Ateamster inAmerican English is atruck driver; a person who drives teams ofdraft animals; or a member of theInternational Brotherhood of Teamsters, alabor union. In some places, a teamster was called acarter, the name referring to thebullock cart.[1]
Originally the termteamster meant a person who drove a team, usually ofoxen,horses, ormules, pulling awagon,[2] replacing the earlierteamer.[3]
This term was common by the time of theMexican–American War (1848) and theIndian Wars throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries on theAmerican frontier.
Another name for the occupation wasbullwhacker, related to driving oxen. A teamster might also drivepack animals, such as a muletrain, in which case he was also called amuleteer or muleskinner. Today this person may be called anoutfitter orpacker.[4]
InAustralian English, a teamster was also called a bullocker orbullocky[citation needed] and was sometimes used to denote acarrier.[5]
From theRevolutionary War at least throughWorld War I,United States Army enlisted personnel responsible for transporting supplies by wagon and for the upkeep of those draft animals were called wagoners.[6]
