Here is a lot of trucker lingo and slang to help everyone better understand exactly what the heck any truck driver may of really said.  At times things may sound a little confusing, or even hilarious.  With examples provided to help you learn how to place your trucker slang within a proper sentence.

Learn How To Talk Like A Real Truck Driver

If you were listening to a CB Radio conversation and you heard:

“Breaker Breaker One Nine, this is the Chicken Clucker holler’n at ya westbound, what’s it look like in ya back pocket? Com-back.”

And then you hear:

“Mr. Chicken Clucker, eastbound hammer down, haven’t seen a bear since the 250-yard stick, got a Schneider Egg Hunt at the 275 yardstick, keep an eye out.”

If you don’t know what was just said here, you definitely should check out the lingo below.  But first, let me translate this for everyone.

What this says, “If you can hear me on CB Radio Channel 19, please respond, my CB name is Chicken Clucker, westbound have you seen anything behind you, please respond.”  What was responded was, “Mr. Chicken Clucker, travel as fast as you would like to, have not seen any highway patrol in hundreds of miles, but there is a construction zone at the 275-mile stick, be careful and pay attention.”

Throughout this list dictionary of trucker lingo and Slang.  I will include brief examples of something you may hear a truck driver say on a CB Radio.  Without the explanation of what it really means.

While you read, see if you can figure these spontaneous, and easy examples out.  That are scattered throughout this page.

Below on the bottom, I will include some additional phrases, without the translations, test yourself and see if you can understand them.  I would be willing to bet within no time you will be more than able to carry a conversation with any trucker over the CB Radio.

Let’s start this alphabetically to make it easier to reference.  This will go from A through Z.  The Trucker Lingo will be written first, then followed by (brackets) for any additional lingo or slang for the same meaning, followed by the meaning of what it means.

A

• Accessorial Fees     These are extra fees that are added to a bill of lading charges by the trucker or trucking company.
• Aircraft Carrier          A semi truck that is hauling a part of or most of a plane, helicopter, etc.
• Affirmative          The same thing as the word “Yes”.
• Alligator (Gator)         Blown out the recap of the tire in the roadway.
• Ankle Biter         Small child.
• Anchor Clanker          A semi truck hauling boats.
• Ant Eater          A brand of trucks specific to a model type made by Kenworth, the T 600.
• Antler Alley          Deer crossing.

B

• Baby Bear         Rookie Cop.
• Baby Gators         Blow out pieces of a tire in the roadway.
• Back Door (Back Pocket)         Behind you.
• Back Door Closed          Rear of convoy reporting no police.
• Back It Down (Back off the hammer)          Slow down because there’s an issue up ahead.
• Back Out          Driver has finished talking statement on CB Radio.
• Backed Out Of It          When a truck driver that was attempting to pass someone on an incline and decides against it.
• Bad Word          Any type of weather a truck driver does not want to hear about.
• Bambi          A deer lurking in the area with a confirmed sighting whether its day or alive.
• Bear / Smokey         Police Officer.
• Barefoot         Using an unmodified or unboosted CB Radio.
• Base Station         A CB Radio inside a structure other than a vehicle.
• Bear Bait         A speeding vehicle that is most likely to draw the attention of police.
• Bear Cave/Den          A police station
• Bear In The Air    Aircraft that is being used by police.
• Bear Trap          Police are positioned stationary and using forms of radar to monitor traffic.
• Beaver (Seat Cover)          Woman
• Beaver Fever          A statement used in reference to missing the wife.
• Bean Popper          Pill Popper
• Bed Bugger          An area of the Trucking Industry that moves entire belongings of a household.
• Beehive           A type of load on a flatbed that contains piping.
• Belly Wrap          A way to secure piping by strapping around the load to keep it together.
• Berries and Cherries (Disco Lights, Advertising)          The flashing lights on emergency equipment.
• Better Half          Significant other
• B.F.E.          Butt Funked Egypt (pg version) Is a remarked made for a location in the middle of absolutely nowhere.
• Big R           A nickname for a trucking company named Roadway Express.
• Big Hole          Top gear of transmission on a semi truck.
• Big Slab (Big Road)          Interstate
• Big Truck (18 Wheeler, Wagon)         Another way of saying Commercial Motor Vehicle.
• Bird Dog          Radar Detector
• Blew My Doors Off          Passed your vehicle with more than just excessive speed.
• Blinker Fluid          A comment used to notify someone that their turn signals are still on or are not working.
• Bobtail           A Semi truck, without a trailer.
• Bounce Back          The return trip from going somewhere.
• Brake Check          Traffic ahead is slowing quickly or coming to a stop.
• Break(er) One Nine          A polite way while talking on the CB Radio channel 19 to ask everyone talking to be quite so you can ask something.
• Breaking Up          A CB Radio has a weak signal to the point it is not transmitting clearly.
• Bubba          Informal way of saying, friend.
• Bugs Are Making Reservations          Windshield is so dirty you can’t really see out of it.
• Bulldog          Brand of a semi truck called Mack Truck.
• Buffalo          The male prostitute.
• Bumper Sticker          Vehicle close enough to be an actual bumper sticker on a bumper.
• Buster Brown          A nickname for a trucking company called UPS.

C

• Care Bear          Police that is located within construction zones.
• Cash Box          An armored vehicle.
• Cash Register          Tollbooth.
• Catch You On The Flip Flop (or on Flip Side)          See after the return flip.
• Cat Walk          The area between the back of the semi truck bunk, and the front of the trailer.
• Cattle Wagon (Bull Hauler)         Any trailer with the only purpose is to haul livestock.
• CB Rambo          A truck driver that is trash talking on the CB Radio and refuses to fight in person.
• Choke And Puke          Another name given to Truck Stops.
• Chicken Choker         A semi truck hauling chicken, or other poultry types.
• Chicken Coup          Weigh station.
• Chicken Hauler          A big fancy semi truck with a lot more lights than your normal semi truck.
• Chicken Lights          Extra lights on a semi truck or trailer.
• Christmas Tree          Similar to a chicken hauler, except can light up an entire town with the number of lights on the semi truck.
• City Kitty (Town Clown)          City Police Officer.
• Clean Shot          Road is clear and no police up ahead of you.
• Cluck Cluck Chicken Truck           A greeting between those that haul chickens.
• Coal Bucket          A Dump Truck.
• Come Back          A polite way of asking you to repeat what you just said on the CB Radio.
• Comedian          Center median strip between each direction of the roadway.
• Commercial Company          A culvert way of calling one’s self a prostitute.
• Comic Book (Coloring Book, Cheat Sheet)          Referencing a Truck Driver’s log book.
• Coming In Loud And Proud           Strong, clean and crisp signal on CB Radio.
• Convoy          A group of semi trucks traveling together.
• Copy          A term used on the CB Radio to acknowledge or confirm that you heard what was just stated.
• Cornflake          A nickname for a trucking company called Consolidated Freightways.
• Cotton Pick’n          Substitution for vulgar language.
• County Mountie          Sheriff.
• Covered Wagon           A flatbed trailer that has sides and a top tarp cover.
• Crackerhead          A derogatory term, used as an insult.
• Crotch Rocket          A supersport bike.

D

• Day Cab          A semi truck that is for local driving.
• Deadhead          To drive to a location while not being paid for it. (Usually to pick up a load or go home.)
• Diesel Bear          Department of Transportation Officer (DOT Cop).
• Dog Trail          A back road that is dirt and unpaved.
• DOT          Department Of Transportation.
• Double Nickle          55 mph
• Doubles          A term used to translate a semi truck that is pulling only 2 trailers at one time.
• Dragon Wagon          The nickname for a tow truck.
• Driver          What truck drivers call other truck drivers when they do not know their name.
• Driving Award          A citation that was given by an officer.
• Drop Top          Convertible automobile.
• Dry Box          A Dry Van trailer that does not have a Refrigerator (refer unit) attached to the nose of it.

E

• Em          Alternative way of saying: them
• En-route          Used to communicate the exact location of where proceeding to.
• ER           A CB Repair Shop
• Evil Kenevil (Circus Bear)          A cop on a motorcycle.
• Eye Ball          A term is given to headlights.

 

“Hey there westbound, you got yaself a Baby Bear, a Care Bear, and a City Kitty advertising them disco lights with a Big Truck about 10 miles ahead of ya.”

 

F

• Flying Hook          A brand of a truck stop called Flying J.
• FM          An AM / FM radio.
• Foe          Slang for the word Four.
• Four Ten          Just a backward way of saying 10/4.
• Four Wheeler          Any vehicle that only has 4 wheels, car, pickup truck, van, etc.
• Freight Shaker          Brand of a semi truck called Freightliner.
• Front Door          Anything in front of you.
• Front Porch          The cab area of the semi truck while parked, sometimes used for relaxing before going to sleep.
• Full Grown Bear          Highway Patrol.

G

• Gear Jammer          A truck driver who constantly speeds up and slows down, then repeats this process over and over.
• Georgia Overdrive          To put your transmission into neutral while going down a hill to increase your speed.
• Good Buddy (Beaver with a Kickstand)          In past this used to mean friend.  Today its terminology means someone of the homosexual nature.
• Good Neighbor           Used to give appreciation to another driver.
• Got My Night Gown On          A statement expressing one is ready for bed.
• Got Your Ears On         A question asking if anyone has they’re CB Radio turned on.
• Go To Company           To tell another person you’re talking to on the CB Radio to going to your companies CB Radio Channel.
• Granny Lane          Slow lane that is usually on the right side of the roadway while you are traveling here in the USA.
• Grass Burners          A Semi Truck with horizontal exhaust pipes that are low to the ground.
• Greasy          An expression used to express that the roadways are slippery.
• Greasy Side Up           A vehicle with its wheels facing the sky and the roof facing the ground or roadway.
• Grind Them If You Can’t Grab Them          A statement made when someone doesn’t know how to shift a manual.
• Grocery Truck          A Semi Truck hauling perishable goods that are on a refrigerated trailer.
• Grossed Out          To state that you are at max capacity of gross vehicle weight by rules and regulation standards.
• Ground Pressure          Weight of a semi truck and trailer.

H

• Hammer Lane          Fast lane that is usually on the left side of the roadway while you are traveling here in the USA.
• Hammer Down (Mash On It)          Moving or to move at a pace of speed that is faster than most.
• Hand          Another name for a truck driver on the CB Radio.
• Handle          A CB Radio nickname.
• Happy Happy          A term used to say Happy New Year in the USA.
• High-Speed Chicken Feed          An illegal substance that is known to increase heart rate and awaken the user.
• Hippie Chippie          A female hitchhiker.
• Hole In The Wall          Tunnel
• Home Twenty          Where is your home.
• Hooters          A non-pg term for female breasts.
• Hundred Mile An Hour Coffee          Extremely strong coffee.

I

• Ice Road Trucker          A highly skilled and highly paid truck driver that is crazy enough to drive on frozen water.

 

“Southbound about 15 yard sticks in front of ya, there was a big truck that utilized that Georgia Overdrive feature.  I think they may be trying out to be a Ice Road Trucker.  Anyways, they on ya side of the Comedian.  Keep a eye out for em.”

 

J

• Jake          Engine brake for semi truck diesel engines.

K

• K Whopper          A brand of semi truck called Kenworth.
• Key Down          The action of pressing the button on your CB Radio Microphone while someone else is talking.
• Keep The Doors Closed          A statement that means don’t waste a lot of time.
• Keep The Shiny Side Up & The Rubber Side Down          A statement meaning to have a safe trip.
• Kiddy Wagon (Kiddie Car)          A School Bus

L

• Landline          A phone that is not a cell phone, rather a phone with a cord that attaches to a wall.
• Large Car          A very nicely customized semi truck.
• Laser Tag / Kojak with a Kodak         Another term for police using radar.
• Left Coast          Anything on the west coast. (understandable when you view a map of the USA.)
• Lot Lizard (Commercial Company)          A female prostitute
• Lumper         A hired laborer that is paid to load or unload your freight to or from your trailer.
• Linear Lungs (Bucket Mouth)          Someone who never stays quite long enough to let someone else talk.

M

• Meat Wagon (Band-Aid Buggy)          Ambulance
• Monkey Butt          A rash that forms on the butt from sitting with sweaty butt cheeks for too long.
• Motion Lotion (go go juice)          Diesel fuel

N

• Nap Trap          A motel or hotel.
• Negative (Negatory)          To answer in a manner of No.
• Nobody Home (All Locked Up)          A weigh station that has no DOT officers within it.

O

• Organ Donor          Motorcyclist without a Helmet.
• Out – of – Service          To be shut down by DOT for failure to comply with a rule(s) or regulation(s).

P

• Pancake          A name for a brake chamber, which is a component of the air braking system on semi trucks and trailers.
• Party Row         The parking row that is furthest away from the truck stop.
• Pepper Shaker          A snow plow that is putting sand on the roadway.
• Pete (Petercar)          A brand of semi truck called Peterbilt.
• Parking Lot          A semi truck that is hauling multiple automobiles. To learn how to become a Car Hauler / Automobile Transporter, check out this article I wrote, you can find it here!
• Pickle Park          Rest area.
• Piggy Back          Semi trucks that are stacked one on top of the other without trailers.
• Pigtail         The electrical connection the hooks into a trailer from the semi truck.
• Plenty Of Protection          A term used to express the vast amount of cops in a particular location.
• Polar Bear (Plain Wrapper)          A white unmarked police vehicle.
• Pumpkin          A nickname used for a Schneider National’s Company Truck due to its color.
• Pumpkin Patch          A nickname used for a terminal that is owned by a trucking company called Schneider National.
• Pumpkin Egg          A construction cone used in construction zones.

Q

• Quiz          A breathalyzer test.

 

“Eastbound, back there in front of ya about 8 miles ya got yaself an open chicken coop with Diesel Bears handing out quizzes and driving awards.”

 

R

• Radio Check          A question truck drivers ask on the CB Radio to ensure they’re own radio is working correctly.
• Right Coast          Anything on the east coast. (understandable when you view a map of the USA.)
• Recap          A tire that has its tread resurfaced and glued back onto a tire.
• Reefer          A type of trailer that is known as a Refrigerated Dry Van.
• Rock Gut (mud, jumpy juice)          Coffee
• Rocking Chair          A location within a convoy that is in the middle between the lead semi and the last semi.
• Roger          A expression on the CB Radio to confirm a statement.
• Roger Beep          A audible beep that sounds when the user has un-keyed their mic and has finished transmission.
• Rolling Ya Across (Checking Ground Pressure)          A weigh station that is open and extremely active.
• Roll’n Refinery          A Tanker Semi Truck hauling fuel.
• Rooster Cruiser          A large fancy semi truck with lots of chrome and lights.
• Rubbernecks          People operating vehicles on the opposite side of the road of an accident scene, slowing down their traffic lanes for no reason other than to look at the accident scene.

S

• Salt Shaker          A snow plow that is putting salt on the roadway.
• Sesame Street          CB Radio channel 19.
• Shiny Side Up           To keep your vehicle from being upside down, ie: roller over and not be on side or roof.
• Shooting You In the Back          Police that is using radar while hiding, and aiming for the rear of your vehicle.
• Shutdown          To be put out of service by police.
• Shut Up Stupid          A response to someone that is talking like an idiot on the CB Radio.
• Skating Rink           Slippery roads and or black ice.
• Skate Board          A type of trailer that is known as a Flatbed.
• Skirts Are Flapping          Tarps that become lose while traveling.
• Smokin’ The Brakes          The action of excessive use of the braking components causing the brakes to literally smoke.
• Squawk Box          Another name for a CB Radio.
• Stagecoach          A Tour Bus.
• Standby (Play dead)         A term used on a CB Radio to state, to hold on a for a moment.
• Stinger          Trailers that have a tongue on them that connect to a 5th wheel.  These trailers come in various sizes and configurations.
• Steering Wheel Holder          Another name for a truck driver that may be driving an automatic transmission semi truck.
• Sugar Bear (Mama Bear)         A police officer of the female gender.
• Suicide Jokey          A truck driver that is hauling a hazardous material load. (more commonly used with explosives.)
• Super Trucker (Billy Big Rigger)         A truck driver that brags about one’s self, but also drives in an unsafe manner.
• Swinging Beef (Swinging Meat)          Though not as common as once was, a method in which slaughtered cattle were hung after the processing inside of a refrigerated trailer.

T

• Taco Stand          Term used for a Border Patrol Station that resides between the U.S. and Mexico borders.
• Taking Your Picture          Police that is using radar and aiming for the front of your vehicle.
• Ten Four           Another way of confirming a conversation.
• The Big Word          Weigh Station Closed
• The Little Word          Weigh Station Open
• Tin In The Wind          A statement that means you are driving down the highway or roadway.
• Ten Four          Acknowledgment of the statement made by a truck driver on the CB Radio.
• Ten Thirty Six          What is the actual local time.
• Ten Thirty Three         Emergency, please help.
• Ten Twenty          Exact Location.
• Thicker than flies on dookie (pg version)          Response given to acknowledge the enormous amount of police in the area.
• Thirteen Letter Poo Spreader (pg version)          A brand of semi trucks called Navistar International.
• Three Sisters          Three large hills on I 80 between Bridger WY and Salt Lake City UT
• Through The Woods          A statement used for stating you are traveling off of the interstate.
• Throwing Iron         The action of putting snow chains on your tires.
• Toothpick          A flatbed trailer with a load of wood.
• Travel Agent          Trucking company dispatcher.
• Triple Digit           A semi truck that is capable of doing or exceeding 100 mph.
• Truck Stop Tommy          A pimp.
• Turkey Day          A holiday celebrated in the USA called Thanksgiving.

U

• U ain’t right!          A way of saying that you’re basically crazy.

V

• Valet Parking          When a Truck Drivers park on the fuel island, to not get fuel.

W

• Walked On          A statement used to tell someone they’re CB Radio Transmission was drowned out by someone else talking.
• Walking the Dog          A way to say your CB Radio is drowning out everyone else on a CB Radio when you talk.
• Walking the Dog and Kick’n the Cat          A stronger more desired version of “Walking the Dog.”
• Wall to Wall and Tree Top Tall          The response that is given when your CB Radio signal is superb.
• Wally World         A large department store chain known around the world as Wal-Mart.
• Warden          A term some use when referencing their Wife.
• Washing Ya Window’s          Rain Storm up ahead of you.
• Well Protected          Stating that there are more police on the highway in the area than could be in a police station.
• Wiggle Wagon         A semi truck that has more than one trailer.

X

• X Ray’d          When your semi truck trailer is scanned by a Non-Intrusive Inspection Unit (NII) which is referring to a non-destructive method of inspecting the cargo.  Used mostly with Intermodal Containers.

Y

• Yard          A trucking companies terminal.
• Yard Goat (Yard Dog)          A single rear axle truck used at distribution centers and terminals to move trailers around.
• Yard Stick          The mile marker that is normally found on either side of the highway.
• Yo – Yo          Someone who speeds up and slows down constantly with a repetitive basis.

Z

• Zipper          The dotted line down the middle of a roadway that separates the direction of which traffic can travel.

Trucker Slang Names For Locations And Places

Will write this similarly as the above lingo, with the state names abbreviated where possible.

• A-Town (Watermelon 500, Hotlanta)          Atlanta GA
• Air Capitol          Wichita KS
• B-Town (Smoke City)          Birmingham AL
• Bean Town          Boston MA
• Beer Town          Milwaukee WI
• Big A (Armadillo)          Amarillo TX
• Big Apple        New York City NY
• Big O          Omaha NE
• Bingo-town          Binghampton NY
• Bikini State           Florida
• Bright Lights          Kansas City KS
• Buckeye          A name given to the state of Ohio.
• Bull City          Durham NC
• CB Town          Council Bluffs IA
• Chi-Town (Windy City)          Chicago IL
• Choo-Choo          Chattanooga TN
• Cigar City          Tampa FL
• Derby City          Louisville KY
• Disney          Orlando FL
• Fighting Iris (The Irish)          South-bend IN
• Gateway          Saint Louis MO
• Gay Bay          San Francisco CA
• Indy 500 (Circle City)          Indianapolis IN
• K-Town          Knoxville TN
• Left Coast (The Shaky Side)          California
• Mardi Gras          New Orleans LA
• Mile High          Denver CO
• Motor City          Detroit MI
• Music City (Guitar)          Nashville TN
• Philly (The Friendly)          Philadelphia PA
• Queen City          Charlotte NC
• Sand Pile          Phoenix AZ
• Shaky-Town          Los Angeles CA
• Sin City          Los Vegas NV
• Steel City          Pittsburgh PA
• The Alamo          San Antonio TX
• The Big D          Dallas TX
• The Dirty          Cleveland OH
• The Dome (Astrodome)          Houston TX
• The Flag          Flagstaff AZ
• the Nickel          Buffalo NY
• The Rubber          Akron OH

Simple & Fun Trucker Lingo Quizzes

“Back her down southbound, at the 1 you got rubbernecks brake checking to watch a 10 / 70 on the north side of Derby City.”

“Hey parking lot, how you make any money if your empty, you like hauling air for free?  Parking lot do you have a copy?  Breaker One Nine, anyone have a copy on me?  Can I get a radio check?”  … “Your check has already been cashed so shut up stupid.”

“Bubba told me that beaver had a kickstand and before Bubba knew it, good ol’ truck stop Tommy was at his front porch just a holler’n about how Bubba called the bears over to the nap trap back there in K Town.”