America moves on its highways, and Big Rigs are what moves America. The semi-trucks also called 18-wheelers, Big Rigs, semi-tractor trailers, transport trucks, transfer trucks, flatbeds, low boys and by many other names, move about 71 percent of the nation’s freight by weight.

Big Rigs have been celebrated in song, on TV, and on film, and they will have three days in the sun at this weekend’s Carlisle Truck Nationals at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds (August 6-8), at a special event called: The Carlisle Truck Nationals Big Rig Show and Shine.

Big Rigs, are seen and heard 24 hours a day on the nation’s highways, and they became an American lynchpin industry not long after the concept was introduced with the invention of the semi-truck in 1898, by Cleveland horseless carriage maker Alexander Winton. Winton conceived the idea to help him move his horseless carriages to different car lot locations in Ohio. The concept was improved upon in 1914, by August Charles Fruehauf, who needed a large carrier to transport a friend’s boat. He invented the semi-trailer, which he then hitched to the back of a Ford.

A semi-truck refers to a truck or tractor that has an engine, meaning it can run on its own. However, the trailer or tractor-trailer portion cannot run on its own, as you can only use a tractor-trailer when it’s connected to the truck because it doesn’t have front wheels or power. When you join a trailer to your truck via a hitch or fifth-wheel coupling, the engine-powered air pump releases the brakes. From there, the semi can pull the trailer. If you’re driving a tractor without a trailer, you’re bobtailing

Arguably the first industry to embrace the semi-truck was the logging industry, which originally transported logs by river, or by horse-and-carriage. The truck evolved mightily in the first half of the 20th century and the trucking industry expanded with it for long hauls when Freightliner created the first overhead sleeper cab in 1953. Engines caught up with industry need and direct-injection turbo-charged diesel engines became standard during the 1950s, as trucks began the conversion from standard gasoline engines.

Today, there are about 37 million registered business-use trucks in America, with more than 3.7 million Class 8 trucks driven by 3.5 million employed Big Rig drivers and many more uncounted who work for themselves. Together, they haul 11.5 billion tons of cargo, and with tech advances and increased safety rules in effect for drivers, tractor-trailers and their freight runs continue to increase their efficient grip on delivering everything America and Americans need. On average, Class 8 trucks each travel more than 65,000 business-related miles a year

While every truck driver and Big Rig fan has their favorite 18-wheeler, the top manufacturers today include Freightliner -- a division of Daimler Trucks North America, Kenworth, Peterbilt, International – from Navistar International Corporation (formerly International Harvester Co.), Volvo and Mack. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz has already released promotional material for their “Future Truck 2025”. This self-driving truck will use radar senses, including top-of-the-line blind-spot detection to drive autonomously, leaving the driver’s hands free to communicate with the dispatcher and schedule pickups and drop-offs.

The celebration of Big Rigs at the Carlisle Truck Nationals includes club attendance and judging the best of the best. Judging the entrants is Greg Grifana, co-owner (with his wife) of GS Grifana Car Shows Inc. Grifana is a trucker who has been judging truck shows – 419 of them in the last 29 years. He has been a CDL-Class-A truck driver for 39 years. Grifana said, “I used to run oversize loads and moved houses, buildings and loads of 300,000 lbs. in my Mack truck.

Grifana has seen the trucking industry change since the 1970s. He said, “The old ‘cowboy’ image of the trucker is gone. The longer non-stop under-the-table runs are gone as CDL licensing and elog (electronic log) now monitors time and whereabouts. Back when I started, many drivers ran two or three logbooks to keep running, and ran without sleep. Today it is much safer and full-time truckers can easily earn six figures. Some drivers run seven days a week – regs say they can run 70 hours in seven days, before a 34-hour rest/restart.  Some drivers drive 11 hours in a day and work 14 hours including loading, then take a 10-hour reset. Some drivers run four days a week, and some run four months at a time. When I started, I ran East Coast to West Coat and never stopped. A lot has changed.”

Grifana said that when he started, Mack and Peterbilt were the stars and $80,000 could get you all the truck you needed, plus whatever it took to customize and personalize the rig with graphics, entertainment, sound and comforts. “Today, you can get into a rod-tractor for from $100,000-$200,000 without a trailer. Some have a standard sleeper or a king condo and some have a longer wheel base,” he said.

Judging this year’s Carlisle Big Rig show, Grifana expects to see uptweaked aftermarket and performance items. Grifana said, “There are more accessories available than ever. I often see 12-speed automatic transmissions with two-speed reverse, and cool graphics, sleeper compartments and creative upgrades.”

In judging, what makes a winner in Grifana’s eyes? Grifana said, “A working truck that’s clean with add-ons and details. I like polished rims, tanks, doorjambs, chrome buttons and caps, and a clean engine. Standouts would include custom interiors, top to bottom. Once I saw a Jacuzzi in the back of a sleeper, and music from molded interior speakers. I prefer working trucks, but we also see tricked out show-only trucks.”

The advice Grifana gives his fellow truckers is “Take pride in what you do. Look forward to your success and enjoy your journey. Above all, keep the shiny side up, the rubber side down and the pedal to the metal.”

You can see Big Rigs galore at the Carlisle Truck Nationals, this weekend, Aug. 6-8 at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds. One of the largest and most action-packed truck events in the world, the Carlisle Truck Nationals features new and vintage trucks, lifted, lowered, monster trucks, vans, fire trucks, classics, antiques, modern, and a special big rig event: Carlisle Truck Nationals Big Rig Show and Shine. It is a showcase of Rigs, Wreckers, Carriers, Dumps, Antiques and Heavy Trucks of all kinds.- or four-wheel drive, jeep, big rig or mini truck.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

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