BLOG - Trucker Talk: Do You Drive Truck or Are You a Truck Driver?
Shared with permission from AllTruckJobs.com. Written by Lenay Ruhl.
Before I start my trucker talk rant, I want to preface the entire blog post by introducing myself. My name is Lenay, and I am a writer and podcast co-host here at AllTruckJobs. I was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. For those of you not familiar with this little corner of the world, let me fill you in. First of all, Lancaster is notorious for having a large Plain community (but no, I’m not Amish), hearty Pennsylvania Dutch food – think whoopie pies, mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie – and very conservative culture. Secondly, I didn’t realize until I moved away and came back, but we talk kind of funny. So, no matter how hard I try to fight my roots, sometimes I use phrases that are not only grammatically incorrect, but other people don’t know what I’m saying. I feel this experience is similar to that of a truck driver. Trucker lingo is unique, and people outside of the industry don’t always understand it. So, we’ll delve into my weird trucker talk phrase, and then explore some others.
With that said, here at work, I am constantly using the phrase “drive truck.”
You need to get a CDL in order to drive truck.
Can you drive truck if you have sleep apnea?
My uncle drives truck.
So, my use of the phrase “drive truck” started a debate between my coworkers. Is the phrase “drive truck” simply trucker talk in Lancaster, or does it expand beyond that? Or, maybe it’s just my inner redneck coming out. I took to Facebook and created a poll.
Trucker Talk Facebook Poll: Do You Drive Truck or Are You a Truck Driver?
Well, it turns out that in my poll, more people definitely voted for “I am a truck driver” vs. “I drive truck.” However, the people who did vote for “I drive truck,” weren’t all from Pennsylvania. There were quite a few Ohioans on the list. Furthermore, I was surprised to find a few people from Utah, South Dakota, and other places out west. Maybe they are transplants from Lancaster, or maybe this is just one of those phrases that truckers use. Aside from my poll, I also did some research online. I discovered some very interesting results in my search. For example, the phrase “drive truck” also has a very dirty connotation that has nothing to do with truck driving. However, I’ll spare you the details. Most importantly, I discovered that other people are wondering the same thing as me. Consequently, through all of my investigating, I learned two things.
Only use this phrase when talking to or about people in the trucking industry.
Thankfully, I’m not the only one who says “drive truck.”
“Drive truck” is one of many phrases related to the trucking industry. Therefore, let’s delve into some other things you’ll hear during trucker talk.
Trucker Talk: Top Phrases Truckers Use
Here is a list of my personal favorite phrases that truckers use! First, we’ll start with some of the most obvious ones.
Obvious Phrases That Truckers Use
Back door – Behind you
Back off the hammer – Slow down
Big slab or big road – The interstate
Blew my doors off – Passed by really fast
Brake check – The traffic up ahead is slowing down
Four wheeler – A car
Granny lane – Slow lane
Hammer lane – Fast lane
Hammer down – Move faster
Salt shaker – Snowplow
Now, let’s delve into the less obvious ones… for example, in trucker talk, a deadhead is not someone who listens to a lot of Grateful Dead music.
Lesser-Know Trucker Phrases
Deadhead – Drive an empty truck and trailer to pick up a load somewhere else
Comedian – Center median strip
Comic book – A trucker’s log book
Diesel Cop – DOT
Hand – Driver
Motion lotion – Diesel
Pickle park – Rest area
Shake the bushes – Goes ahead of the other trucks to lure out the cops
Yard – Trucking Terminal
Yard stick – Mile marker
There are also situations where truckers talk with numbers.
Trucker Talk with Numbers
10-4 – Ok/copy
10-22 – There’s an emergency
10-20 – Location
10-36 – What’s the correct time?
Some of the phrases are actually pretty funny.
Funny Phrases Truckers Say
County Mounty – Sherriff
Comin in loud and proud – Strong CB signal
Bumper sticker – A car too close to the bumper
Cash register – Toll booth
Greasy side up – A car that’s flipped with its wheels in the air
Meat-wagon – The ambulance
And a few others to include, just because I didn’t know them before.
Other Sayings and Trucker Talk
Catch ya on the flip flop – See you on the return trip
Clean shot – There are no police ahead
City Kitty – City police
Double nickel – 55 miles per hour
Evil Kenevil – Motorcycle cop
Flip flop – U-turn
Left coast – West coast
Want to learn more about trucker talk? Check out this list of trucker nicknames for all of the states, as well as all of the animal-related trucker lingo out there!
As someone who drives truck, what’s your favorite or most-used phrase? Share with me in the comments below!