Common Trucker Lingo on the CB Radio (and What It Really Means)

What’s Up with CB Radios Anyway?

Before smartphones and GPS apps, truckers had CB radios. These bad boys go way back to the 1940s, but it wasn’t until the late ’50s that they really took off—thanks to the FCC giving them 23 (now 40) channels to chat on.

Back in the day (especially during the 1973 oil crisis), CB radios were truckers’ lifeline. Want to know where the cheap gas is? Where the traffic’s jammed up? Which diner’s open late? Just ask over the airwaves.

And of course, once a bunch of drivers are using the same tool, they come up with their own slang to make things faster and more fun.