Est. in 1940 as Freightways Manufacturing Co. Inc. by
Leland James, founder and president of Consolidated Freightways of
Portland, Oregon First plant located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Built the 1st
true cab over engine trucks to meet Oregon truck length laws.

 First Freightliner nameplate appeared  in 1941. Company changed name in
1942 to Freightliner Corporation.  Closed Utah plant in 1944 during
 World War II and reopened in 1947  in Portland.

 Formed marketing agreement with  White Motor Corporation in 1951 to
 market trucks under the  White Freightliner name. By 1960
 sales reached 1000 units.

The 1st sleeper tractors were built in 1950.

In 1948 sold first truck outside Consolidated Freightways to Vince
Graziano, a Portland produce hauler.

 Introduced its 1st conventional truck in 1973. Ended relationship with
White in 1975 and built new dealer  network. Company's first East Coast
 manufacturing presence came in 1978 with opening of parts plant in
Gastonia, North Carolina.

In 1995, the company purchased its 1st non-traditional truck company,
 American LaFrance, makers of fire  trucks and emergency vehicles. It
also entered the custom chassis market with the purchase of Custom
Chassis Corporation of Gaffney, S.Carolina, the same year. Went
on to purchase Ford Motor Company's heavy truck business in 1997 (later
became known as Sterling), bus maker Thomas Built Buses in 1998, and
Western Star Trucks and Orion Buses  in 2000. Volume in 2000 reached
151,000 vehicles.