Why is an 18 wheeler truck called a 'semi'?

sequoianoir

Basically because it is articulated and comes in two bits. "an articulated truck consisting of a towing engine ("tractor" in the US), and a trailer that carries the freight." http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:zfyibX_HOT0J:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-trailer+18+Wheeler+Truck+called+a+Semi&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 Nov 19 03, 7:38 PM

robboy

I'd been told, by truckers, that it has nothing to do with the tractor; it's the trailer that is semi-wheeless, as it attaches to the tractor. Nov 19 03, 8:42 PM

lothruin

I work for a trucking company. The term semi does relate to the trailer. It stems from "semi-trailer", called thus because the trailer only has wheels on the back half. Therefore, a semi-trailer truck, referring to the tractor portion, is a tractor that pulls a semi-trailer. Understand that this is from an American's viewpoint, and terminology may be different in other parts of the world. Nov 19 03, 10:44 PM

mumby21

In Australia the semi trailer is made up of two parts - the prime mover and the trailer or in the case of a road train, trailers. Nov 20 03, 4:14 AM

dualkubota

It's called a semi because it's exactly half the length of a railroad car. Semi means half. A railroad car that's half the length of the regular ones is also called a semi. 40 feet, full size railroad car is 80 feet. Did you ever see them load truck trailers on a train? They load two truck trailers on one RR flat car. Jun 08 07, 5:07 AM

McGruff

Definition of a semitrailer or semi-trailer: noun: a type of trailer that has wheels only at the rear, the front end being supported by the towing vehicle (the towing vehicle is known as a tractor) Source: The Collins English Dictionary © 2000 HarperCollins Publishers A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported either by a road tractor or by a detachable front axle assembly called a dolly. A semi-trailer is equipped with legs that can be lowered to support it when it is unhooked from the tractor. When coupled together, the tractor- trailer combination is often referred to as a semi, 18-wheeler, big-rig, articulated lorry, or truck and trailer. The purpose of a semi-trailer is to carry freight. There are several types of semi-trailers including dry freight vans, refrigerated vans (reefers), flatbeds, and tank trailers http://www.amtrex.net/semitrailer_definition.htm Jun 08 07, 7:55 AM

Baloo55th

Dualkubota, can you provide a reference for your answer? I've always known of the semi-trailer definition and they do come in differing lengths depending on the cargo to be carried. Jun 08 07, 8:03 AM

McGruff

I'm not finding a reference relating the term "semi" with half a railroad car, but it does make sense and could be where the name originated. A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported either by a road tractor or by a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly. A semi-trailer is normally equipped with legs which can be lowered to support it when it is uncoupled. A road tractor coupled to a semi-trailer is often called a semi-trailer truck or semi. http://www.answers.com/topic/semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck or tractor-trailer (colloquially known as a transfer truck, 18-wheeler, semi, or big-rig in the U.S.; as a semi in Australia, and Canada; and as an articulated lorry (artic), or truck and trailer in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand) is an articulated truck or lorry consisting of a towing engine (tractor in the U.S., prime mover in Australia, and truck in the UK, Canada and New Zealand), and a semi-trailer (plus possible additional trailers) that carries the freight.In the UK, the term juggernaut is sometimes used for especially large articulated lorries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-trailer_truck Jun 08 07, 8:10 AM

Baloo55th

In the UK, juggernaut has political or nimby connotations. It's only used in adverse comments. Truck isn't normally used for the front part of an artic - a truck tends to be a rigid wagon. The whole two-part thing is referred to as an artic, and the front bit is usually a tractor or tractor unit. If you need to differentiate it from a farm tractor, you say artic tractor. In the UK, only showmen and agricultural operators can tow more than one trailer at a time. Showmen are travelling fairs, circuses, etc who pay a different rate of road tax, Agricultural also pays a different rate of tax, and farm tractors and some other vehicles may use red diesel (duty free fuel) on the road. The trailer part of an artic is often referred to as a semi-trailer, and it's not to do with carriage on railways here, because they don't carry artics on the rails here. The loading gauge won't allow it. Only in the Channel Tunnel do wagons ride the rails. Jun 08 07, 9:02 AM

keotaman

dualkubota's answer is just a tad off. RR freight cars are 40', passenger cars are approx. 85'. No connection to the term semi in RR usage. While semi often means half, semi here is used in the sense of: "3 a: partial : incomplete b: having some of the characteristics of " Keo Sep 23 08, 12:07 PM

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