Truck

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A truck is a large vehicle usually used for transporting bulk goods or other materials. The word "truck" comes from the Greek "trochos", meaning "wheel". In America, the big wheels of wagons were called trucks. When the gasoline engine-driven trucks came into fashion, these were called "motortrucks" and the Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV)). Lorry is a British term but is only used for the medium and heavy types (see below), i.e. a van, a pickup or a SUV would never be regarded as a "lorry". Other languages have loanwords based on these terms, such as the Malay lori and the Mexican Spanish troca (or pickup in northern Mexico).

In Australia and New Zealand a small vehicle with an open back is called a ute (short for "utility vehicle") and the word "truck" is reserved for larger vehicles.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Steam trucks 1.2 Internal combustion 1.3 Diesel engines 2 Legal issues 3 Types of trucks by size 3.1 Light trucks 3.2 Medium trucks 3.3 Heavy trucks 3.4 Off-road trucks 4 Anatomy of a truck 4.1 Head 4.1.1 Cab 4.1.2 Engine 4.1.3 Trailer 4.2 Drivetrain 4.3 Chassis 5 Quality and sales 5.1 Heavy trucks market worldwide 5.1.1 Europe 5.1.2 Asia 5.1.3 South America 5.1.4 United States 6 Fairs 6.1 Fairs with hybrid truck shows 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Steam trucks

Trucks and cars have a common ancestor: the steam-powered fardier Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built in 1769. However, steam trucks were not common until the mid-1800s. The roads of the time, built for horse and carriages, limited these vehicles to very short hauls, usually from a factory to the nearest railway station. The first semi-trailer appeared in 1881, towed by a De Dion steam tractor. Steam-powered trucks were sold in France and the United States until the eve of World War I, and the beginning of World War II in the United Kingdom.

[edit] Internal combustion

In 1895 Karl Benz designed and built the first truck in history using the internal combustion engine. Later that year some of Benz's trucks were modified to become the first buses by the Netphener, the first bus company in history. Three years later, in 1898, another internal combustion engine truck was built by Gottlieb Daimler. Other companies, such as Peugeot and Renault, also built their own versions. Trucks of the era mostly used two-cylinder engines and had a carrying capacity of 1500 to 2000 kg. In 1904, 700 heavy trucks were built in the United States, 1000 in 1907, 6000 in 1910, and 25000 in 1914.

After World War I, several advances were made: pneumatic tires replaced the previously common full rubber versions. Electric starters, power brakes, 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines, closed cabs, and electric lighting followed. The first modern semi-trailer trucks also appeared. Touring car builders such as Ford and Renault entered the heavy truck market.

[edit] Diesel engines

Although it had been invented in 1890, the diesel engine was not common in trucks in Europe until the 1920s. In the United States, it took much longer for diesel engines be accepted: gasoline engines were still in use on heavy trucks in the 1970s, while in Europe they had been completely replaced 20 years earlier.

[edit] Legal issues

Commercial Trucks in the US pay higher road use taxes on a State level than other road vehicles, and are subject to extensive regulation. ^[1] Here are a few reasons Commercial Trucks pay higher road use taxes: they are bigger and heavier than most other vehicles, and cause more wear and tear per hour on roadways; and trucks and their drivers are on the road for more hours per day. UPS vehicles are called 'package cars' in the US, because that exempted them from certain tax-rates. Rules on use taxes differ among jurisdictions.

Most jurisdictions have rules for commercial vehicles, regulating how many hours a driver may be on the clock, how much rest and sleep time is required (e.g., 11hrs driving/14hrs onduty followed by 10hrs off, max of 70hrs/8days or 60hrs/7 days, 34 hr restart ), and many other rules. Violations are often subject to significant penalties. Instruments to track each driver's hours must sometimes be fitted.

Trucks are subject to noise emission requirements (emanating from the U.S. Noise Control Act) in order to protect the public from noise health effects, since trucks contribute disproportionately to roadway noise due to elevated stacks and intense tire and aerodynamic noise characteristics.

The Bridge Law deals with the relation between the gross weight of the truck and the amount of axles and the spacing between axles wheel base the truck has. Each State determines the minimum and maximum permissible weight per axle.

[edit] Types of trucks by size

[edit] Light trucks

Light trucks are car-sized (in the US, no more than 6,300 kg (13,000 lb)) and are used by individuals and businesses alike. In the UK they may not weigh more than 3,500kg. Pickup trucks are pervasive in North America and some regions of Latin America, Asia and Africa, but not so in Europe, where this size of commercial vehicle is most often made as vans.

[edit] Medium trucks

Medium trucks are larger than light but smaller than heavy trucks. In the US, they are defined as weighing between 6,300 kg (13,000 lb) and 15,000 kg (33,000 lb). For the UK the cut-off is 7.5 tonnes. Local delivery and public service (dump trucks, garbage trucks and fire-fighting trucks) are normally around this size.

[edit] Heavy trucks

Heavy trucks are the largest trucks allowed on the road. They are mostly used for long-haul purposes, often in semi-trailer or B-double configuration.

Road damage and wear increase very rapidly with the axle weight (truck weight divided by the number of axles). In many countries with good roads a 6-axle truck may have a maximum weight over 50 tonnes (50,000 kg).

In Australia many trailers are linked to make what are called road trains. See also road transport in Australia.

[edit] Off-road trucks

Highway-legal trucks are sometimes outfitted with off-road features such as a front driving axle and special tires for applications such as logging and construction. Trucks that never use public roads, such as the biggest truck ever, the Liebherr T 282B off-road mining truck, are not constrained by weight limits.

[edit] Anatomy of a truck

Almost all trucks share a common construction: they are made of a chassis, a cab, axles, suspension and wheels, an engine and a drivetrain. Pneumatic, hydraulic, water, and electrical systems may also be identified. They are complex machines.

[edit] Head

[edit] Cab

The cab is an enclosed space where the driver is seated. A "sleeper" is a compartment attached to the cab where the driver can rest while not driving. They can range from a simple 2 to 4 foot (0.6 to 1.2 m) bunk to a 12 foot (3.7 m) apartment-on-wheels. Modern cabs usually feature air conditioning, a good sound system, and ergonomic seats (often air-suspended). There are a few possible cab configurations:

• Cab over engine (COE) or flat nose, where the driver is seated on top of the front axle and the engine. This design is almost ubiquitous in Europe, where overall truck lengths are strictly regulated. They were common in the United States, but lost prominence when permitted length was extended in the early 1980s. To access the engine, the whole cab tilts forward, earning this design the name of tilt-cab.

• Conventional cabs are the most common in North America. The driver is seated behind the engine, as in most passenger cars or pickup trucks. Conventionals are further divided into large car and aerodynamic designs. A "large car" or "long nose" is a conventional truck with a long (6 to 8 foot (1.8 to 2.4 m) or more) hood. With their very square shapes, these trucks offer a lot of wind resistance and can consume more fuel. They also offer poorer visibility than their aerodynamic or COE counterparts. By contrast, Aerodynamic cabs are very streamlined, with a sloped hood and other features to lower drag. Most owner-operators prefer the square-hooded conventionals.^{[citation needed]}
• Cab beside engine designs also exist, but are rather rare.
• Slang terms
  • "Tiltin' Hilton" or "flying coffin" - Cab-over with a sleeper berth.
  • "Anteater" - Specifically refers to the Kenworth T600, an aerodynamically-designed tractor whose nose resembles an anteater.
  • "Large car" - A conventional cab with a large square hood, such as the Peterbilt 379 or the Kenworth W900.

[edit] Engine

Trucks can use all sorts of engines. Small trucks such as SUVs or pickups, and even light medium-duty trucks in North America will use gasoline engines. Most heavier trucks use four stroke turbo intercooler diesel engines, although there are alternatives. Huge off-highway trucks use locomotive-type engines such as a V12 Detroit Diesel two stroke engine.

In the United States, highway trucks almost always use an engine built by a third party, such as CAT, Cummins, or Detroit Diesel. The only exceptions to this are Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks, which are available with Volvo and Mack diesel engines, respectively, and Freightliner, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler, which are available with Mercedes-Benz and Detroit Diesel engines. The Swedish truckmaker Scania claims they stay away from the US-market because of this third party tradition. Scania wants to sell a highly integrated product with proven interoperability and quality.

[edit] Trailer

Main articles: Semi-trailer truck and Trailer

[edit] Drivetrain

Small trucks use the same type of transmissions as almost all cars which have either an automatic transmission or a manual transmission with synchronisers. Bigger trucks often use manual transmissions without synchronisors which are lighter weight although some synchronised transmissions have been used in larger trucks. Transmissions without synchronisors require either double clutching for each shift, (which can lead to repetitive motion injuries,) or a technique known colloquially as "floating," a method of shifting which doesn't use the clutch, except for starts and stops. Although widely used, due to the tiring nature of double clutching, floating is technically illegal. Common North American setups include 10, 13 and 18 speeds. Automatic and semi-automatic transmissions for heavy trucks are becoming more and more common, due to advances both in transmission and engine power.

The trend in Europe is that more new trucks are being bought with automatic or semi-automatic transmission. This may be due in part to lawsuits from drivers claiming that driving a manual transmission is damaging to their knees.^{[citation needed]} And the fact that you can lower fuel consumption and improve the durability of the truck.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Chassis

The chassis or frame of a truck is commonly constructed mainly of two beams, and several crossmembers. A truck chassis consists of two parallel straight C-shaped beams, or in some cases stepped or tapered beams, these held together by crossmembers. In most instances, gussets help attach the crossmembers to the beams. The "C-shape" of the beams has a middle vertical and longer side, and a short horizontal flange at each end; the length of the beams is variable. The chassis is usually made of steel, but can be made (whole or in part) of aluminium for a lighter weight. The integrity of the chemical composition (carbon, molybdenum, etc.) and structure of the beams is of uttermost importance to its strength, and to help prevent cracking or breaking of beams, and to help maintain rigidity and flexibility of the frame, welding, drilling and other types of modifications should not be performed by unliscenced persons. The chassis is the main structure of the truck, and the other parts attach to it. A tow bar may be found attached at one or both ends.

See : Trailer

[edit] Quality and sales

Quality among all heavy truck manufacturers in general is improving, however industry insiders will testify that the industry has a long way to go before they achieve the quality levels reached by automobile manufacturers. Part of the reason for this is that 75% of all trucks are custom specified. This works against efforts to streamline and automate the assembly line.

[edit] Heavy trucks market worldwide

Largest manufacturers in Western Europe, the U.S. and Japan, over 16 tonnes GVW in 2005. ^[2]

Pos.	Make	Units
1	DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes-Benz)	241,515
2	Volvo	177,106
3	PACCAR (DAF Trucks)	124,406
4	Navistar	61,066
5	MAN	53,379
6	Scania	53,365
7	Hino Motors (Toyota Group)	44,494
8	Iveco (Fiat Group)	43,364
9	Nissan Diesel	25,852
10	Volkswagen	22,684

[edit] Europe

Western Europe

• Renault Trucks (France)
• Iveco (Italy)
• MAN AG (Germany)
• Mercedes-Benz (Germany)
• PACCAR (DAF Trucks, Leyland Trucks) (USA)
• Sisu Auto (Finland)
• Scania (Sweden)
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (Germany)
• Volvo Trucks (Sweden) (not to be confused with Volvo cars, which is now part of Ford Motor Company)

Eastern Europe

• Kamaz (Russia)
• MAZ (Belarus)
• Škoda (Czech Republic)
• LIAZ (Czech Republic)
• Tatra (Czech Republic)
• GAZ (Russia)
• Zastava Trucks (Russia)

[edit] Asia

Heavy truck leading manufacturers (alphabetically):

• Ashok Leyland (India)
• Dongfeng Motor Corporation (China, joint ventures with Nissan and Cummins)
• Eicher Motors (India)
• Hino Motors (Japan, joint ventures with Scania and Renault)
• Isuzu (Japan)
• Iveco (Italy, but local divisions in Asia)
• Mitsubishi (Japan)
• Nissan Diesel (Japan)
• Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle (South Korea)
• Tata Motors (India)

[edit] South America

Registrations of heavy trucks in South America (2002; % breakdown by manufacturer):

• DaimlerChrysler
• Scania
• Mack Trucks
• Volkswagen Truck & Bus
• Ford Truck
• Agrale

[edit] United States

• Mack Trucks
• Peterbilt
• Kenworth
• Freightliner LLC
• Navistar
• Western Star
• Sterling Trucks
• Volvo Trucks (different models for US market)

On the East Coast, where routes were traditionally shorter, and because the trucks were made there, many drivers preferred Mack Trucks. While on the West Coast, the drivers preferred Peterbilt, Kenworth, and Freightliner. White built a new factory in California in the early 1960s, with long-haul trucking company Consolidated Freightways. The entity, which became White-Freightliner, then just Freightliner, catered directly to western fleets that wanted a lighter-aluminium cab and frame, and traveled longer-straighter distances without stopping. Drivers more concerned with safety than with fuel-economy preferred the heavier Peterbilts and Kenworths. Kenworth and Peterbilt, which had started out as heavy-duty trucks for hauling logs, forest products, and steel for shipyards on the West Coast, anticipated the need for these lighter long-distance trucks.

[edit] Fairs

[edit] Fairs with hybrid truck shows

• Hannover Fair
• Pollutec

[edit] See also

Truck Accessories Air pollution Air brake (road vehicle) Animal transporter Battery electric truck Brake Campervan Cutaway van chassis Dump truck Euro IV and Euro V Forklift Hybrid truck List of truck types Noise regulation

Pickup truck Panel truck Panel van Road train Air pollution from trucks Roadway noise Semi-trailer truck; this article covers large trucks such as road trains and articulated lorries. Sedan delivery Sport Tractor Tractor unit Truck and trailer bodies Truck driver Weigh station Flatbed truck

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• American Transportation Research Insitute (ATRI) Trucking Industry Research
• British Commercial Vehicle Museum - Leyland, Lancashire, United Kingdom
• www.dmbmodels.co.uk Scale model trucks in the UK
• Early history of Panhard and Levassor
• Florida Department of Transportation Vehicle Fatality Study
• Gottlieb Daimler's first truck
• French - English, English - French truck drivers' online dictionary
• Truck Facts
• Truck at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)