Trucks

Trucks are road vehicles larger than a car that are designed for hauling heavy, bulky, or numerous items. In Europe, trucks are referred to as commercial vehicles. Truck design varies according to the intended purpose or freight to be carried; trucks are classified as light, medium, heavy, and very heavy.

Many smaller trucks are manufactured as a single vehicle with a cargo container area, such as a pickup truck. Larger trucks may be built as a single unit for a particular purpose (such as a tow truck, tractor, cement truck, or backhoe) or customized around what is called a chassis cab, which is a truck with a cab and a set of rails that can be specialized depending on the apparatus added to the rear (for example, dump truck bed, camper unit, or containers for various uses).

Many heavy trucks, known as tractor trailers or semi-trailer trucks, have two (or more) separate parts, including the towing engine (also called a rig, cab, or tractor) and a trailer, which, once again, is designed for a specific purpose or use (for example, a tank for fluids, large box container for ocean shipping, specialized container for carrying live animals, etc.)

Trucks usually have diesel-powered engines because of the greater demands placed on the engine, and these engine's greater efficiency and longevity. However, gasoline variants are common in smaller trucks, particularly in the United States. Automatic rather than manual gearboxes are becoming increasingly commonplace in trucks operating in the United States, whereas manual transmissions are more popular in other countries.

Trucks are normally built on a ladder frame, referred to as a chassis in Europe. Chassis are constructed of steel symmetrical C-shape beams or tubes linked by cross members to which the running gear, engine, gear box, axles, wheels, steering, body work, and internal fixtures are mounted.

In the United States, trucks are classified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT), into eight classifications: Groups 1 through 3 are light trucks, Groups 4 through 6 are medium-duty trucks, and Groups 7 and 8 are heavy trucks.

Light trucks, which are the most popular, are frequently used for either private travel or recreational uses. Medium trucks are generally used for short-haul trips, and larger trucks, with their greater payload, can transport bulky or heavy loads on long-haul journeys.

Each classification sets specific standards for vehicles, such as requiring only a standard driver's license to operate Class 1 through 6 vehicles, while Class 7 (with weights from 26,001 to 33,000 pounds) and Class 8 trucks (33,001 pounds and above) require special skills and a commercial driver's license.

The classification of the truck determines the cost of vehicle registration fees and taxes, and higher categories also require specific inspection and safety standards to be met. The largest trucks generally require more qualified drivers; for this and taxation purposes, trucks are segregated into various classifications based on gross vehicle weight, or the maximum operational weight of the vehicle fully laden with fuel and driver.

In Europe, like the United States, the larger-sized vehicles require greater legislation and attract greater taxation. The size of commercial vehicle an individual can drive is dependent not only upon what driving qualifications the individual has but also on when they took the driving qualifications. This means that individuals having taken the standard car test before 1997 are capable of driving a single unit truck up to 16,500 pounds or a combination truck and trailer up to 18,100 pounds.

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