There are also tractors in the world of airplanes. On a farm, a tractor is used for things such as plowing or harvesting fields. Tractor: DefinedĪs you probably know, a tractor is a term used in the truck driving world and in the farm world. So, years and years ago, a “truck” might have meant anything from a wheelbarrow to a horse-drawn cart. However, the word “truck” has been around for a very long time - longer even than the invention of cars!īefore automobiles were invented, the word “truck” simply referred to any wheeled structure used to support and carry heavy things from one place to another. In general, when people say truck, they are referring to the kinds of trucks that we teach you to drive at TDI. So before we enter our mini online truck school to learn the difference between a truck and a tractor, let’s take it back a step further and go to vocabulary school first. Trucks and Tractors: What Do the Words Mean?Īs you’re trying to sort out all these different words, it can be helpful to take a look at what the words themselves actually mean, both in the truck driving world and beyond. Until you get to this expert level, we’re here to help you sort out all these truck words and what they actually mean. Before you know it, you’ll be tossing out truck lingo without thinking about it twice! Luckily, once you have started immersing yourself in the world of truck driving, it becomes easier to puzzle all these terms out. There are so many words in the truck business that seem at first to mean the same thing - semi-truck, tractor-trailer, 18 wheeler, semitrailer - that it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by all these terms that truckers use on a regular basis. A tractor is one type of truck that is capable of carrying heavier loads than a regular (or “straight”) truck.
When you’re first starting out in the truck business, it can be confusing trying to sort out all of the truck-world lingo, such as, “What is the difference between a truck and a tractor?” A truck can refer to any number of larger vehicles that require a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to drive.