FreightWaves Classics is sponsored by Old Dominion Freight Line — Helping the World Keep Promises. Learn more here.

Trucking in the modern United States may be the backbone of America, an integral part of consumerism and daily life. But prior to the trucking industry, logistics in this country relied exclusively on horse, wagon and rail.

While rail is still vital in logistics, it is thanks to the Mack brothers that semi trucks are so prevalent today.

Jack and Gus Mack from Brooklyn, New York, first bought the Fallesen and Berry carriage company in 1893 and renamed it Mack Brothers Co. Soon after, a liquidity crisis in the United States forced the brothers to reorganize the business, which saw the two focusing on repairs. This led the company to create its first motorized vehicle in 1900, according to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum: a 40-horsepower, 20-passenger bus.

Contemporary inventions at the time included air conditioning, the first successful airplane and the Model T. For their part, the Mack brothers were set on creating durable, heavy-duty commercial transportation.

It is said that Jack Mack’s inspiration for how to turn the bus into a truck came from a ride in his neighbor’s two-cylinder Winton car. From there, the Mack bus grew into a commercial truck, the beginning of the semi trucks we know today.

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter!

Have a topic you want me to cover? Email me at bjaekel@freightwaves.com or follow me on Twitter.

The post Mack brothers took the bus en route to making trucking history appeared first on FreightWaves.

Similar Posts

Rail shippers watching to see whether any benefits come from CP-KCS merger

By

Rail shippers are waiting to see whether the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern will actually enhance competition and provide them with more choices. The Surface Transportation Board issued a decision Wednesday approving the deal, saying CP (NYSE: CP) and KCS would be able to promote competition better as a merged railroad company…

Texas cargo bridge projects could be expedited under new law

By

Several Texas-Mexico border infrastructure developments recently received a boost after a new law took effect that speeds up the federal approval process for international cargo bridge projects. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, led the policy change effort to reform the presidential permitting process for new and expanded border bridges,…

GXO posts strong quarterly results, raises full-year outlook

By

Contract logistics provider GXO Logistics Inc. (NYSE: GXO) reported better-than-expected second-quarter results late Wednesday and raised its full-year outlook for earnings per share and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Second-quarter revenue grew 11% year over year to $2.4 billion, with organic revenue increasing 3%. Net income rose 27% to $65 million. Operating income…

Why most of America’s 2 million long-haul truck drivers aren’t unionized

By

This article was originally published in the first issue of the Supply Chain Playbook. Dan Chidester didn’t like his union job at the bread factory. It was 1981 and he wanted something with more adventure, more flexibility. So he bought a truck.  This was a poorly timed choice. When Chidester was growing up in the…

Lineage opens produce facility near Port of Savannah

By

Temperature-controlled real estate investment trust Lineage Logistics said Thursday it has opened a 220,000-square-foot facility near the Port of Savannah to process up to 1.4 million pounds of produce per day. The Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth facility, located in the city of Port Wentworth, Georgia, has 23 inbound and outbound lanes that can process more than…

Unions tell regulators that Class I railroads’ hiring efforts are misleading

By

The Class I railroads are still far under the employment levels needed to provide exceptional rail service, let alone grow network capacity, an attorney representing seven freight rail unions argued in a Monday filing to the Surface Transportation Board. Although the railroads say employment levels have grown since last year, head count levels are well…

Leave a Reply