Greyhound’s “Cracker Box” Jimmys

Seen here in a photo taken in 1964 at the old Enco Truckstop at Washington and Long Beach Blvd. (near downtown L.A.), is this early 60s GMC “Cracker Box” cab-over that was leased to Greyhound Van Lines, based in Chicago, Illinois. For many years, and especially in the 1950s thru the early 1970s, the “bedbug” rigs that pulled for Greyhound Van Lines were a familiar sight to see. The “Cracker Box” GMCs were a popular truck for most of the van lines, and got their name as a result of the rather square appearance that these “Jimmys” had. The “Cracker Box” was first introduced by General Motors in the late 1950s and were made up to 1967. Then in 1968, the GMC Astro 95 came out and was the replacement for the “Cracker Box”. As for Greyhound, they changed their name to Smythe Van Lines and became an important player in moving displays for the trade show industry. I don’t know if they are still doing business, but perhaps one of our readers can shed some new light on Smythe. For many years, some of the sharpest bedbug rigs had pulled for Greyhound, and in the 1960s there was a Standard Oil gas station on La Brea Avenue, north of LAX, that was home to some really cool-looking Greyhound rigs, when they needed a place to park in the L.A. area. The trailer seen here was a 40’ drop-framed Highway trailer. Greyhound Van Lines had both conventionals as well as cab-overs leased to them, and all makes and models could be found in their large fleet.