1. 18-Wheeler Facts

2. The Name
• 18-Wheelers are known by many
different names. Such as:
-Rig -Tractor Trailer
-Semitrailer - Trailer Truck
-Big Rig - Semi

3. The Dimensions
• Semi-trucks are between 45-53 feet long
• Inside of the trailer, the width ranges from 93-
99 feet
• The capacity of the trailer is anywhere from
3083-4050 cubic feet
• Semi-trucks are 13 feet, 6 inches tall
• Loaded, semi-trucks can weigh up to 80,000
pounds
www.yrc.com

4. The History
• 1898: Alexander Winton invented the semi-truck
to deliver cars to customers
• 1899: Winton starts to sell semi-trucks
• 1916: Mack introduces their first rear-axle truck
• 1920: Begins the first “trucking boom”
• 1939: Peterbilt starts selling semi-trucks
• 1953: Freightliner introduces the first over-head
sleeper
• 1986: The Peterbilt 379 is introduced, its best
selling truck

5. The Engine
• Semi engines are 6 times larger than a car
engine
• Semi engines have up to 600 horsepower
• They are designed to go 1 Million Miles
• Semi engines can hold more than 15 gallons of
oil
• Semi engines often have more than 12 gears
(10 forward, and 2 reverse)

6. Stopping a Semi
• At 80,000 pounds, a semi requires a longer
distance to come to a complete stop than a
car.
• At 40MPH, it takes 169 feet for a semi to come
to a complete stop
• At 55MPH, it takes 335 feet
• At 65MPH, it takes 525 feet
utahmc.com

7. Visibility
• A car must be at least
10 car lengths ahead, or
20-25 car lengths
behind a truck to be
visible to the truck
driver
• When alongside a
truck, if you can’t see
the driver’s face in the
mirror, the driver can’t
see the car

8. Thanks for Following!
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