Freightliner Trucks History
Freightliner trucks are some of the most durable and dependable heavy-duty trucks on the road. The Freightliner line of trucks has seen a variety of changes over the years, and has become synonymous with trucking reliability. Freightliner was designed and built to increase production and decrease costs for Consolidated Freightways, and the trucks have been produced for over seven decades.
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Early Days
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1949 Freightliner--The Original Design
Starting in the late 1930s, Leland James, CEO of Consolidated Freightways, was seeking a more durable and lighter truck to bring in more revenue for his company. He approached manufacturers with the idea of using lightweight aluminum instead of steel on major components. The manufacturers were very skeptical about building such a truck, so Leland James decided to design and build the truck himself. He brought in a team of engineers and designed a cab-over design that would change the trucking business forever.
Freightways Manufacturing Company
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Freightliner Classic
The new cab-over design proved to be more efficient and durable, making it the most popular choice among Consolidated Freightways drivers. Leland James decided to take his design into manufacturing. He helped develop Freightways Manufacturing Company out of Salt Lake City, Utah, and started mass-producing his already popular truck. Freightways Manufacturing Company changed the name to Freightliner in 1942. During World War II, aluminum was in short supply, and the company produced ship and aircraft parts instead.
Post-War Development
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Freightliner Bus With Thomas-Built Chassis Design
After the war ended, Freightliner resumed building trucks. They built a manufacturing facility out of Portland, Oregon, and received their first order to build trucks for the Hyster Company in 1950. This contract put the truck manufacturer on the map, and companies from all over the world began ordering their trucks from Freightliner, who made it easy for their clients by customizing the trucks to their clients' specifications. Freightliner's production grew from 116 vehicles in 1950 to over 6,000 per year by 1970.
Daimler-Benz AG
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Freightliner Cement Mixer
In 1981, Daimler-Benz AG, one of the world's leading vehicle manufacturers and a renowned builder of commercial trucks, purchased Freighliner from Consolidated Freightways and helped them become the leading truck manufacturer in the North American market (starting from 1992). Their sales more than doubled after Daimler-Benz AG took over.
Growth
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Western Star
Trucks used to be sold in part--the truck frame and body were ordered from one company, and the rest of the truck came from different suppliers. Osh Kosh was known for their custom chassis, and Thomas was known for their sturdy bus design. Freightliner started buying these specialty companies to give them the ability to build everything under one name. They purchased Osh Kosh chassis division to help them sell their own brand of custom chassis, and bought Thomas Built Buses to give them a niche in the bus-building industry. Frieghtliner also purchased Western Star and Ford's heavy-duty truck department. They have continued the name "Western Star" for their specialty custom truck department. Freightliner renamed Ford's heavy-truck department to "Sterling."
Today
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1990 Freightliner Cabover
Freightliner, as of 2009, is owned by Daimler Truck North America, and is still the largest truck manufacturer in North America. Freightliner has cornered the market in the medium to heavy-duty truck line. Their affiliations with Detroit Diesel, a producer of quality diesel engines, also sets them apart as a leading provider of diesel engines. However, Freightliner trucks are also available with other types of diesel motors, such as Caterpillar or Cummins, as opposed to Detroit Diesel.
Types
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Freightliner Sprinter
Freightliner has many truck styles to choose from, and they produce everything from tractor-trailers to dump trucks. Van bodies are also available for courier services, and Freightliner's bus line is a popular choice with school districts around the country.
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