Trucker's nick name for various thing on the road

west virginia chrome= duct tape

 

Shudders open- Often misused (as is on this site). Shudders open reffers to a valve on the motor, Not your eyes. The older mechanical style motors had what was called a shudder stat valve, which operates like a thermostat on a car. When the motor reaches a certain temp. the shudder stat valve opens and cools the motor, then closes. So, when someone says their running with shudders open, means their runnin hard.

 

Sucide jockey= Cab over driver
Using brail = Raised reflector lane dividers (zippers)used on freeways.
I guess hazmat driver and rumble strips could be substituted as someone else posted here earlier. This is just how I heard and used the terms.

 

Shakin The bushes= speeding

Bear Tracks= The tire tracks in the Grass Median when the cops are working a area.

 

widow maker= cabover tractor

 

Busterbrown= UPS driver
Andy= ATS driver
Over the tank Frank= a derogatory term for another driver accussing him of being gay
Wallyworld= either a wal-mart store or a wal mart driver

 

Wiggle wagons - Truck pulling more than one trailer
Blubird - Marten Transport
Watermelon - Arrow Trucking
Watermelon 500 - Interstate 285 in GA.

 

Goin out yonder - Driving out to the west coast
"Shaky" - Los Angelas CA.

 

Some various terms at Con-way Freight and maybe other LTL's.

Kite = back box on a set
Slab = the dock
CDL = forklift license
Enhancement = drivers are loosing something
Yard goat = switcher unit or jockey
FAC (Con-way only term) = hub or night operation freight assembly center
Dinosaur = our trucks that still say CCX or CSE and have an air starter
P&D = pick up and deliver freight on a route during the day
Line-haul = terminal to terminal runs
Mandatory Monday video = see enhancement
Pre-trip = tires look round and I have some lights - lets roll
White shirt = dock bosses at Conway (red shirt at FedEx I believe)
Seniority # = your # on the bid board - I'm low 70's out of 150 now - very good for 29 years old - pretty good for anyone really
Set = obviously a set of doubles or triples
New truck = an 04 with 900,000 miles on it
Sub-service = cheap truckload carrier teaming students to haul LTL's line-haul freight - also known as purchase transportation
Big dog/dawg = driver with a lot of seniority
EOL or end of line terminal = terminal that only handles freight they pick up and deliver
8300 = truck inspection book for slip-seat tractor
Log book = the truth - really, mine is annoyingly truthful
The pit = ground below the dock door right under the dock plate
Company president with a serious look on his face in a video = see mandatory Monday video

Hey, you gotta be able to laugh at yourself sometimes, right? In the end, I really like working at Con-way Freight and wouldn't trade it for another job on the road. I have the best co-workers a driver could ask for and make great money. Sometimes though all I can do is shake my head at what some of this stuff really means.