"Rooster cruiser" & "chicken lights"

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Badmon, Jan 24, 2020.

  1. Badmon

    Badmon Heavy Load Member

    806
    1,502
    Oct 6, 2014
    Deep south
    0
    We all know what these mean. My question is why are they called this ? Been wondering for a good while now
     
    D.Tibbitt Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

    15,442
    24,743
    Mar 31, 2013
    sarasota, fl
    0
    Never seen a truck loaded down with live chickens or turkeys?
     
    D.Tibbitt Thanks this.
  4. Badmon

    Badmon Heavy Load Member

    806
    1,502
    Oct 6, 2014
    Deep south
    0
    Of course, I grew up not too far from "the poultry capital of the world", but one thing I haven't seen is one of those stinking ### chicken haulers lit up like a christmas tree. 2 and 2 is not making 4 here
     
    Big_D409, OldeSkool and D.Tibbitt Thank this.
  5. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

    15,442
    24,743
    Mar 31, 2013
    sarasota, fl
    0
    Ahh. That's cause today's chicken hauler ain't what they used to be. If you are relatively young and didn't grow up in the industry I guess you never saw what kind of trucks those guys used to run.

    Anyway the short version is chicken haulers are what started the trend. They had a rep for fast stretched out trucks (rooster cruisers) lit up with a hundred lights with big radios. Unlike today where they run beat up pos trucks just slightly better than a container truck out of Savannah or miami. Just another example of a segment of trucking that really took a nose dive.

    I'm just thankful the poultry guys started the trend and not the pork guys or id be driving a pig cruiser decked out in sow lights.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2020
  6. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

    17,737
    124,494
    Apr 10, 2009
    Copied in Hell
    0
    Years ago, there was a battle for highway supremacy. The rooster cruiser vs the bull hauler vs the stagecoach. A rooster cruiser looked like the bullhauler except it pulled the stainless steel reefer with matching lights.
     
  7. Coffey

    Coffey Heavy Load Member

    705
    1,654
    May 14, 2019
    0
    Grandpa what happened next...(on a serious note it does sounds interesting)
     
  8. Snow Monster

    Snow Monster Medium Load Member

    543
    1,296
    Feb 9, 2019
    0
    Song about a chicken hauler.
     
  9. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

    17,737
    124,494
    Apr 10, 2009
    Copied in Hell
    0
    Well, I had a rooster cruiser with all the lights. The long wheelbase thing was a west coast deal. You didn’t see this in the East back then. The million chicken lights was more east coast and the long frame and neon paint scheme was more western.

    The chicken lights actually served a purpose. People would see you a long ways off. Huge glow that would light up the road way and shoulder without blinding anyone.
     
  10. Badmon

    Badmon Heavy Load Member

    806
    1,502
    Oct 6, 2014
    Deep south
    0
  11. mustang190

    mustang190 Road Train Member

    2,717
    5,801
    Jan 18, 2011
    Florida Panhandle
    0
    Drove for years out of the usual chicken plants in the southeast to California, and Chicago etc. you had to have a fast truck since there as a 72 hour kill sticker on the loads to the wholesalers.
    379 Pete with a 3406 Cat turned to 525 HP and a 48’ Utility with a shiny hiny.
    And a member in good standing with the American Chicken Haulers Association!!
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.