John “Jack” Mack, who co-founded Mack Trucks, Inc.—then known as the Mack Brothers Company—with his brothers Augustus and William, is killed when his car collides with a trolley in Pennsylvania on March 14, 1924.
After the Mack brothers sold their company to investors in 1911, it continued to flourish, becoming one of North America’s largest makers of heavy-duty trucks. During World War I, Mack built thousands of trucks for the American and British governments. The company acquired its trademark bulldog logo when British soldiers said the truck’s blunt-nosed hood and durability reminded them of their country’s mascot, the bulldog. In 1922, the company was renamed Mack Trucks, Inc.
In 2001, Mack was acquired by Volvo of Sweden. Today, the expression “it hit me like a Mack truck” (meaning something that creates a powerful impact) is part of the American lexicon.
