Jamaican truck drivers are infamous for their road antics. The fast driving, horn honking, gear changing and jakes jakesing, command our attention often, and inspire glee in many whose usual response is "Machine!"
Showing them love seems to extend beyond the streets, however, as TikTok trucker videos are getting lots of views. There are at least 32 accounts posting these videos, with an average of 5,000 followers each.
The videos range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Some show engine power, some show driving skills, and others show the madness on our roads. As a marketing device, the videos seem mostly to communicate that truckers are a stable presence on Jamaican roads.
The videos have helped them build a healthy and thriving community of operators and fans. Clearly, some audiences are enjoying being entertained by the sounds, sights, and speeds of these machines.
Here are some examples:
Truck driving gear shifting like crazy!
https://www.tiktok.com/@trucksofjamaica/video/7076050868218498310?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en&q=jamaica%20trucks&t=1664324524118
Overloaded truck falls on its side.
https://www.tiktok.com/@dreskkvlll/video/7022863692316331269?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en&q=jamaica%20trucks&t=1664324524118
Trucker using his horn as a musical instrument.
https://www.tiktok.com/@jowell.t8/video/7021688227249638661?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en&q=jamaica%20trucks&t=1664324524118
One shows three trucks rocking their cabs.
https://www.tiktok.com/@jowell.t8/video/6984490351734099205?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en&q=jamaica%20trucks&t=1664324524118
Trucker taking a huge backhoe over Flatbridge.
https://www.tiktok.com/@southside_truckers/video/7085689547304094981?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en&q=jamaica%20trucks&t=1664324524118