Freightliner

Leland James founded his own trucking company, Consolidated Freight Lines, in 1929. Leland was a visionary and was looking for new solutions to make industrial transportation. He started customizing his trucks with aluminum-made components to reduce the weight of the trucks as much as possible. This first truck was based on the FageolsFageolUnited States of America, 1915 > 19371 model
chassis and was named Freightliner. In 1940 the company's name was changed to Consolidated Freightways and, after a period of interrupted production caused by the war, the company started mass producing heavy-duty vehicles with aluminum components.

In order to expand its market, Consolidated Freightways teamed up with the White Motor Company to take advantage of its dealer network. This partnership ended, however, in 1974 after a few years of struggle. From this point on, Freightways was an independent manufacturer and distributor.

After taking its first steps towards producing its first conventional model, a new factory plant was built in North Carolina in 1979. To this expansion followed the acquisition of Freightliner by Daimler AGDaimlerGermany, 1889 > present12 models
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in 1980. Daimler agreed to provide the funds to dominate the american scene and eventually the company's goal was achieved as Freightliner became the main heavy truck manufacturer in the USA in just ten years. After purchasing a number of companies during the 1990's, such as Oshkosh Custom Chassis, the Thomas Built Buses, the Western Star Trucks and the Detroit Diesel Corporation, Freightliner was undoubtedly the biggest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles in the USA.

In 2007 DaimlerChrysler sold ChryslerChryslerUnited States of America, 1925 > present70 models
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's division and renamed Freightliner to Daimler Trucks North America.