Types of Semi-Truck Brands

The 5 Most Common Commercial Truck Brands

The best semi-truck brands are popular for a number of reasons. There are many 18-wheeler truck manufacturers in the US, and every trucking company and trucker has their favorite. Trucks need to be high-quality, durable, and reliable. You want a brand you can trust to carry heavy loads for long periods of time.

Some corporations have been in the trucking business for decades, and they know what truck drivers need. As a top auto crash law firm in West Houston I’ve seen and dealt with almost all of the various manufacturers. We’ve compiled a list of the top five big truck brands, highlighting the key features.

Freightliner Trucks

The Freightliner company sells over 190,000 trucks every year. They own 40% of the market share for commercial trucks, making them the best-selling truck in the United States. They are based in North America, and they are most widely known for their class eight diesel trucks.

Their Mt. Holly and Cleveland facilities employ over 3,000 workers. Their trucks come in different models and styles, such as:

• On-highway
• Medium-duty
• Severe-duty
• Natural gas

They are also working on a new line of electric commercial vehicles called Freightliner e-Mobility.

Kenworth Trucks

Kenworth is a manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty trucks based in Kirkland, Washington. They are one of three divisions under PACCAR, their parent company. George T. and Louis Gerlinger founded Kenworth in 1912 as Gerlinger Motor Car Works.

They were the first to put a six-cylinder engine into a commercial truck in 1914. A hundred years later, in 2015, Kenworth sold over 154,000 trucks. They have a 14% market share, which puts them just above Peterbilt Motors.

Peterbilt Motors Company

This company began in 1939, and they manufacture medium and heavy-duty trucks. Like Kenworth, this company is also a subsidiary of PACCAR. Peterbilt is based in Denton, Texas, and they have supplied the most reliable products in the industry for decades.

If you ask a truck driver about Peterbilt, they are sure to know this iconic brand. You can often find their red oval logo on trucker clothing and hats. Many drivers take pride in owning a Peterbilt tractor-trailer.

Navistar International

This American holding company is the manufacturer of:

• IC Bus commercial and school buses,
• International brand commercial trucks, and
• Workhorse chassis.

The company designs and manufactures diesel engines for the van, SUV, and pickup truck markets. They also provide engine parts and services. Navistar’s products and services are provided by over 60 dealers in 90 different countries.

Navistar International has about 11% market share of the US commercial trucking industry. The company has a global reach, and operate out of Lisle, Illinois, with over 16,000 employees.

Volvo Trucks

Volvo manufactures a large line of vocational and on-highway class-eight vehicles. They are an experienced truck and engine manufacturers in the world. Whether you buy a new or used Volvo vehicle, you can trust the support of their dealer network and service providers.

While Volvo makes up 10% of the commercial truck market share in America, they rank second in the world for manufacturing heavy-duty trucks.

Difference Between A Semi-Truck and an 18-Wheeler

If you are in the market for a semi-truck, you should know the definition. The semi-truck is the part of an 18-wheeler that contains the engine. This part can run on its own without a trailer attached. When you attach a trailer to form one unit, the unit is an 18-wheeler.

You can easily identify an 18-wheeler by the total number of wheels. When you get a semi-truck, there are many different types of trailers that you can attach. The type of trailer you use depends on the freight you want to carry and the distance you need to go.

If you’ve been injured in an accident with any type of tractor-trailer truck, you need proper representation. Call The Stephens Law Firm Accident Lawyers today at 281-623-1701 for personal injury help from the professionals, including our specialist wrongful death attorney in West Houston that are ready to help you if you have recently lost someone you loved.

Types of Trucking Accidents We Handle in West Houston and Across Texas:

• Jackknife Accidents
• Truck Rollovers
• Tire Blowouts
• Truck Driver DWI
• Wide Turn Accidents
• Blind Spot Accidents
• Read End Accidents
• Brake Failure
• Underride Accidents
• Lost Load Accidents
• Head-on Collisions
• T-Bone Collisions

West Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Call The Attorney Who Wins Truck Accident Cases

When your case requires the skill and knowledge of an experienced West Houston truck wreck injury law firm, Joe Stephens is the expert you’re looking to work with. Having tried over 100 cases to a successful verdict, he has a solid reputation for stalwart representation for his clients. Cases involving commercial truck wrecks can be very complex and present difficulty proving negligence of the truck driver, the trucking company, or both. Joe’s experience with these cases allows him to get right to the heart of the matter, his clients rights and owed compensation.