The History of the 18-Wheeler

Although we don’t often think about it, the history of the 18-wheeler or semi truck has played a huge role in how our world can run in this day and age. Think about the global supply chain and where society would be if it weren’t for these trucks. Without the invention of the 18-wheeler, the world we live in today would be vastly different in terms of shipping and transportation.

These trucks are designed with longevity in mind. 18-wheelers are used to move around seventy percent of all commodities. That means most of the items you currently own or will buy in the future have been shipped using semi trucks. For something so important to the global supply chain, most people don’t know where or how these trucks came to be in the first place.

In this article, we’ll trace the history and origins of the 18-wheeler. 

First Semi Truck

You might be surprised to learn that our story begins back in the 19th century. It starts with Alexander Winton in 1896. Winton was an automotive manufacturer and the founder of the Winton Motor Carriage Company of Cleveland. When he began selling cars to people, he quickly realized that getting these cars to their new owners was difficult. 

So, Winton invented the first semi truck, a vehicle he called the automobile hauler, which was essentially a modified tractor with a cart attached to the back. To more efficiently transport his cars, they would load a car onto the back cart. Given the success of this invention, Winton began selling these first semi trucks to other car manufacturers in the United States at the time.

However, Winton’s design was certainly not what we envision when we first think of an 18-wheeler today. His version of a semi truck only had enough space to hold one car. As we all know, there was a lot of room for improvement upon Winton’s initial design. 

How Big Is a Semi Truck?

Today, semi trucks can come in many different shapes and sizes, but generally speaking, a sleeper-cab semi truck with an attached trailer tends to be around 70 feet long today. So, how did we go from a trailer that could only haul one singular car to 70-foot-long trucks that can haul virtually anything? 

Well, there are a lot of players throughout history who have helped innovate to create the type of semi truck we know today, including how big a semi truck is. Many of them did it without any idea that their ideas might end up changing the entire shipping industry too. Take August Charles Fruehauf, a Detroit-based blacksmith who decided to build a carriage to transport his boat way back in 1914. 

Fruehauf attached a trailer to the back of a Ford and called it a semi trailer, essentially changing how big a semi truck can be. When it worked, he began to create trailers for hauling other things like lumber. In 1918, he created the Fruehauf Trailer Company, which is still one of the leaders in the semi trailer industry today. 

Automatic 18-Wheeler

As time went on, there was a growing demand for semi trailers. Plenty of industries found that they needed to haul freight in a way that was cost-effective, quick, and efficient. Of course, the solution was semi trailers. Once again, the automobile industry was at the forefront of this movement. 

While Winton didn’t opt to expand upon his initial design for hauling cars with what would be known as an automatic 18-wheeler, George Cassens did. In the 1930s, he decided that he wanted to ship his cars directly to the buyers when he realized that shipment costs needed to be cut. Cassens created a trailer that could haul four cars and could be pulled by being hooked up to a Dodge truck, known today as an automatic 18-wheeler.

Of course, we couldn’t write this article without paying homage to Mack Trucks,which is one of the most recognizable brands in the trucking industry. The brand was founded in 1900 in Brooklyn, New York. Mack trucks became known for developing their own engines that came with an automatic starter, making the hand crank obsolete. Mack trucks soon became synonymous with durability, toughness, and longevity. 

Other Factors in the History of the 18-Wheeler

Not only did creative innovation by hundreds of people at the beginning of the 20th century help create the 18-wheeler we know today, but many other outside factors contributed to its persistence in shipping culture. In 1917, the number of semi trucks on the road began to increase significantly. 

This is because of the Federal Highway Act and the explosion of better roads to drive on. The Federal Highway Act was a key factor in allowing 18-wheelers to take over the road and encourage the shipment of goods across the United States, as it created a system of highways and roads that stretched over 3 million miles across the country. 

This made it much easier to transport goods big distances via semi trucks. The entire shipping system we have now in the United States that allows goods to be shipped so quickly is a direct result of the creation of new roads. With more roads than ever before, the 18-wheeler industry blew up. 

In around 50 years, an entire industry was created and today, it persists. From a tractor meant to haul one car on a trailer attached to the back of it to the 70-foot-long trucks we see moving down the highways today, the history of the 18-wheeler is certainly a wild ride. Semi trucks are still an integral part of our supply chain, and it’s safe to say that they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. 

Learn More About Semi Trucks

If you’re interested in learning more about modern 18-wheelers or are in the market to purchase one, you’ll want to check out our website at Handshake Fleet. We are a Chicagoland-based company that prides itself on selling quality trucks and trailers for any budget. 

Whether you’re an owner-operator or a fleet manager looking to purchase either a trailer or a truck, check out our vast selection of online inventory. Or, if you’re interested in learning more about semi trucks and their place in the supply chain, check out our other blog posts. If you have any questions regarding our products or services, contact us today.