| Freightliner Trucks has been in business since 1942. | | | | This was a necessary move, as Freightliner had |
| During the industrialization of America, there was great | | | | become the main product produced by Consolidated |
| need for heavy duty vehicles to be the workhorses of | | | | Freightways, and they wanted to have the trucks |
| the various construction projects that were going on | | | | manufactured at their main headquarters in Oregon. |
| during this period. Although a subsidiary of a German | | | | Unfortunately, the 1980s brought about many difficult |
| company, Daimler, the Freightliner brand experiences its | | | | changes for the heavy truck industry. Freightliner |
| highest grossing sales in North America. Freightliner has | | | | Trucks were now unregulated and resulted in |
| the best selling class 8 trucks in the United States, | | | | increases competition within the industry. It was for this |
| outselling all other heavy duty vehicle manufacturers | | | | reason that the Freightliner brand was sold to |
| with annual earnings of over thirty-two billion dollars. | | | | Daimler-Benz in 1981. Daimler realized that it needed to |
| Originally based out of Salt Lake City, Utah, Freightliner | | | | adapt to the changing marketplace, and thus created a |
| Trucks was created by the Consolidated Freightways | | | | new line of vehicles. Daimler would continue to produce |
| company. The idea behind Freightways extension into | | | | heavy duty vehicles for the construction industry, but |
| the heavy duty truck market came about when | | | | decided to produce more economic vehicles for the |
| workers could not traverse the rugged terrain of the | | | | transportation industry as well. |
| western United States in their current heavy vehicles. | | | | These new "medium" duty trucks were an instant |
| The heavy trucks struggled to climb the various | | | | success. They still had enough power to haul large |
| mountains and workers couldn't transport necessary | | | | loads, but had increased economy due to their smaller |
| materials to key areas for road construction and other | | | | size. This meant that the truck was cheaper to |
| industrial projects. Freightliner instantly became a | | | | maintain than the heavy duty line, but could still haul |
| classic name in heavy machinery, and helped | | | | almost as much. It was because of this decision that |
| immensely in forming the United States as we know it | | | | Freightliner claims the title of best selling commercial |
| today. When World War II began, Freightliner had to | | | | truck in the United States. The adaptation and |
| halt production as the military demanded all of the | | | | competence of Daimler-Benz will continue to fuel the |
| country's available resources. When production began | | | | Freightliner brand for the foreseeable future, with no |
| again after the war, the company had to move to | | | | limit in sight. |
| Portland, Oregon. | | | | |