If you’re going to be a trucker or just a friend of the road, you’re going to want to know some key CDL slang.
Here you’ll find the meaning of some common trucking lingo.
| CDL Slang | Definition |
| 10-4 | OK, message received. Some drivers just say “10”. |
| 18-wheeler | Any tractor-trailer. |
| 4-wheeler | Any passenger vehicle. |
| 85th Street | Interstate 85. |
| 95th Street | Interstate 95. |
| Affirmative | Yes |
| All locked up | Closed weigh station. |
| Alligator | A piece of tire on the road. This can cause damage. |
| Anteater or Aardvark | Kenworth T-600 truck. |
| Back door | Something behind you. |
| Back it down | Slow down. |
| Back row | The last rows of parking in a truck stop. |
| Backed out of it | No longer able to maintain current speed, need to downshift. |
| Bambi | A deer. |
| Base station or unit | A powerful CB radio. |
| Bear | A law enforcement officer. |
| Bear bait | A speeding vehicle. |
| Bear bite | A speeding ticket. |
| Bear den, bear cave | Law enforcement station. |
| Bear in the air | A law enforcement aircraft. |
| Bear in the bushes | Law enforcement is hiding somewhere. |
| Bedbugger | A household moving company. |
| Big R | Roadway truck. |
| Big road | Interstate or highway. |
| Big truck | An 18-wheeler or tractor-trailer. |
| Big word | Closed weigh stations. |
| Bird dog | A radar detector. |
| Black eye | A headlight out. |
| Bobtail | Driving the tractor without the trailer attached. |
| Boogie | The top gear of the transmission. |
| Boulevard | Interstate. |
| Brake check | There is a traffic tie-up ahead – accident or construction. |
| Break | The way to gain access to the channel and start talking. |
| Breaking up | Your signal is weak. |
| Bull dog | A Mack truck. |
| Bullfrog | An ABF truck. |
| Bull hauler | A livestock hauler. |
| Bumper sticker | A tailgater. |
| Bundled out | To maximum capacity. |
| Buster Brown | A UPS truck or driver. |
| Cabover | Cab-Over-the Engine (COE). |
| Cash register | A tollbooth. |
| Checking ground pressure | The weigh station is open. |
| Chicken coop | A weigh station. |
| Chicken lights | Extra lights on a truck and trailer. |
| Come back | Asking for the other driver to talk. |
| Comedian | The median strip in between opposite lanes. |
| Comic book | The log book. |
| Commercial company | A prostitute. |
| Container | An overseas container. |
| Convoy | A group of trucks traveling together. |
| Copy | Transmission acknowledged or understood. |
| Cornflake | A Consolidated Freightways truck. |
| County Mountie | County police, a sheriff’s deputy. |
| Covered wagon | Flatbed type of trailer covered with a tarp. |
| Crotch rocket | A motorcycle built for speed or a sport bike. |
| Deadhead | Pulling an empty trailer. |
| Destruction | Road construction. |
| Diesel cop | Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer. |
| Donkey | Behind you. |
| Double nickel | 55 mph. |
| Doubles | A set of double trailers. |
| Downstroke | Driving on a decline. |
| Dragon wagon | A tow truck. |
| Dragonfly | A truck with no power. |
| Drawing lines | Completing your log book |
| Driving award | A speeding ticket. |
| Dry box | An unrefrigerated trailer |
| Evil Knievel | A motorcycle cop. |
| Eyeball | To see something. |
| Feeding the bears | Paying a ticket. |
| Fingerprint | To unload a trailer by yourself. |
| Flip-flop | Refers to a u-turn, or a return trip. |
| Freight shaker | A Freightliner truck. |
| Front door | In front of you. |
| Full-grown bear | State Trooper, or Highway Patrol. |
| Funny pages | Log book |
| Garbage hauler | A produce load. |
| Gear Jammer | A driver who speeds up and slows down frequently. |
| Go to company | Go to the designated company CB channel. |
| Go to the Harley | Tune CB radio to channel 1. |
| Go-go juice | Diesel fuel. |
| Got your ears on? | Are you listening |
| Gouge on it | Go fast. |
| Granny lane | The slow lane. |
| Greasy | Icy, or slippery. |
| Greasy side up | A vehicle that’s flipped over. |
| Green Stamps | Money. |
| Grossed out | Your gross vehicle weight is at max capacity. |
| Ground pressure | The weight of your truck. |
| Gumball machine | The lights on top of a police car. |
| Hammer down | Step on it. |
| Hammer lane | The passing lane. |
| Handle (CB handle) | CB handles are nicknames which are used to identify the speaker, in place of a real name. |
| Happy happy | Happy new year. |
| Having “shutter trouble” | Having trouble staying awake. |
| Holler | Call me on the radio. |
| Home 20 | A driver’s home location. |
| Hood | A conventional tractor. |
| Hot Load | Cargo for immediate transport |
| Hundred dollar lane, high dollar lane | A prohibited lane that carries a large fine for trucks. |
| In my back pocket | Behind you. |
| In the big hole | The top gear of the transmission. |
| Jackpot | A patrol car’s lights. |
| Kojak with a Kodak | Law enforcement officer using a radar gun. |
| K-whopper | A Kenworth tractor, or just KW. |
| Landline | A standard telephone. |
| Left Coast | The West Coast. |
| Local-yokel | A county, city, or small-town officer. |
| Lollipop | The small reflector or markers on the sides of the highway. |
| Lot lizard | A prostitute that solicits a truck stop or rest area. |
| Lumper | Laborer that loads or unloads your trailer. |
| Male buffalo | A male prostitute. |
| Mama-bear | A female law enforcement officer. |
| Mash your motor | Go fast, step on it. |
| Meat wagon | An ambulance. |
| Merry merry | Merry Christmas. |
| Motion lotion | Diesel fuel. |
| Moving on | Heading down the road. |
| Mud duck | A weak radio signal. |
| Negatory | Negative or no. |
| On the side | On standby. |
| Pay the water bill | Taking a restroom break. |
| Pickle park | A popular rest area for lot lizards. |
| Pigtail | The electrical connection from the tractor to the trailer. |
| Plain wrapper | An unmarked law enforcement vehicle. |
| Pumpkin | A Schneider truck. |
| Rambo | Someone who talks tough on the radio. |
| Ratchet jaw | Someone who talks a lot on the radio. |
| Reefer | Refers to refrigerated trailers. |
| Road pizza | Roadkill. |
| Roger | Yes; affirmative. |
| Salt shaker | A maintenance vehicle that dumps salt on the highways in the winter. |
| Sandbagging | To listen to the radio without talking. |
| Sandbox | An escape ramp. |
| Sesame Street | Channel 19 on the CB. |
| Shaky | Refers to California in general. |
| Shiny side up | Your vehicle hasn’t flipped over after an accident. |
| Shooting you in the back | You’re being shot with a radar gun. |
| Shutdown | Put out of service by the DOT. |
| Skateboard | A flatbed. |
| Skins | Tires. |
| Sleeper creeper | A prostitute. |
| Smokey or Smokey Bear | A law enforcement officer, highway patrol. |
| Smokin’ scooter | A law enforcement officer on a motorcycle. |
| Smokin’ the brakes | The trailer brakes are literally smoking. |
| Split | A junction. |
| Spy in the sky | A law enforcement aircraft. |
| Stagecoach | A tour bus. |
| Swindle Sheet | Log book. |
| Taking pictures | Law enforcement using a radar gun. |
| Thermos bottle | A tanker trailer. |
| Through the woods | Leaving the Interstate to travel secondary roads. |
| Throwin’ iron | Snow chains. |
| Too many eggs in the basket | Overweight load. |
| Toothpicks | Lumber. |
| Travel agent | The dispatcher. |
| Triple digits | Over 100 mph. |
| Wiggle wagons | Double or triple trailers. |
| Yard | A company terminal or drop lot. |
| Yardstick | A mile marker on the highway. |
CB Radio CB-10 Codes
10-codes, or CB codes, are used by truckers on the CB radio to convey common information and phrases quickly.
Here are some common 10-codes you’ll hear on the CB radio and their meanings.
| 10-Code | Meaning |
| 10-1 | Receiving poorly |
| 10-2 | Receiving well |
| 10-3 | Stop transmitting |
| 10-4 | OK, message received |
| 10-5 | Relay message |
| 10-6 | Busy, standby |
| 10-7 | Out of service, leaving air |
| 10-8 | In service, subject to call |
| 10-9 | Repeat message |
| 10-11 | Talking too rapidly |
| 10-12 | Visitors present |
| 10-13 | Advise weather, road conditions |
| 10-16 | Make pickup at [location] |
| 10-17 | Urgent business |
| 10-18 | Anything for us? |
| 10-19 | Nothing for you, return to base |
| 10-20 | My location is [location] |
| 10-21 | Call by telephone |
| 10-22 | Report in person to [location] |
| 10-23 | Stand by |
| 10-24 | Completed last assignment |
| 10-25 | Can you contact |
| 10-26 | Disregard last information |
| 10-27 | I am moving to channel [channel] |
| 10-28 | Identify your station |
| 10-29 | Time is up for contact |
| 10-30 | Does not conform to FCC rules |
| 10-32 | I will give you a radio check |
| 10-33 | Emergency traffic |
| 10-34 | Trouble at this station |
| 10-35 | Confidential information |
| 10-36 | The correct time is [time] |
| 10-37 | Wrecker needed at [location] |
| 10-38 | Ambulance needed at [location] |
| 10-39 | Your message delivered |
| 10-41 | Please tune to channel [channel] |
| 10-42 | Traffic accident at [location] |
| 10-43 | Traffic tie up at [location] |
| 10-44 | I have a message for you |
| 10-45 | All units within range please report |
| 10-50 | Break channel |
| 10-60 | What is the next message number? |
| 10-62 | Unable to copy, use phone |
| 10-63 | Net directed to [location] |
| 10-64 | Net clear |
| 10-65 | Awaiting your next message, or assignment |
| 10-67 | All units comply |
| 10-70 | Fire at [location] |
| 10-71 | Proceed with transmission in sequence |
| 10-73 | Speed trap at [location] |
| 10-75 | You are causing interference |
| 10-77 | Negative contact |
| 10-81 | Reserve hotel room for [number] |
| 10-84 | My telephone number is [number] |
| 10-85 | My address is [location] |
| 10-91 | Talk closer to mike |
| 10-93 | Check my frequency on this channel |
| 10-94 | Please give me a long count |
| 10-99 | Mission completed, all units secured |
| 10-100 | Rest stop |
| 10-200 | Police needed at [location] |
Trucker Nicknames for U.S. Cities
Here are some common nicknames truckers use for different cities in the United States.
| U.S. City, State | City Nickname |
| Akron, Ohio | The Rubber |
| Amarillo, Texas | Armadillo |
| Atlanta, Georgia | The Big A or Hotlanta |
| Baltimore, Maryland | Charm City |
| Boston, Massachusetts | Bean Town |
| Buffalo, New York | The Nickel |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | Queen City |
| Chicago, Illinois | Windy City |
| Cleveland, Ohio | The Dirty |
| Council Bluffs, Iowa | CB Town |
| Dallas, Texas | Big D |
| Denver, Colorado | Mile High |
| Detroit, Michigan | Motor City |
| Durham, North Carolina | Bull City |
| Flagstaff, Arizona | The Flag or Flagpole |
| Goldsboro, North Carolina | Gold City |
| Houston, Texas | The Astrodome |
| Indianapolis, Indiana | Circle City |
| Kansas City, Missouri | Bright Lights |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | Lost Wages |
| Los Angeles, California | Shaky City |
| Miami, Florida | Bikini |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Beer City |
| Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota | The Cities |
| Nashville, Tennessee | Guitar or Music City |
| New Orleans, Louisiana | Mardi Gras |
| New York City, New York | The Apple |
| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Okie City |
| Omaha, Nebraska | Big O |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Philly |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Steel City or Town |
| Raleigh, North Carolina | Capital City |
| Sacramento, California | Sack of tomatoes |
| San Antonio, Texas | The Alamo |
| South Bend, Indiana | The Irish |
| St. Louis, Missouri | The Gateway |
| Tampa, Florida | Cigar City |
| Wichita, Kansas | Air Capital |
Looking for a glossary of more official CDL terms? We’ve got that too!