This year sees Mack Trucks celebrating its 125th anniversary.

What started in July 1900 with brothers John (Jack) and Augustus (Gus) Mack and a dream in a small Brooklyn, New York workshop, has grown into a global transportation powerhouse that has literally helped build America.

Mack Trucks have provided the muscle behind many of America’s greatest achievements – from hauling materials for the Hoover Dam, to collecting waste in cities nationwide with its revolutionary zero tailpipe-emission electric vehicles.

“For 125 years, Mack Trucks has been more than just a manufacturer – we’ve been helping to build the American success story,” says Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks.

“Every Mack truck that rolls off our assembly line carries forward a legacy of grit, innovation, and that unmistakable bulldog tenacity that has defined our brand since 1900.”

When the Brooklyn Bridge needed strengthening in 1909, Mack Trucks carried the steel. When the Pan-American Highway stretched toward the horizon, Mack Trucks carved the path. Through the Great Depression, two World Wars, and into the modern era, Mack has been the constant force helping to construct America’s skylines, highways and infrastructure.

The iconic Mack Bulldog – now synonymous with durability worldwide – earned its stripes on the battlefields of World War I, where British soldiers nicknamed the sturdy Mack AC models “bulldogs” for their tenacious reliability under fire.

This wartime nickname became destiny when chief engineer Alfred Fellows Masury carved the first Mack Bulldog hood ornament from a bar of soap during a hospital stay in 1932 to pass the time. Today, that same symbol of determination rides proudly on every Mack truck, representing a century-plus commitment to unwavering quality and strength.

“What’s remarkable about Mack’s 125-year journey is how the core values have remained constant even as the technology has evolved,” says Doug Maney, curator of the Mack Trucks Historical Museum.

“In the museum, we have trucks from every era – from early chain-driven vehicles to modern electric models. While the technology depicts the story of innovation, it’s the countless tales of reliability and the determination of owners, drivers, and dealers that truly define the Mack legacy. These stories exemplify that whether it’s a 1900 or 2025, a Mack truck is built to get the job done.”

As Mack enters its next century and a quarter, the company is leading the charge toward sustainable transportation. The deployment of the LR Electric refuse trucks in major US cities has shown that zero tailpipe-emission vehicles can be used in the most demanding applications. In addition, the MD Electric series is transforming medium-duty applications from beverage delivery to local freight.

“Our 125th anniversary isn’t just about celebrating our past – it’s about driving toward an even more innovative future,” says Stephen Roy.

“The same spirit that inspired Jack and Gus Mack to build their first vehicle continues to drive us forward as we pioneer electric and autonomous technologies for the next generation of transportation.”