A Brief History of the Modern Work Truck

Pickup trucks have been part of the American tradition since 1925. The pickup truck has always been a symbol of hard work. Owning or renting pickup trucks meant you had serious work to do. For hard working people who couldn’t afford to buy these iconic vehicles, pickup rentals have always been available.

The Birth of America’s Love for Trucks

The pickup traditions was born in 1925 with Ford’s Model T roadster. These vehicles were designed to accommodate to help farmers in the fields. Since 1912, farmers were using the older Model T to help around the farm, even Henry Ford himself had a 1912 Model T on his farm. The 1912 Model T only had a cargo box on the back. This wasn’t ideal for big loads. This is what made the 1925 version so popular. The 1925 Model T was specifically designed to haul bigger loads. By 1928, the Model T was replaced with the more powerful Model A.

Four Wheel Drive Is a Must

Beginning in 1935, America started falling in love with four wheel drive. Even today, pickup rentals are almost always four wheel drive. Ford released their first four wheel drive truck in 1935. Dodge followed suit in 1946 with the very popular Power Wagon. The next year, Jeep made a pickup comparable to Dodge’s Power Wagon. These trucks played a huge role in the war. After the war, the trucks came home and played a huge role for working America.

The Van Style Takes the Spotlight

In 1952, pickup trucks and pickup rentals started to resemble the pickup trucks of today. They had long bed length and short cabs. One difference was these pickups resembled vans. The Volkswagen Transporter was one of these van-like pickups, and they were popular for the better part of the 60’s.

The Image of America Develops

During the popularity of the van style pickup trucks, trucks with similar attributes as today’s trucks started to be designed. In 1955, Chevrolet released the Cameo Carrier. These trucks had longer noses and bigger engines.

The Constant Growth of the Modern Pickup

With the constant advancements in technology, motor companies are able to improve the modern truck. Today we have an abundance of rental trucks in America. Here at Summit Fleet, we make sure that our rental fleet is equipped with the best technology. This means our trucks are the most powerful and fuel efficient trucks on the market.

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