page_title: History of the trucking industry in the United States
section_title: World War I
hierarchical_section_title: History of the trucking industry in the United States / 20th century / World War I
caption_attribution_description: The White Sewing Machine Company, as it was originally called, manufactured the Standard Class "A" Truck for the U.S. Army during World War I. Trucks bearing the White/GMC name were still being manufactured by the General Motors Corporation until 1990. Though not dated, the image is undoubtedly from 1917-1918. The photo was taken by O. M. Holt of Manhattan, KS, and measures 7" x 63".
context_page_description: The trucking industry in the United States has affected the political and economic history of the United States in the 20th century. Before the invention of automobiles, most freight was moved by train or horse-drawn vehicle.
  During World War I, the military was the first to use trucks extensively. With the increased construction of paved roads, trucking began to achieve significant foothold in the 1930s, and soon became subject to various government regulations. During the late 1950s and 1960s, trucking was accelerated by the construction of the Interstate Highway System, an extensive network of freeways linking major cities across the continent.
  Trucking achieved national attention during the 1960s and 70s, when songs and movies about truck driving were major hits. Truck drivers participated in widespread strikes against the rising cost of fuel, during the energy crises of 1973 and 1979, and the industry was drastically deregulated by the Motor Carrier Act of 1980. Trucking has come to dominate the freight industry in the latter portion of the 20th Century, along with what are termed "big-box stores" such as Wal-Mart and Target.
context_section_description: The years of World War I (1914–18) spurred rising truck use and development. During the busy war years, the increased congestion of railroads exposed the need for alternative modes of transporting cargo. It was during these years when Roy Chapin (working with a military committee) began to experiment with the first long-distance truck shipments, and pneumatic (inflated) tires capable of supporting heavier loads were developed which enabled trucks to drive at higher speeds. Two truck manufacturers that emerged during this time were a former sewing machine maker, White (pictured above), and one that would become a modern euphemism for "truck," Mack. By 1920 there were over a million trucks on America's roads.
  The years beyond 1920 saw several advancements, such as improved rural roads, the introduction of the diesel engine (which are 25–40% more efficient than gasoline engines), the standardization of truck and trailer sizes along with fifth wheel coupling systems, as well as power assisted brakes and steering. By 1933, all states had some form of varying truck weight regulation.
caption: World War I trucks circa 1917, manufactured by White Motor Company
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