Trucker (AKA "4Speed" in North America
Trucker was introduced to the UK market in 1988, as one of the
Adventure Boy Ponies. He had originally been sold in North
America as one of the Big Brother Ponies from 1987. He was
designed probably as a kind of construction/transportation/long
distance driver kind of a character, although his hard hat and
his rubbish collection vehicle symbol make his 'theme' a bit
confused. The name got changed in the UK, probably because
4Speed doesn't really mean anything here, but a trucker (albeit
still a bit of an American term) is easier to understand. The
American name '4Speed' is the only G1 pony name beginning with a
number.
Trucker's Name
UK Backcard, 1988
Trucker Mint on Card
UK, 1988
Image from Lucifer*Sam
Like all the Big Brother releases, Trucker was sold with a hat
and bandana (called a scarf, or a neck scarf in the UK) as well
as a brush. The bandanas were the same style between ponies, but
in different colours (each brother had a unique colour). The
hats were specially designed to fit that pony's theme, and so
were only sold with that specific character.
Trucker's streak in his mane is meant to be fading pink, though
he is often found with it faded out to white.
Trucker's character
As mentioned before, Trucker's identity is a bit of a mish-mash.
In the comic, he was very fond of his truck, and especially of
keeping it nice and shiny (on one occasion, his duster blew away
and Tex had to rescue it with his lasso). He also delivered post
around Ponyland, despite his truck looking like a rubbish
collection vehicle. And, sometimes, ponies travelled inside of it.
He drove it all over Ponyland, sometimes raced it (such as against
Speedy and her
rollerskates), and flirted with the Summer Wing Ponies on his travels.
Shiny Truck, Happy Trucker
UK Pony & Friends Comic, 1988
