Fun Trucking Facts – All The Fun in One Place

Fun trucking is a real thing!

In the trucking industry, there are so many fun facts. Even though it is a serious job there are many fun trucking moments to spice up the long driving hours. Truckers are a great group of people performing a very important service for the society. Some industry facts are thought-provoking, others are really funny and some are simply cool.

You might ask yourself how many trucks does the U.S. have? Or, how much fuel do truckers really consume? What’s the longest truck ever? How about the fastest?

We answer all these and more down below! So, just keep reading!

Fun Trucking Facts

We can start now with the fun trucking facts! So, how many trucks does the United States really have?

The number of trucks that operate in the United States alone is estimated to roughly 15.5 million trucks. The LTL shippers take around 13.6 percent only. From those 15.5 million trucks, 2 million are tractor trailers.

But, how about drivers? Well, their number is estimated to over 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States only. And, from that amount one in nine are independent. Most of them are owner operators.

How Much Fuel Does a Truck Consume?

Back in 1973, the government estimated that trucks spend around 5.6 miles per gallon of diesel. But, today it is estimated to 6.5 mpg.

Even though different trucks get fuel economy in a range from 4 to 8. Surely, going up a steep hill, a truck’s mileage will drop to roughly about 2.9 mpg. Nevertheless, going down hill it will raise it to more than 23 mpg.

What Is The Longest and What Is The Fastest Truck Ever?

Back on February 18, 2006, an Australian built Mack truck with 112 semi-trailers. This is considered to be the longest truck ever. Also called road train.

It also has 1,300 t (1,279 long tons; 1,433 short tons) and it is 1,474.3 metres (4,836 ft 11 in) long. It can pull the load 100 meters (328 feet) to recapture the record for the longest road train (multiple loaded trailers) ever pulled with a single prime mover.

The fastest truck ever is the Volvo’s Truck called The Iron Knight. It won that place twice now. It has beaten the speed record in the standing-start 500- and 1000-metre categories.

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Some driver fun trucking facts are:

• Average age for a truck driver is 33 years old;
• Most drivers come from Florida;
• Drivers pass over 105,000 miles a year;
• The United States has 3.5 million truck drivers;
• One in nine are independent drivers;
• Average salaries for 2013 are expected to be $55,000;
• The top trucking company to drive for is FedEx;

Not counting the rail, the trucking industry makes up the largest portion of the United States transportation system. It is estimated at around 28.6 percent of this important industry.

In addition, here are some other fun trucking facts:

• The United States is not the largest truck manufacturer. This special place belongs to Japan’s Isuzu. They manufacture over 450,000 commercial vehicles annually;
• Do you want to become one of the 1-in-9 independent drivers? There are some facts you need to know before you go independent. A new cab and trailer will cost you roughly from $90,000 to $260,000 combined. In case you only need the cab, you will need to plan on spending around $80,000 to $180,000. It depends on how new and up to date you want to be. Though trailers will cost you around $30,000 to $80,000. Perhaps, this is the reason that drivers are still using their old rigs;
• So what are trucks hauling with that 28.6 percent? Usually, clothes, food, furniture, and machinery is the most common on the list. So, we can say the basics for living are what they usually transport;

• What does it take to haul all of these goods? Well, most importantly, it takes 50 billion gallons of gasoline each year. Counting both diesel and standard fuel. Even though this does make them environmentally unfriendly, they are only 12.8 percent of the nation’s fuel consumption;
• Furthermore, contrary to everyone’s belief, trucks don’t account for many accidents. Statistics show that for around 500,000 vehicle accidents annually are responsible the truck drivers. If we compare to cars which account for 5.25 million, it is not much. Usually, in an accident, truckers fault it for only 2.4 percent of all accidents. While car driver’s fault is at 84 percent;

Let’s See Some Fun Trucking Facts While Comparing Trucks To Cars!

• Usually, the standard car engine is six times smaller than a truck engine. Also, it only has 100 to 200 horsepower. If we compare that to the 400 to 600 horsepower a truck generates, we can see the difference.
• Surely, truck engines last longer, too. When car engine will breathe its last breath, usually at around 200,000 miles. Then is when a truck engine takes a licking and keeps on ticking until 1 million miles. Probably it is due to the fact that, as they say, a truck engine likes to drink. Without any issue, it can hold its oil at 15 gallons. Whereas, the car can only hold 1.25 gallons – lightweight.
• The Hawaiian Eagle fire truck is better than a car, too. This truck can reach speeds of 406 miles.

What Is Bigger And What Is Better When It Comes To Trucks?

• Truck engines fail in comparison to the Caterpillar 797. It is a monster of a vehicle. The Caterpillar 797 is a two-axle Ultra class truck. Specially designed for the tough trucking world of high production mining and heavy-duty construction. It is not unusual for the Caterpillar 797 to haul 400 short tons. And, yes, surely it is the biggest truck in the world.
• The Australians can be proud of the longest truck ever built. In 2006, an Australian guy took a Mack truck, tack on 112 semi-trailers and pull a load 328 feet. With that said, he hauled the longest road train. Total weight was 1,300 long tons and the rig measured 4,836 feet and 11 inches long.
• The USA holds the Guinness World Record for the largest tow truck parade. It happened on November 13th, 2011. A total of 324 two trucks paraded through Illinois to benefit Tow Trucks for Tots. There are other amazing truck show events in the U.S. And, another fun trucking fact about it is that if you took all of the commercial trucks in the United States and lined them up, they’d reach the moon!