Trucks of all varieties have become an integral part of our livelihood and society. Not only do trucks play a primary role in the movement of goods across the country, trucks are also essential to much of the work that takes place to build and maintain our economy. While history lessons often talk about the major role rail systems played in the development of our nation, not as much is heard about how trucks came to play such a major role in our nation’s prosperity.
During World War I, trucks first began playing a role in the US as they were used extensively by the military. As the construction of paved roads began to increase, trucking became a significant transportation source in the 1930s. Approaching the late 1950s and 1960s, the construction of the Interstate Highway System across the continent accelerated the use of trucks for transportation.
Transportation of goods is just one of the ways trucks have helped to grow our nation’s prosperity. In the early 1900’s, trucks began to replace the traditional horse and wagon. Overtime, demand grew for specialized truck bodies. Those early coachbuilders who developed the first customized truck bodies laid the foundation for the diverse and sophisticated truck body industry of today.
The earliest truck bodies, developed in the 1920’s and 30’s, included heavy duty truck tanker bodies, coal delivery bodies, and mobile towers for utility workers. Eventually truck bodies were created for lighter duty or multi-service applications, including truck bodies for contractors, tradesmen, and service technicians.
In the mid-1940’s, Robert B. Drake and William S. Scruggs laid the groundwork for what would evolve into Drake-Scruggs Equipment Inc. Since then, Drake-Scruggs has served the need for quality truck bodies and equipment for the utility vehicle market. Those early truck bodies enhanced efficiency and profitability for a wide range of businesses by offering improved organization and expanded equipment capacity. Truck bodies meet the same needs today, offering an unprecedented level of sophistication and innovation.
