# Where have all the Mack trucks gone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562 "2017-06-21T19:55:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/1 "2017-06-21T19:55:57Z")
On a recent cross country trip, I decided to start identifying all of the big rigs that I met. It didn’t take long to recognize them by their grills. In order of frequency, I would list them like this: Freightliner Peterbilt Volvo Kenworth (big gap) International (big gap) Western Star Mack Before this trip, I’d always assumed that Mack trucks were a leader in the industry. There’s even the expression “like getting hit by a Mack truck”. Wiki tells me that Mack is now owned by Volvo. Did Volvo rebadge most Mack trucks as Volvos or were they never as popular as I assumed that they were? They still appear to be big in construction type trucks (cement mixers, etc). Is that all that they ever were? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/2 "2017-06-21T20:08:31Z")
We used to do that in my family on road trips back in the 1970s. Macks were in the top 10 makes (and Volvos were not) but White Freightliners were the most popular (and apparently still are). You’d see … one of the brands also used for mainstream pickup trucks… Dodge? Chevrolet? can’t remember. Peterbilts and Kenworths were the fancy classy rigs. Don’t recall Western Star. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/3 "2017-06-21T20:44:19Z")
[Truck sales by manufacturer](https://www.statista.com/statistics/245369/class-8-truck-sales-by-manfuacturer/) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/4 "2017-06-21T20:56:59Z")
The[Mack Truck website](https://www.macktrucks.com/)shows that the Pinnacle series models don’t have the distinctive giant MACK lettering on the grill. Maybe they just aren’t as visible as they used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/5 "2017-06-21T21:04:17Z")
Mack has been owned by Volvo since 2000 when the acquired Renault trucks, which had previously bought Mack. Volvo also owns White and the former GM heavy truck line, and owned Autocar and Western Star at one point. Freightliner and Western Star are owned by Daimler Trucks Peterbuilt and Kenworth are owned by PACCAR International is under the Navistar name. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/6 "2017-06-21T21:07:47Z")
Long time pa-a-ssing! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/7 "2017-06-21T21:09:45Z")
Gone to Volvo, every one. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/8 "2017-06-21T21:30:55Z")
BigBear, this is RubberDuck, we goin 10-7 good buddy, no more american trucks to drive. This is RubberDuck signing off at the pickle park. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/9 "2017-06-21T21:46:01Z")
> [@D18](#): > > Long time pa-a-ssing! Well, they are trucks after all. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/10 "2017-06-21T23:22:00Z")
Gone to flowers, every one. When will they ever learn? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/11 "2017-06-22T01:50:32Z")
Old truckers never die. They just get a new Peterbilt. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/12 "2017-06-22T02:40:39Z")
> [@D18](#): > > Long time pa-a-ssing! Exactly what I was going to post. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/13 "2017-06-22T02:45:21Z")
To me most Mack trucks aren’t tractor trailers. A majority of Mack trucks I see are Class B’s. Dump trucks, Garbage trucks, stake beds etc. Styles of trucks that see less time on the highway. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/14 "2017-06-22T02:47:29Z")
There was always something about that bulldog above the grille… ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/15 "2017-06-22T04:58:44Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > BigBear, this is RubberDuck, we goin 10-7 good buddy, no more american trucks to drive. > This is RubberDuck signing off at the pickle park. ☹ I think Peterbilts and Kenworths are still [American-made](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=paccar&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/16 "2017-06-22T05:04:14Z")
ETA: not to present myself as knowledgeable, I just checked a link from upthread. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/17 "2017-06-22T11:39:27Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I think Peterbilts and Kenworths are still [American-made](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=paccar&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=). Ditto International (Navistar.) ---
**Author:** ![dan1500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dan1500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dan1500)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/18 "2017-06-22T23:58:56Z")
Mack is more popular on the East Coast whereas Western Star is more popular on the West Coast. Somewhat depends on where you were. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/19 "2017-06-23T02:11:41Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I think Peterbilts and Kenworths are still [American-made](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=paccar&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=). So are Freightliner and Western Star. They may be owned by Daimler, but they’re made in Portland and North Carolina. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562/20 "2017-06-23T13:27:59Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > To me most Mack trucks aren’t tractor trailers. A majority of Mack trucks I see are Class B’s. Dump trucks, Garbage trucks, stake beds etc. Styles of trucks that see less time on the highway. I was going to say that I always thought Mack Trucks were short haul, not long haul. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-the-mack-trucks-gone/789562.md?page=2)