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Some Interesting Trucker Slang Terms

Apr. 23 2021 Lifestyle By DeBary Truck Sales

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It’s no secret that truckers have long used their own special language to communicate with each other via C.B. (Citizens Band) radio. This language, more accurately termed a “cant” as it is designed to be jargon specific to a group that outsiders cannot understand, evolved to help unify truckers and allow them to express themselves on the radio. Trucker slang had its heyday in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s and it’s been memorialized in movies such as Smokey and the Bandit (1977).

DeBary Truck Sales is your Florida truck dealer, located in Sanford. Below, you’ll find a helpful list of definitions of some of the most common slang terms you may encounter during your travels.

Road Slang

Road slang terms were designed to be evocative and colorful in addition to helping drivers avoid the attention of local police.

  • Bear: Law enforcement officer, but more specifically a state trooper.
  • Eat ‘Em Up: A restaurant or diner.
  • Flip-Flop: A term for a trip where the trucker simply turns around and goes back the way he came.
  • Good Buddy: A term of endearment used more in the ‘70s to refer to fellow trucker friends.
  • Handle: The nickname used by a driver on C.B. radio.
  • Keep the Left Door Closed: Driving without stopping in order to make better time.
  • Shutter Trouble: Someone who is having difficulty keeping their eyes open.
  • Through the Woods: A driver is taking backroads instead of the highway.
  • Wall-to-Wall and Treetop Tall: A very clear and strong signal or transmission.
  • Watering Hole: A highway truck stop.
  • Yardstick: Mile marker.

Truck Parts

Truckers use some unique terms to refer to various parts of their trucks that are not common knowledge among other drivers.

  • Berth: A sleeping cabin in the truck cab used for rest on long-haul journeys.
  • Black Eye: A headlight that has burned out.
  • Four-Wheeler: A vehicle that is not a big rig with a trailer.
  • Hammer: Gas pedal or accelerator.
  • Pigtail: Electric connection between the truck and its trailer.
  • Reefer: A refrigerated trailer for transporting perishable goods.

C.B. Ten Codes

A variety of number codes were employed, generally beginning with the number “10,” as a quick shorthand that isn’t dissimilar to today’s text abbreviations. Ten codes are still employed to some degree by police as well.

  • 10-4: “Okay” or “message received.”
  • 10-9: Repeat message.
  • 10-13: Request for weather conditions.
  • 10-20: Location of driver.
  • 10-36: Request for current time
  • 10-100: Driver is taking a restroom break.

We hope this guide helps you to not stand out from the crowd when you get your CDL. Seeking trucks for sale in Florida? Come on by our Sanford, FL, dealership location to check out the wide variety of new and used trucks we carry. DeBary Truck Sales also proudly serves the greater Atlanta, GA metro area.