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He owned a lumber company that was having trouble with shipping its trees, and was an unlikely person to found a truck company that has become as much a US icon as cowboy hats and boots.
It all began in the early part of the 20th century when Alfred “Al” Peterman had trouble transporting his trees from the forest to users in Washington state.
His solution was to adapt surplus US Army trucks to ship his lumber.
After creating his first Peterbilt trucks in 1939, Peterman who died just a few years later, might never have dreamed his company would also become a movie star that played a part in the US Moon landing program.
In modern-day America, trucks have gone beyond being simply a means of transporting things from one location to another. So-called “Peters” have become icons and symbols. And Peterbilt may be America’s best known.
Many of his trucks with their long, squared-off hoods have become classics, such as the 1951 Peterbilt 350. It was among the company’s best sellers (actually, the next year’s model 351 had the longest run in company history).
His truck company has become known for many things such as their durability and being strangers to heavy repairs, as well as holding up prices as the model years aged.
Keep reading, click here: The Peterbilt Legacy
