| A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle for | | | | starters, power brakes, 4, 6, and 8 cylinder |
| transporting goods. The word "truck" comes | | | | engines, closed cabs, and electric lighting |
| from the Greek "trochos", meaning "wheel". In | | | | followed. The first modern semi-trailer |
| America, the big wheels of wagons were called | | | | trucks also appeared. Touring car builders |
| trucks. When the gasoline engine-driven | | | | such as Ford and Renault entered the heavy |
| trucks came into fashion, these were called | | | | truck market. |
| "motortrucks" and the Heavy Goods Vehicle | | | | |
| (HGV)). The British term is, however, only | | | | Diesel engines |
| used for the medium and heavy types (see | | | | |
| below), i.e. a van, a pickup or a SUV would | | | | Although it had been invented in 1890, the |
| never be regarded as a "lorry". Other | | | | diesel engine was not common in trucks in |
| languages have loanwords based on these | | | | Europe until the 1920s. In the United States, |
| terms, such as the Malay lori and the Mexican | | | | it took much longer for diesel engines be |
| Spanish troca (or pickup in northern Mexico). | | | | accepted: gasoline engines were still in use |
| | | | on heavy trucks in the 1970s, while in Europe |
| In Australia and New Zealand a small vehicle | | | | they had been completely replaced 20 years |
| with an open back is called a ute (short for | | | | earlier. |
| "utility vehicle") and the word "truck" is | | | | |
| reserved for larger vehicles. | | | | Legal issues |
| | | | |
| Steam trucks | | | | Commercial Trucks in the US pay higher road |
| | | | use taxes on a State level than other road |
| Trucks and cars have a common ancestor: the | | | | vehicles, and are subject to extensive |
| steam-powered "fardier" Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot | | | | regulation. Here are a few reasons Commercial |
| built in 1769. However, steam trucks were not | | | | Trucks pay higher road use taxes: bigger and |
| common until the mid-1800s. The roads of the | | | | heavier than most other vehicles, and cause |
| time, built for horse and carriages, limited | | | | more wear and tear per hour on roadways; and |
| these vehicles to very short hauls, usually | | | | trucks and their drivers are on the road for |
| from a factory to the nearest railway | | | | more hours per day. UPS vehicles are called |
| station. The first semi-trailer appeared in | | | | 'package cars' in the US, because that |
| 1881, towed by a De Dion steam tractor. | | | | exempted them from certain tax-rates. Rules |
| Steam-powered trucks were sold in France and | | | | on use taxes differ among jurisdictions. |
| the United States until the eve of World War | | | | |
| I, and the beginning of World War II in the | | | | Most jurisdictions have rules for commercial |
| United Kingdom. | | | | vehicles, regulating how many hours a driver |
| | | | may be on the clock, how much rest and sleep |
| Internal combustion | | | | time is required (e.g., 11hrs on/10hrs off, |
| | | | and 34hrs off over every 7 days), and many |
| In 1895 Karl Benz designed and built the | | | | other rules. Violations are often subject to |
| first truck in history using the internal | | | | significant penalties. Instruments to track |
| combustion engine. Later that year some of | | | | each driver's hours must often be fitted. |
| Benz's trucks were modified to become the | | | | |
| first buses by the Netphener, the first bus | | | | Trucks are subject to noise emission |
| company in history. Three years later, in | | | | requirements (emanating from the U.S. Noise |
| 1898, another internal combustion engine | | | | Control Act) in order to protect the public |
| truck was built by Gottlieb Daimler. Other | | | | from noise health effects, since trucks |
| companies, such as Peugeot and Renault, also | | | | contribute disproportionately to roadway |
| built their own versions. Trucks of the era | | | | noise due to elevated stacks and intense tire |
| mostly used two-cylinder engines and had a | | | | and aerodynamic noise characteristics. |
| carrying capacity of 1500 to 2000 kg. In | | | | |
| 1904, 700 heavy trucks were built in the | | | | The Bridge Law deals with the relation |
| United States, 1000 in 1907, 6000 in 1910, | | | | between the gross weight of the truck and the |
| and 25000 in 1914. | | | | amount of axles and the spacing between axles |
| | | | wheel base the truck has. Each State |
| After World War I, several advances were | | | | determines the minimum and maximum |
| made: pneumatic tires replaced the previously | | | | permissible weight per axle. |
| common full rubber versions. Electric | | | | |