Capital City – Raleigh, North Carolina

CB Town – Council Bluffs, Iowa

Charm City – Baltimore, Maryland

Choo-Choo – Chattanooga, Tennessee

Cigar City – Tampa, Florida

Circle City – Indianapolis, Indiana

Cities – Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

Cow Town – Calgary, Alberta

Derby City – Louisville, Kentucky

Dirty – Cleveland, Ohio

Dome – Houston, Texas

Flag or Flagpole – Flagstaff, Arizona

Gateway – St. Louis, Missouri

Gold City – Goldsboro, North Carolina

Guitar – Nashville, Tennessee

Hog Town – Toronto, Ontario

Hotlanta – Atlanta, Georgia

Indy 500 – Indianapolis, Indiana

Irish – South Bend, Indiana

K-Town – Knoxville, Tennessee

Lost Wages – Las Vegas, Nevada

Mardi Gras – New Orleans, Louisiana

Mile High – Denver, Colorado

Motor City – Detroit, Michigan

Music City – Nashville, Tennessee

Nickel – Buffalo, New York

Okie City – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Peg – Winnipeg, Manitoba

Philly – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Queen City – Charlotte, North Carolina

Rock City – Little Rock, Arkansas

Rubber – Akron, Ohio

Sack of Tomatoes – Sacramento, California

Shaky City – Los Angeles, California

Shaky-Town – Los Angeles, California

Steel City or Town – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Swamp – Montreal, Quebec

Watermelon 500 – Atlanta, Georgia

Windy City – Chicago, Illinois

CLOSING THE TAILGATE

This compilation contains decades-old slang that truckers have used to share their stories and adventures as they travel. Now that you know the lingo, don’t forget to give a fellow trucker a friendly “10-4” or a “keep the shiny side up.”

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