About

 Trucks are a phenomenon of the 21th century. They evolved from the horse-drawn wagons of the last years of the 19th century and have subsequently developed into the highly complex machines that, apart from having wheels and carrying loads, bear little resemblance to their predecessors.

The earliest trucks were little more than horse-drawn machines equipped with engines powered by steam, petrol or diesel; but the modern truck is indispensable to life on planet earth as we know it today.

Trucks are used to move goods on every continent, in every country and by every type of organization. They are fundamental to the economy of nations as well as to their security, trucks being a vital component of every army’s equipment. Trucks have also influenced the development of countries by reason of their important role in commerce and construction.

As trucks have advanced and evolved designers have geared them to more specialized roles: trucks to cross rough terrain, trucks to haul enormous loads on surfaced roads, others designed for military applications, for construction and forestry and yet others for firefighting and more. It is no exaggeration to say that the list is endless.

The type of terrain on which trucks are put to work affects their design; the huge open spaces and interstates of North America have prompted the development of the ‘eighteen-wheeler’, Australia has room for Toad trains’ while the ‘cabover’ design of tractor unit can be seen as more appropriate to crowded European roads.

The pictures take an encyclopedic look at many of the great truck marques from around the world.