CB lingo of American Chicken Haulers Association

There's no doubt about it, truckers have a language all their own. This is especially true of their communications on the CB. The following trucker words and phrases were heard on the two-way during my job as a truck driver on America's interstate highways. I've supplied the definitions based upon conversations with truckers at truck stops. This glossary is by no means complete, since new trucker language develops all the time. If you know of words or phrases I've missed, send them to robert@landstar.org

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."

A collection of Trucking Lingo