What is an 18 Wheeler?
An 18-Wheeler is another name for a semi-tractor trailer truck. These are the commercial trucks which frequently travel on the I-5 Freeway transporting cargo across the country. 18-Wheelers specifially describe those commercial trucks which have 18 wheels. The number of wheels includes both the cab of the tractor-trailer truck as well as the trailer which is pulled by the cab of the truck. These tractor trailer trucks, or 18 wheelers, can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds as compared to a normal passenger car which may weigh only 6,000 pounds, or less than one-tenth (1/10) of a weight of a fully loaded 18-wheeler.
