List of truck types

For more information on truck classes, see Truck classification

This List of truck types is intended to classify trucks and to provide links to articles on the various types. The three main classifications for road truck by weight are light trucks, medium trucks, and heavy trucks. Above this there are specialised very heavy trucks and transporters such as heavy haulers for moving oversized loads, and off-road heavy haul trucks used in mining which are too large for highway use without escorts and special permits.

Small trucks

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• This is the Suzuki Carry mini truckMini trucks, small Commercial vehicles used for delivering light loads over short distances.

Light trucks

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Light trucks are larger than mini trucks but smaller than medium trucks. In the US, they are defined as weighing between 00001–14000 lb (0001–6350 kg). There is no smaller classification.

Medium trucks

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Medium trucks are larger than light but smaller than heavy trucks. In the US, they are defined as weighing between 14001–26000 lb (6351–11793 kg). In North America, a medium-duty truck is larger than a heavy-duty pickup truck or full-size van. Some trucks listed as medium also are made in heavy versions.

The following are not types of trucks but types of use of the trucks listed above:

Heavy trucks

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Heavy trucks are heavier than medium trucks. They weigh between 26001 to over 33000 lb (11794 to over 14969 kg). There is no higher on-road classification.

Many heavy trucks listed are also made in medium duty versions:

Very heavy trucks and transporters

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Vehicles in this category are too large for highway use without escorts and special permits.

• Haul truck, an exceptionally large off-road dump truck, common in mining operations
• Ballast tractor, a very heavy weight power source for towing and pulling exceptional loads
• Heavy hauler, a combination of power source and very heavy weight transporter
• ALMA transporter is used for transportation of ALMA antennae.

See also

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References

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There’s a lot riding on different levels of truck classification: required permits… maintenance needs… even how long a truck can operate.

And yet, truck classification – how it’s determined and why it matters – is something many people don’t know much about.

We’re here to fix that.

There are eight (8) truck classes based on the maximum weight load.

Truck Classification Explained

In the United States, truck classification is based on the vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). GVWR is calculated as the truck’s maximum weight PLUS the weight it’s capable of carrying, fully loaded. The truck’s maximum weight includes cargo, passengers, fuel, and the trailer tongue. Gross Trailer Weight Rating (GTWR) is another classification that regulates the safety and how a vehicle is designated when it’s registered. The GTWR can vary depending on the jurisdiction in which the vehicle is registered.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) classified trucks more broadly – grouping Class 1 and Class 2 as light duty, Class 3 – Class 6 as medium duty, and Class 7 and Class 8 as heavy duty. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also has its own system of emissions classifications.

Generally speaking, Class 1 through Class 3 (Light Duty) applies to non-commercial vehicles like cargo vans, SUVs, pickup trucks, minivans, etc. Class 4 through Class 6 is where you’ll find most commercial trucks. Classes 4 and 5 include some non-commercial full-size trucks, but the majority of medium-class vehicles are manufactured and operated for commercial purposes. Big rigs and other commercial vehicles fall under Class 7 and Class 8, the heavy-duty category. Class 8 specifically applies to huge trucks with GVWRs over 33,001 pounds. Known as “severe duty,” Class 8 covers cement trucks and dump trucks as well as well-known big rigs like Kenworth, Freightliner, and Peterbilt.

As mentioned, a vehicle’s classification rating has far-reaching effects. License levels, Department of Transportation number regulations, maintenance needs, and Hours-of-Service (HOS) laws are more directly impacted by a vehicle’s GVWR.

Let’s look at the impact of GVWR in greater detail…

License Levels

A CDL is required to operate anything over 26,000 pounds. Still, licensing regulations are divided into Class A (26,001 + pounds towing over 10,000 pounds), Class B (26,001+ pounds towing up to 10,000 pounds), and Class C (passenger transport or hazardous materials).

You must take a knowledge, skills, and vision test when applying for an original CDL or upgrading to a different license class.

Depending on your state, CDLs typically last 5 to 8 years before you are required to renew your license.

Maintenance

A mobile technician or repair shop needs the right information about a vehicle to prepare for a job properly. Class 7 requires different tools and a different amount of space set aside than Class 6, for example.

Diesel Repair is your one-stop shop to perform quality maintenance repairs on all classes of trucks. Get access to repair information such as equipment fault codes, step-by-step symptom-based troubleshooting instructions, technical repair documents, testing procedure step guides, truck fault codes, truck labor time guides, VIN decoder, wiring diagrams, parts cross lookups, and much more.