Gizmo's blog: "Searching"

Aardvark - also anteater. A big rig with a long, droopy nose, suggesting that it is attacking an ant colony. First use was when Kenworth introduced its T600 in the mid-'80s. Affirmative - yes, or 10-4. Alligator - a piece of tire on the road. It looks like an alligator sunning itself on the highway. a tread or recap from a blown tire. Creates a road hazard. Rel. Baby alligators or bait: bits and pieces of a blown tire. Alamo - San Antonio, TX. Astrodome or Dome - Houston, TX. Back or come back - "I'm finished transmitting, talk back to me." Back door - behind you or to the rear. "You got a bear on the back door, about a mile back." Also the rear truck of a caravan. Back it down - used to tell another driver to get his foot off the accelerator and reduce speed. "You got a construction zone up here, back it down." Also "back it off." Back row - the area at some truck stops where hookers hang out. Badger - Wisconsin. Bakkards - Backwards Bama - Alabama Bambi - a deer, whether dead or alive. Rel. swamp donkey: a moose. Band-Aid-Box - a Ambulance Barefoot - when you cross a mountain pass without traction devices, your truck is barefoot. Barefoot (CB) - Just the radio without extra power booster & Special antennas. Base station or base - a fixed location CB transceiver (not mobile). Bean town - Boston. Bear - generic term for a law enforcement officer. - full grown bear: state trooper. - county Mounties: sheriff's deputy. - city kitty: city police, or, as many truckers often say: "PO-LEESE." Also local yokel. - Evel Knievel: motorcycle cop. - diesel cop/DOT/The MAN: State or Federal Department of Transportation enforcement officer. - mama bear: female law enforcement officer. Bear bait - usually a four-wheeler, driving over the speed limit without a radio. Bear bite - a speeding ticket. The consequences of being bear bait. "That crackerhead got himself a bear bite, he did!" Bear cave - police station or highway patrol headquarters. Bear in the air - highway patrol using an airplane or helicopter to check ground vehicles' speed. Also called "spy in the sky." Bear in the bushes - Smokey is hiding, usually with a radar gun. Bedbuggers - moving companies.- a household-goods mover. Beer City - Milwaukee. Bend-r-fender - Fender Bender Better half - a driver's spouse. Wife is often referred to as "momma." Husband, "daddy." Big A - this is what drivers call Atlanta. Big Apple - New York City, of course. Big D - Dallas Big ears - a very good receiver. Big R - a Roadway truck. Big road - a major roadway, usually an interstate highway. Big truck - a tractor-trailer rig, with lots of lights, accessories and horsepower. Generally, the tractor is a conventional type, i.e. a long nose, a hood, though there are some big, beautiful cabovers out there. Big/tall rubber - 24-inch tires. Rel. small rubber: 22-inch tires. Bingo cards n - paper cards that hold trucking permits from various states. Bikini - means Florida. "How about it, SlipShod? I'm heading to Bikini. Where you going?" Bird dog - a radar detector. Black Eye - a Truck headlight out Blizzard - a Lot lizard with attitude Bluebird - a Marten Transport driver. Marten trucks are decorated with martin swallows (birds). Blue Light Special - a cop with the lights flashing Bobtail - a tractor only;- running without a trailer. Boogie - top gear. "I've got 'er up into boogie now." Boogity Boogity Boogity - got to hurry on down the road. Boulevard - an interstate highway, also "big road." Boss man - a supervisor. Also, the owner of a trucking company where the driver works. Box - a linear amplifier, also called a footwarmer. This device boosts a CB transmitter's power well beyond the maximum allowed by the Federal Communications Commission. "I got a new box. They're probably readin' me in Bangkok, whachyathank?" Break - proper way to gain access to a busy CB channel, i.e., "break 19 for a radio check." Breaker Breaker 19 - proper way to gain access to a busy CB channel. (Considered a Moron now) Brake Check - a sudden slowdown in traffic, where you have to hit the brakes Breaking up - a radio transmission is being interfered with, or maybe the distance is too great for good reception. "I can't read you, Rubber Duck, you're breaking up." Brown Eye - Ohio Brush your teeth and comb your hair - this tells another driver that he is approaching an official vehicle (a local yokel or highway patrol - usually a radar-equipped unit) and to be on his best driving behavior, especially conforming to the speed limit. Bubba - Texas origin. Roughly translated: "good neighbor." Bubble Gum Machine - a Cop with multicolored lights on the car Buckeye - Ohio Buick - Flint, MI Bull City - Durham, N.C. Bulldog - a Mack tractor. A Bull frog - an ABF truck. Bull hauler - a slatted trailer hauling livestock, probably cows or bulls. Bumper Sticker - an automobile following you too closely. Syn. - hitchhiker. Bundled Out - loaded very full. Buster brown - a United Parcel Service truck, or UPS driver. Cabbage - a long steep incline in eastern Oregon. "I smoked the brakes comin' off of Cabbage." Care Bear - law enforcement in a construction zone Cash Register - a toll booth. "You're coming up on a cash register at yardstick 154." Channel 9 - CB emergency channel. Channel 19 - most commonly used trucker channel. Charlie Town - Charleston, S.C. Chicken Lights - extra lights on the truck and trailer. Chicken coop - weigh station. "Them northbound coops open?" Chicken truck or chicken hauler - big, fast large car with lots of chrome and lights. Also called a rooster cruiser. Look for a chrome rooster on the mud flaps on some of these behemoths. Yes, they do haul chickens (and produce and other stuff). "Cluck, cluck, chicken truck!" is the way other drivers greet them. Or you hear us say "Whoop Whoop", or Cow Trucks "Whoop n Ride". Choke-and-puke - a truckstop restaurant not known for its culinary delights. Cluster F#@! 500 - Atlanta, GA Interstates 285, 75, 85, 20 Circle City - Indianapolis, so named for Indy 500 racetrack. Citizen - someone who is not a trucker. "A citizen back there helped me change the tire." Cigar City - Tampa, Fla. City kitty n -a female city police officer C.O.E. - cab over engine. Come back - this is a call to anyone listening. "Thanks, Too Tall, for the come back. How do I get to the truck stop from here. I'm at ..." Also "come on back ..." Come on - back to you only/go ahead and transmit. Commercial Girl - a truck-stop hooker. "Wow, get a load of the lot lizards in the back row! Of course, they'll all scramble for cover when the sun comes up." Communist State - Ohio Communist State West Side - California Comedian - the median strip. Comic book - a Department of Transportation logbook, required by law. Conventional - refers to a conventional tractor, one with a hood, as opposed to a cabover engine type. Convoy - a group of trucks traveling together. Copy - I'm in receipt of your radio transmission. "I got a copy on that, driver." Cornflakes - a Consolidated Freightways truck. Cottonpicker - sometimes used as a male-bonding term, but more often as a mild insult. The equivalent of jerk. "That cottonpicker turned right in front of me!" Coop / Chicken coop - a weigh station. Corn Flake -a Consolidated Freightways truck. County Mounties - a sheriff. Covered wagon - a gravel trailer topped with a tarp. Cracker head - you can recognize a crackerhead by his/her dumb mistake or stupid remark. You'll find them everywhere; just grin and bear it. Crack-whore - A lot lizard on drugs Crotch Rocket - a motorcycle. Syn. - murdercycle. Crispy Corpse - Awful! But it's what drivers call Corpus Christi, Texas. Day Care (Bear in) - Plain clothes officer Dead head - to pull an empty trailer, which rarely pays. Drivers say, "I've got a load of dispatcher's brains!" or "got me a load of flying canaries!" (they weigh nothing.) A load of "postholes" also describes an empty trailer. Derby - Louisville, KY Destruction Zone - road construction. Dirty side - the east coast. The west coast is known as the shaky side. Dysfunction Junction - Dayton, Ohio Dysfunction Junction - Birmingham, Alabama I-65 & I-59/I-20 Donkey - behind you, your rear end. "Don't let a cop slip up on your donkey." Donkey-Ville - Wilksboro, NC Double nickel - Means 55 miles per hour. Doubles - double trailers. Also called wiggle wagons or widowmakers. Pups Do what? - I did not copy/understand your last transmission. Please repeat. Down stroke - a hill going down. Ant. - up stroke: a hill going up. Draggin' wagon - a wrecker or tow truck. Dragon fly - a truck with no power, i.e. drag up hill, fly down hill. Driver - a trucker, male or female. This is how you should refer to a trucker on the radio, if you don't know his or her CB handle. Drivers are rarely called "trucker." Driver Awards - Tickets Dry box a freight trailer. Syn. - van. Duke City - Albuquerque, N.M. Named after the Duke of Albuquerque. Ears - CB antenna or antennae. "I'll give that pretty young thing in the yellow Camaro a shout; she's got ears." 18-wheeler - a tractor-trailer rig with 18 wheels. 80th Street - refers to Interstate 80. 85th Street - refers to Interstate 85. Electric Indian - Blinking Traffic arrow to notify you of lane merging or closure Evil Kenivel - a motorcycle cop. Eyeball - to view. "I got an eyeball on that cop in the grass, mile sticker three-oh." 42 - I understand and agree with you. "Forty-two, driver, I heard that idea, I did!" 40-weight - truckstop coffee. Also called "mud," or "joe." Four-wheeler - a vehicle with four wheels, a car. This term is usually preceded by some form of expletive, as truckers are not always impressed by the way some four-wheelers are driven. Front door - in front of you, or to the front. "You got a bear about two miles on your front door." Also the lead truck in a caravan. Feed the bears - to pay a ticket or a fine. "I had to feed the bears and it cost me a bunch of green stamps (money)." Flatbed - a flatbed trailer. Also called a skateboard. Flip-flop - a U-turn. "Full grown bear did a flip-flop and is southbound, hammer down!" It can also mean the return trip. "Catch you on the flip-flop." FreightShaker - a Freightliner truck. Furniture Wreckers - moving companies. Gashole - Back of vehicle Garbage State - New Jersey. Garbage -produce, i.e. hauling garbage. Gateway - St. Louis. Gearjammer -a truck driver Gearslammer -a speeding truck driver, one known to accelerate/decelerate quickly. General Mess of Crap - GMC trucks by Volvo/White. Georgia Overdrive - neutral gear. Get a grip - means don't lose it, take control of a particular situation. Also "I got a grip on that, I do!" (I understand and agree.) Good buddy - a homosexual. Good buddy beep - a CB radio's signaling tone device. Go juice - diesel fuel; also motion lotion. Good neighbor - good friend; has replaced "good buddy." Good old days - when trucking was fun and profitable for the driver. Before deregulation in 1980. Go to the Harley to put your CB on channel 1. Rel. - go to double Harley: to turn the CB to channel 11. Got your ears on? - used when looking for someone on the CB. "Hey HT, you got your ears on?" Gouge on it go fast, step on it. Granny Lane - the right, slow lane on an interstate highway or freeway. Grass - the median strip of a highway. "You got a smokey bear in the grass at mile sticker two-one." Greasy - when the road is icy and slippery. Greasy Side Up - when a car or truck has flipped over. "There's a 4-wheeler with the greasy side up." Green stamps - money. Usually associated with "feeding the bears" (traffic tickets). Ground Pressure - weight. "The coop is just checking ground pressure; no sweat." Grossed-out - when the rig and the cargo reach the maximum allowable weight. Usually 80,000 pounds. Ground unit - a smokey bear in his car on the ground, receiving speed reports from a "spy in the sky" (a trooper in an airplane). Gumball Machine - lights on top of a police cruiser. "He's got his gumball machine going." Rel. - hit the Hammer lane - left lane of traffic. Hammer down - to move fast. "Hammer down, driver!"- go fast, step on it. Hamster - when a driver runs out of horsepower on a grade, another driver may suggest that he "throw on another hamster," the inference being that his truck is powered by a hamster in a rotating cage. Han - means driver or a helper on the truck. "preeshaydit there, han!" It is derived from the word "hand," as in farmhand, dairyhand, etc. Handle - a distinctive name drivers use on the CB radio. Happy happy - a happy New Year wish. "Have a Merry Merry & Happy Happy!" (Merry Christmas & happy New Year.) Hate and discontent - this is when some malcontent on the CB starts spreading trash about everything and everybody. A verbal brouhaha ensues. Holler - call me on the radio at a specified time or location. "Give me a holler when you get parked." Interchanged with shout. "I'll give you a shout when I go by the pickle park." Hollyweird - Hollywood, Calif. How about? - this is used to establish contact with another driver. "How about that Missouri Bandit, you got a copy?" Home 20 - a driver's permanent home. Haulin' dispatcher brains - pulling an empty trailer, deadheading. Syn. - haulin' sailboat fuel. Have Shutter Trouble - to fall asleep. "He ran off the road. Must of had shutter trouble." Ho Chi Minh Trail California Highway 152, which has heavy traffic and is a "minefield" of accidents. Hood - any conventional tractor, as opposed to a cab-over. Syn. - long-nose. hook n. - a tow truck. Hood Ornament - any car that passes a semi-truck at a high rate of speed only to slow way down in front of the truck. High Dollar Lane -the left lane of a highway or freeway that has more than two lanes in each direction. $100 lane - the left lane of a highway or freeway that has more than two lanes in each direction. Iron City - Detroit. In the big hole - in top gear. Jack-a-lantern - Schneider owner operator trucks "Cut out a little different" Jackpot : when police lights are flashing. "Looks like someone hit the jackpot." Jewelry - tire chains or cables. J-Town - Jacksonville, Fla. K-Town -Knoxville, KY K-Whopper .a Kenworth truck. Kenworthless - a Kenworth truck. KC Kansas City, Mo. Could refer to Kansas City, Kan., which is across the Missouri River. KW - a Kenworth tractor; a K-Wopper. Kiddie car - a school bus. Kojak with a Kodak - a police officer with a radar gun. "There's a Kojak with a Kodak behind the overpass." large car - a big, fancy truck.- a prettied-up conventional tractor and trailer, with lots of horsepower, big sleeper, many accessories and customized paint. It is said that on a long hill, a big truck changes gears, while a large car changes lanes! Whoop Whoop!!! Left Coast - the West Coast. Lips are breaking up - Sound of radio isn't coming in clear. Little Havana - Miami; also Little Cuba. Local information - a radio call for information pertaining to the local area. Log book - a small book showing a driver's route, hours of service, sleeper time, stops, etc. Lollipop - a CB microphone. Drivers are heard to say, "Don't lick the damned lollipop!" meaning take the mic (or mike) out of your mouth and I can understand you better. Lot Lizard - a truck-stop hooker. "Wow, get a load of the lot lizards in the back row! Of course, they'll all scramble for cover when the sun comes up." Lost Wages - Las Vegas. Lumper - also known as swamper. An individual hired to load or unload a trailer. meat wagon - ambulance. Mercy - supplants "on-air" profanity. "Mercy, I thought that driver was going to run over me." Merry merry - The way a driver wishes another driver a merry Christmas. "Have a Merry Merry & Happy Happy!" (Merry Christmas & happy New Year.) Mighty Slow - M.S. Carriers driver. Mile High - Denver, elevation 5,280 feet. Mission - a rush load. "I'm on a mission today." Monkey pickles - bananas. So named because bananas are dark green during shipment. "I got me a load of monkey pickles out of Gulfport." Monkey - Montgomery, Ala. Mon-tan-n-n-na - Montana drivers must have thick skin when other drivers give them the "sheep bleat." Motion lotion - fuel. - diesel fuel. Also "go juice." Motor City - Detroit Movie star - M.S. Carriers Bought by SWIFT transportation. Movin' on - means you're getting down to some serious trucking. Mud duck - a really weak, poor radio signal. Music City - Nashville, Tenn. Also called "guitar." Negative - means "no." Negatory is also used. Neighbor - Other truckers Or close friends. No doubt - the truth of your last statement is undeniable. Oak City - Oklahoma City. Okie City - Oklahoma City. On the side - on standby. "I'll be on the side, driver, in case you need me." Parking Lot - a truck carrying automobiles. Also, a traffic back-up or traffic Jam. Peanut butter in the ears - the driver you are calling is not responding. Maybe his radio is turned off. He is obviously not hearing your transmission. "Tiny must have peanut butter in his ears." Pete - a Peterbilt tractor. Sometimes called a Peter Car. Pickemup truck - a pickup truck Pickle Park - a rest area or roadside park, often a hangout for hookers. Plain White Wrapper - an unmarked police car. Portable Barnyard - a truck hauling livestock. Port City - Wilmington, N. C. Power Up - go fast, step on it. Preeshaydit - thank you very much. Pumpkin - Schneider company trucks. So named because of their bright orange color. Pumpkin Patch - Schneider company terminal Pumpkin, Full Grown - Schneider company trucks. Cab-over engine truck Queen, the - Cincinnati, OH. The same name is used for Charlotte, N.C. Radio - a citizens band radio. Also called ra-did-io. Radio check - a call to check a radio's operation. Radio Rambo -Rude insults and behavior, inanition a fight, but chickens out. Rake the leaves - this is the function of the last truck in a convoy - to lookout for police coming up from behind. Also called back door. Ratchet jaw - a person who talks too much on the radio. "I wish that ratchet jaw would shut up and let someone else talk!" Rascal - a term identifying a person who is known by a driver. "That rascal owes me money!" Readin' the mail - just listening to the CB, not actively talking. Real Estate Investor - a Parking spot for a Semi-Truck Reefer a refrigerated cargo trailer. Drivers will also talk of their unit. This is the refrigeration unit which keeps the interior of the trailer cold. The unit is located on the front of the trailer or beneath. "The sign at the front desk at Motel 6 says, 'No running reefers after p.m.'" Remora Cars that like to ride beside Semi-trucks & not pass lead or follow, like the remoras that stick to the sides of sharks Roach Coach - Canteen Vans that serve food at Shippers & Receivers Road Pizza - a badly mangled road kill. Rockin' chair - truck between the front and rear vehicle of a convoy. This is a desirable place to be since the rockin' chair truck is somewhat protected from speed cops on both ends. Rock-N-Roll - drugs Roger - means "yes" or "OK" or "message received." Interchangeable with "10-4" or "four." Roger beep - a CB radio's signaling tone device. Also called a Good Buddy Beep. Roller skate - any small car. Originally referred to a Volkswagen. Running out of Real Estate - a lane closure, or merging Salt shaker - a snow plow. Sandbox a gravel trailer. Syn. - coal bucket. Sandbox, The Sandusky, Ohio Schneider eggs - those little orange cones in construction areas. The orange Schneider National trucks are everywhere, laying their eggs across the land. Scoot - a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Sesame Street - CB channel 19. Named so because of child-like behavior that 70th Street - refers to Interstate 70. 75th Street - refers to Interstate 75. 76th Street - refers to Interstate 76. 77th Street - refers to Interstate 77. Shake the trees - activity of the first truck in a convoy, with an eyeball (and radar detector) on cops out ahead. Shaky - name truckers have given Los Angeles, because of frequent earthquakes. Also "shaky side" refers to the west coast, while the east coast is called the "dirty side." She bear -a female cop. Shiny side up - this is how drivers wish each other a safe trip. "Keep the greasy side down and the shiny side up, driver." Short short - a short amount of time. "I'll be back on the big road in a short short." Shut down - a truck which has been put out of service by the DOT. 675th Street - refers to Interstate 675. Skateboard - a flatbed trailer. Skip - a radio wave being reflected from the ionosphere, enabling long-distance reception. Smoke City - Birmingham, Ala. Smokey - a law enforcement officer. Most often a highway patrolman, a bear, a smokey bear. So named due to similarity of flat brim hats worn by officers and Smokey Bear of fire-prevention fame. Spaghetti Junction - Atlanta GA north east side I-285 & I-85 North/South Doraville/Norcross Area Shakey Side - the West Coast of the US. Shoot you in the back -when a hidden highway cop uses a radar gun after you pass. "You got a bear settin' under the bridge who's gonna shoot you in the back when you go by." Skate Board - a flatbed trailer. Skins - tires. Syn. - rubbers. Slow Wheels In Fast Traffic -another name for SWIFT company's trucks. Stage stop - a truckstop. Stand on it - accelerate quickly. Sticker Patch - Phoenix. Smokin' Scooter - a motorcycle cop. Syn. - Evel Knievel. Stagecoach - a tour bus. Sunflower - Kansas. Sure Wish I'd'a Faster Truck - the SWIFT company's trucks. Swift - Slow While In Fast Traffic Swift - Sure Wish I'd Finished Training Swift (backwards) - Two F* In White Semi (*Any word that starts with an "F") Swinging - carrying a load of carcass beef. Taking Pictures when a cop is using radar equipment. "There's a smokin' scooter taking pictures at yardstick 25." 10-4 - an acknowledgement which means "yes" or "OK" or "I received your transmission." 10-20 - your location. "What is your 10-20?" 10-33 - emergency traffic. 10-36 - a call for the correct time. Thermos bottle - a tanker truck carrying chemicals under pressure. Throwin' iron - installing tire chains Tijuana Taxi - a police car embellished with a dozen or more emergency lights - front and rear - large bubble gum strobes on top, and bristling with antennae. Tire Chalkin - using the side of the truck Between Truck & Trailer for a restroom Tire, Watering the - using the side of the truck Between Truck & Trailer for a restroom Too many eggs in the basket - overweight. Toothpicks - lumber. "I got a load of toothpicks." Travel Agent - dispatcher. Triangle, the - Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill area of North Carolina. Triple Digit Ride - a truck that can exceed 100 miles per hour. Turkey day - Thanksgiving day. Turn Signal Fluid - When someone forgets to turn off the turn signals Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. Two-wheeler - a motorcycle. Sometimes referred to as an Evel Knievel. 275th Street - refers to Interstate 275. 285th Street - refers to Interstate 285. 290th Street - refers to Interstate 290. 295th Street - refers to Interstate 295. Taxi - Tow truck that tows a semi-truck Van Gogh - the vehicle has no ears (antennae), thus no CB. "I'd give that young lady in the convertible a shout, but she's a Van Gogh." VW - a Volvo/White tractor Truck. Walked on ya - someone keyed up with you and your transmission was unintelligible. Wall-to-wall - a loud and clear radio transmission. "You're coming in wall-to-wall." This phrase also describes a great number of police in a particular area. "Mercy, the cops up here are wall-to-wall!" Wally World a Wal-Mart truck, store or dist. center. Watermelon 500 -Atlanta GA interstate 285 Werner Acronym "We Employ Rookies No Experience Required" Whachyathank? -No response is necessary. The driver who uses this doesn't really care what you think, but is just voicing his thoughts and is seeking reinforcement. "I'm going to head on down to the warehouse tonight, whachyathank?" White stuff - snow. Whoop! whoop! - though we're hearing this on the radio a lot lately, the meaning is unknown. Just a way for a driver to let off steam, we think. We've also heard this: www.whoopwhoop.com. Wiggle wagon - a tractor pulling triple trailers. Double trailers are also referred to this way. Windy City or Windy - Chicago. West Coast turnarounds - benzedrine pills, speed. So called because a driver could theoretically take home and drive from the East Coast to the West Coast, turn around, and drive back east without stopping to sleep. Wiggle Wagons - double or triple trailers. Syn. - pups, rolling trouble, snakes, wasp-waists. Yardstick - a mile marker alongside a highway. Yard - name for the parking area at a driver's company. "I'm sitting in the yard, waiting to load up."