This is the story behind the development of trucks and trailers. Today's modern trucks are a far cry from their predecessors. Speaking of the first machines that could be called trucks, we have to go back to 1769 when Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot created the Fardier steam locomotives. In the middle of the 19th century, steam wagons became relatively popular and their use was limited due to the lack of a suitable road network. Transport routes were short at the time, mostly between different factories and railway stations. An innovation was introduced in 1881 - the first type of semi-trailer was invented, pulled by a De Dion-Bouton steam tractor, but the real semi-trailer we know today was developed in 1914 by August Fruehauf. His first trailer was attached to a Ford truck, and his idea became extremely popular due to its effectiveness in transporting goods in the United States. Fruehauf was founded in 1918 and still produces trailers and semi-trailers. Fruehauf is currently one of the biggest names in business. The father of the modern day truck Back to basics: the father of the modern truck is Gottlieb Daimler, who built his first truck in 1896, using Karl Benz's internal combustion engine developed a year earlier. Before Daimler's truck, Benz also created its version of a truck, and in the same year the first bus was created by Netphener on the chassis of the same vehicle. A year after the launch of the truck by Daimler, Bussing, Renault and Peugeot created their own models. In the meantime, some American manufacturers also started working on their truck models, and Autocar introduced the first in 1899, equipped with an 8-horsepower engine. Also in 1899, Alexander Winton built the first 18-wheeler. His own Winton Motor Carriage Company needed it to haul road cars across the country. A year later Mack was founded in Brooklyn - the first truck manufacturer to use a motor starter. Mack trucks have proven to be some of the toughest on the road in just two decades. Market growth The number of trucks produced began to increase, and over 700 units were built in 1904 in the United States. This number rose to 6,000 in 1910 and to 25,000 just four years later. One of the first pickup truck manufacturers in the United States was Chevrolet - they offered their first pickup truck in 1918 and continued to sell them as a cab and chassis configuration until 1931. Buyers were left to decide from the rear to put on vans. At the end of the First World War, the technological advantages introduced are notable: electric starters, pneumatic tires, 8-cylinder engines, comfortable cabins and electric headlights have become standard equipment. Steam engines became obsolete in most of Europe and the United States during World War I, but were still used in Britain until the mid-1930s when diesel engines replaced them . Renault and Ford entered the truck market in the mid-1920s. Ford offered a flatbed option for the Model T truck and later for the Model A version launched in 1928, which had roll-up windows and a steel cab safe. A few years later, a man named Fred Jones invented the first refrigerated trailer, as ice and salt became an obsolete method of transporting meat and other products that needed to be kept cool. His initial design used a four-cylinder engine, compressor and thermostat and he perfected it by placing the engine in the front part of the trailer. His boss, Joe Numero, quickly founded the American company Thermo-Control Company and created the Thermo King brand. Peterbilt was founded in 1939 and produced the first heavy-duty logging trucks of a design that is still in service today. This is when semi-trailers became more popular due to their efficiency in hauling logs. The mid 20th century During this time, many European truck manufacturers, which are still thriving today, took their first steps into the industry. Manufacturers like DAF, MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo flourished in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, mainly through the use of diesel engines. The diesel engine was invented as early as 1897 but it became a popular solution for trucks after Benz showed a diesel truck in 1923. Naturally, it was a common thing in the 1930s. As for the American market, the