Freightliner Trucks facts for kids

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Freightliner Trucks

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1942; 83 years ago (1942) (as Freightliner Inc)
Founder	Leland James
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Key people	John O'Leary, CEO
Products	Commercial Vehicles, Luxury vehicles
Owner	Daimler Truck
Parent	Daimler Truck North America

Freightliner Trucks is a famous American company that makes big trucks, like the ones you see on highways! It started in 1929 as a part of Consolidated Freightways, a shipping company. The name "Freightliner" comes from this original company. In 1942, it officially became its own company, Freightliner Corporation.

For many years, from 1981 to 2021, Freightliner was owned by Daimler AG. Now, it's part of Daimler Truck, a big global truck maker. Freightliner is a key brand under Daimler Truck North America, alongside other well-known names like Western Star and Detroit Diesel.

Freightliner builds many types of vehicles. These include vans, medium-sized trucks, and large, heavy-duty trucks. They also make special "chassis" (the base frame) for different vehicles, like delivery vans or recreational vehicles. Freightliner helped make "cabover" (COE) trucks popular. These trucks have the driver's cab right over the engine.

The company's main office is in Portland, Oregon, where it first began. Today, Freightliner trucks are built in places like Cleveland and Mount Holly, North Carolina, and also in Mexico.

History of Freightliner Trucks
Freightliner Truck Models
Images for kids
See also

History of Freightliner Trucks

How it All Started (1930s)

Freightliner's story began in 1929. A man named Leland James, who founded Consolidated Freightways (CF), started a special part of his company just to build trucks. These trucks were made for CF's own use. They were designed in a CF repair shop in Portland, Oregon.

The first trucks were based on Fageol vehicles. The new design placed the driver's cab right over the front wheels. This made the trucks shorter. Being shorter meant CF could use longer trailers. This was important because there were strict rules about how long trucks could be back then.

In the 1930s, these trucks started being called "Freightliner." Besides being shorter, they were also made lighter. Instead of heavy steel, they used aluminum. This helped the trucks climb mountains better, especially in the western United States.

Growing Bigger (1940s–1950s)

In 1942, Leland James officially named the truck company Freightliner Corporation. That same year, they showed off their first truck with an all-aluminum cab. During World War II, Freightliner helped by making military vehicles. After the war, in 1947, they went back to building trucks for regular use.

In 1949, Freightliner sold its first truck to a company outside of CF. This truck is now kept in the famous Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C.!

To sell more trucks and lower costs, Freightliner needed a bigger sales network. So, in 1951, they teamed up with White Motor Company. White was one of the biggest truck makers in the U.S. at the time. White started selling Freightliner trucks, calling them "White Freightliner."

In 1953, Freightliner added a new feature: a sleeping area right above the driver's cab. This made the cab even shorter. In 1958, they made another cool change. The whole cab could tilt forward 90 degrees. This made it much easier to work on the engine.

New Factories and Designs (1960s–1970s)

To avoid extra taxes on imported goods in Canada, Freightliner opened its first factory there in 1961. It was in Burnaby, British Columbia. To make even more trucks in the U.S., they opened new assembly plants in California and Indiana. By 1969, a second factory in Portland was opened to make parts.

In the 1970s, White Motor Company faced problems. In 1974, Freightliner ended its sales agreement with White. This meant Freightliner became a fully independent truck maker and seller. Many of the first Freightliner dealers used to work with White Motor Co.

Around this time, Freightliner also introduced its first "conventional" truck. Unlike cabovers, conventional trucks have the engine in front of the cab. These were popular in the western U.S. because they were easier to get in and out of, and the engine was easier to reach for repairs.

In 1979, Freightliner built new factories in North Carolina. That same year, a big change happened for the trucking industry. New laws made it easier for trucking companies to compete. This changed how the business worked forever.

Joining Daimler (1980s)

In 1982, new laws changed truck weight and length rules. Now, only the trailer length was limited, not the whole truck and trailer together. This meant truck companies could use longer conventional trucks more easily.

Consolidated Freightways, Freightliner's original parent company, decided to focus on its shipping business. So, in May 1981, it sold Freightliner to Daimler AG, a huge German company. This was a very important moment for Freightliner. After the sale, some older Freightliner factories were closed.

In 1985, Freightliner introduced a new line of medium-sized trucks called the FLC112. These trucks used parts of the cab from Mercedes-Benz trucks. Over time, more Mercedes-Benz cab parts were used in Freightliner trucks. In 1989, Freightliner bought a factory in Cleveland, North Carolina.

Expanding and Diversifying (1990s)

In 1991, Daimler-Benz (Daimler AG's name at the time) decided to focus its medium-duty truck efforts on Freightliner. The Business Class trucks were introduced. These were smaller versions of the FLC112 and became very successful.

The truck industry faced tough times again. To help Freightliner, Daimler sent Dieter Zetsche to lead the company. He helped cut costs and make the company profitable again. A new factory was opened in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. Production also started in Santiago Tianguistenco, Mexico.

After the Business Class, Freightliner kept adding new models. In 1996, they launched the Freightliner Century Class, a completely new big truck. A year later, they started making bus chassis (the base for buses). In 1999, the Freightliner Argosy was introduced. This new cabover truck replaced several older models. It had a modern design and shared parts with the Century Class.

In 1997, Freightliner bought the heavy-truck part of Ford Motor Company. They renamed it Sterling Trucks, using an old truck name. Sterling trucks were mainly for special jobs, like construction. In 1998, Freightliner also bought Thomas Built Buses, a school bus maker.

By 1999, Freightliner had built its one-millionth vehicle! The Century Class family grew, adding the Columbia truck. The Columbia was designed for large shipping companies.

New Millennium, New Trucks (2000s)

At the start of the 2000s, Freightliner was part of DaimlerChrysler (Daimler had merged with Chrysler). In 2000, Freightliner bought Western Star Trucks, another premium truck maker. They also acquired Detroit Diesel, a famous engine company.

The economy was weak, and Freightliner had too many used trucks it couldn't sell. The company had grown very fast, but some parts were not doing well. DaimlerChrysler brought in new leaders to fix things. By 2002, some factories were closed to save money.

In 2002, Freightliner updated many of its trucks. For medium-duty trucks, they launched the Business Class M2. This new truck had a cab designed entirely by Freightliner. They also added the Freightliner Coronado, a fancy new big truck for truck owners. For special jobs like garbage collection, they introduced the Freightliner Condor, a truck with a low-entry cab.

After 2006, Freightliner stopped selling the Argosy cabover truck in North America. Freightliner was the last company to sell a big cabover truck in North America. However, the Argosy is still made for export to other countries.

In 2007, DaimlerChrysler split up, and Freightliner's parent company became Daimler AG again. Freightliner also started making trucks in Saltillo, Mexico. On January 7, 2008, Freightliner LLC changed its name to Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA). This company now manages Freightliner and other brands like Sterling and Western Star.

In 2008, Freightliner introduced the Freightliner Cascadia, a new generation of big trucks. The Cascadia was designed to save fuel, be safe, and be very reliable. In 2009, Freightliner started making natural gas versions of its M2 trucks. Also in 2009, DTNA stopped making Sterling Trucks. This was because Sterling trucks were too similar to Freightliner models.

Modern Trucks and Electric Future (2010s–2020s)

After Sterling Trucks closed, Freightliner's truck lineup changed. Some older models like the FLD Classic were stopped. The Columbia and Century Class trucks were also stopped in North America, but they are still made for export. The Coronado truck was updated for special jobs.

In 2010, Freightliner introduced its first hybrid truck, which uses both diesel and electric power. In 2011, they launched the SD model family, which are tough trucks for severe jobs.

In 2012, Freightliner celebrated its 70th anniversary. They showed off a "Revolution" concept truck made of carbon fiber. It had a special design for a single driver. Because the Cascadia truck was so popular, DTNA expanded its factory in Cleveland, North Carolina. Many of these trucks were also sent to countries like South Africa and Australia.

In 2013, Freightliner added a natural-gas version of the Cascadia. They also introduced the Cascadia Evolution, which was even better at saving fuel.

On August 22, 2014, the Cleveland factory built its 3 millionth vehicle: a 2015 Cascadia Evolution!

In May 2015, Freightliner showed off the Freightliner Inspiration truck. This was the first self-driving semi-truck allowed on public roads! It was based on a Cascadia and could drive itself, but a driver still needed to be present.

For 2017, Freightliner launched a second-generation Cascadia, which looked similar to the Inspiration truck. In 2018, they introduced the EconicSD, a low-entry truck mainly for garbage collection.

In 2019, Daimler announced it would stop developing new gasoline or diesel engines. Instead, they would focus on electric vehicles.

As of 2022, Freightliner offers all-electric versions of its MT-series delivery vans and school buses. The eCascadia, an all-electric semi-truck, was first tested by customers in 2019 and officially launched in May 2022. An electric version of the M2 box truck is also being tested.

Freightliner Truck Models

Here are some of the trucks Freightliner has made over the years:

Freightliner Class 8 Trucks
Model Family Name	Production Years	Cab Configuration	Notes
WFT (White-Freightliner)	1958–1976	Cabover/COE
WFC (White-Freightliner) WFC 120	1974–1976	Conventional	First White-Freightliner conventional 120-inch BBC
FLA-Series FLA FLA 104 FLA 104 64 FLA 75 FLA 7542T FLA 8662 FLA 8664T FLA 9664 FLA 9664T	c. 1987 – 1997	Cabover/COE
FLB-Series FLB FLB 100 42T FLB 104 64 FLB 9664	c. 1987 – 1997	Cabover/COE
FLT-Series FLT FLT 6442 FLT 9664 FLT 7564	1976–1986	Cabover/COE	Similar to WFT COE, renamed after White Motor Company stopped selling them.
FLL-Series	1976 – c. 2000	Low-entry COE	Low-cab forward COE, used for special jobs.
Argosy	North America: 1998–2006 Global: 1998–2020	Cabover/COE	COE truck based on the C-Series design.
FLC-Series FLC FLC 120 FLC 120 64 FLC 120 64 T FLC 120 84	1977–1987	Conventional	Updated in 1984. Setback axle version made from 1984-1987. FLC112 is a different truck, part of the Business Class.
FLD-Series FLD FLD 112 FLD 120 42 S FLD 120 64 ST FLD 120 64 T FLD 120 HD FLD 120 SD FLD 120 SFFA FLD 132 64T Classic XL FLD-SD FLD 120	1987–2010	Conventional	"Aerodynamic" truck with smooth sides and curved bumpers. Came in 112 and 120-inch BBCs. Classic series (using FLC hood) started in 1990 (see below). FLD SD (severe-duty) has a "Classic" (not aerodynamic) hood and fenders.
Classic Series Classic Classic XL	1990–2010	Conventional	FLD-based truck with a "traditional" hood design. Classic = 120-inch BBC. Classic XL = 132-inch BBC. Later replaced by the Coronado.
C-Series Century Class (C120) Century Class Century Class S/T Columbia (CL120) Coronado (CC132) Coronado SD 122SD Cascadia (CA125) Cascadia Evolution New Cascadia eCascadia	1996–present	Conventional	Replaced FLD-Series trucks in stages. Century Class and Columbia replaced FLD 120. Coronado replaced Classic/Classic XL. Cascadia (2008) replaced both Century Class and Columbia; it's the second generation of this model. New Cascadia (2017) is the third generation. eCascadia is the electric version.
SD-Series 108SD AB 114SD AB 114SD AF	2011–present	Conventional	Tough trucks for severe jobs, based on the M2 Business Class. Also includes the 122SD (which became the Coronado in 2013).

Freightliner Medium-Duty (Class 5–7) Trucks
Model Family Name	Production Years	Cab configuration	Notes
Business Class (FL-Series) FLC112 FL50 FL60 FL70 FL80 FL106 FL112	1985–2007	Conventional	First-generation Business Class, shares cab with Mercedes-Benz LKN.
Condor	2001–2013	Low-cab COE	Made mostly for garbage trucks. Also produced by Sterling Trucks and American LaFrance. Available as a semi-truck.
EconicSD	2018–present	Low-entry	Low-entry COE truck based on the Mercedes-Benz Econic COE. Replaces the Condor.
Cargo FC70 FC80	1999–2007	Low-cab COE	Continued production of the Ford Cargo truck, adapted to the FL-Series chassis. Also sold by Sterling (SC7000/SC8000).
Business Class M2 Business Class M2e Hybrid Business Class M2 106 Business Class M2 112 Business Class M2 106V Business Class M2 112V	2001–present 2001–2011	Conventional	Second-generation Business Class, with a cab designed by Freightliner. M2 106 - 106-inch BBC. M2 112 - 112-inch BBC. 106V and 112V were replaced in 2011 by the SD Series.

Other Freightliner Vehicles
Model Family Name	Production Years	Cab configuration	Notes
MT-Series MT-45 MT-55 MT50e	c. 1995 – present	Step-van chassis	Made by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation. MT50e is the electric version.
Freightliner Sprinter	2001–2021	Full-size van	A version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, sold under the Freightliner name. It was the first company to sell this van in North America. Sold as a cargo van (assembled in the U.S. from parts) and a passenger van (imported from Germany). Mercedes-Benz stopped selling the Freightliner Sprinter in December 2021. The Sprinter is still made and sold under the Mercedes-Benz brand.
FS-65	1996–2006	bus chassis	Bus chassis designed from the Business Class FL chassis; based on FL60 and FL70.
S2	2001–present	Cutaway-cab/chassis	A cutaway cab version of the Business Class M2 10.
C2	2003–present	bus chassis	School bus chassis designed for the Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 body.