Why Do Truckers Say 'Breaker Breaker 1-9' On The Radio? Here's What It Means

It's almost impossible not to attach a level of romanticism to the life of a trucker, as life on the road presents no shortage of sights that go largely unseen by the general public. But there are some pretty obvious drawbacks to spending the bulk of your time at the wheel of a semi truck from even America's most popular brands, not the least of which is that truckers almost exclusively cruise the open roads alone.

Smart phones, mobile devices, and ANC-enabled headsets have, of course, helped ease the strain of a life lived in the cabin of an 18-wheeler. However, many truckers still turn to their trusty old CB radio when they need some friendly conversation, or if they want to touch base with fellow drivers about potential issues awaiting them on the road ahead. Whatever their reason might be for picking up that CB receiver, there's an etiquette truckers follow when conversing with the device, including the use of coded phrases like "Breaker Breaker 1-9."

Whether you've logged time behind the wheel of a big rig or not, you've probably heard that phrase before or even used it yourself, if only in jest. But we'd wager you did so without know what it means. In essence, "Breaker Breaker 1-9" is a call for truckers to gather and communicate on a specific CB channel, in this case the commonly used channel 19. And yes, it's far from the only CB specific lingo they use to communicate on the road.    

Truck drivers basically have a language all their own when it comes to chatting on a CB radio — one that's made up of several  numeric codes, nicknames, slang terms, and catchphrases. Along with the fine art of tire thumping, proper CB lingo is one of those things every trucker needs to learn before they set off on a long-haul journey.

As we've already de-coded "Breaker Breaker 1-9," we'll start with other numerical phrases, as you'll need to be familiar with the so-called 10 Codes when hailing other truckers. For instance, "10-4" is a common phrase used to acknowledge that you clearly understand what the person on the other end of the conversation has said. Likewise, if you're signing off from a conversation, "10-7" is the phrase to use. Meanwhile, "10-13" is regarded as a request for a weather report or conditions on the road ahead, and "10-100" signals you're getting off the road briefly to visit the nearest restroom.

There are lots of other "10 Codes" to memorize before you start chatting on a CB, as well as a few key non-numeric phrases. Among those is "The Big Slab," which is a common reference to the actual road you're driving on. If you hear a trucker talking about "GoGo Juice," they are, of course, referring to fuel, while "Chokenpuke" is likely referencing one of the greasy spoons one might eat at while gassing up. And whenever a truckers asks for a "Smokey Report," they are hoping you can notify them about the presence of law enforcement on the road ahead.