ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Hess Trucks - A Holiday Tradition For 50 Years

Updated on March 4, 2015

Hess Trucks

The first Hess toy truck was released in 1964, beginning an annual tradition that has continued to this day 50 years later.

Hess trucks are built with an attention to detail and quality that make them fun toys and cherished collectibles. Each year's truck has working lights, movable parts and many recent models include additional vehicles. They're a great value and new ones even come with their own batteries.

A limited quantity of trucks are released each year and sold exclusively through Hess gas stations around the US. The new truck is usually released during November just in time for Christmas.

Hess trucks make excellent gifts for the children and collectors on your list.

2014 Hess Toy Release

The 2014 Hess Toy Truck & Space Cruiser with Scout is now on sale!

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hess trucks, Hess has also released a limited quantify Collector's Edition toy truck!

Hess Truck 50th Anniversary Video

Cool video from Hess showing clips of the Hess truck commercials from 1980 through to 2013.

The 2014 Hess Toy Truck & Space Cruiser with Scout

The 2014 Hess toy features a heavy duty truck with the number "50" embossed on each side of the cab to commemorate the 50th anniversary. The truck bed has a launch pad that elevates and holds the new Space Cruiser vehicle. The Space Cruiser has 3 button activated sounds plus 3 motion activated sounds. It also contains a cargo bay with the removable scout vehicle.

2014 Hess Toy Truck Commercial

The 2014 Hess Toy Truck 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition

The special limited edition 50th anniversary Hess Truck is a modern version of the original Hess tanker toy trucks. It has over 100 working lights, the most of any Hess truck ever! The tanker contains a replica 1964 Hess Toy Truck replica that you can see through a window on the sides of the tank and also take it out through a hinged door at the rear of the tank.

The 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Hess Trucks

The 2010 Hess toy featured a tractor trailer carrying a jet plane on a tilting hydraulic launch ramp. Both vehicles have lots of lights that can be set to flashing mode, including a runway light sequence on the trailer. 2010 was the first year a jet plane has been offered. The jet also has motion activated sounds and retractable landing gear!

The 2011 Hess toy featured a heavy duty utility truck carrying a race car that loads and unloads via a hidden ramp. Both vehicles have lots of lights and electronic sound effects including ignition, horn, engine and backup alert. The race car also features a pullback motor.

The 2012 Hess toy was a helicopter and rescue vehicle. The helicopter has motorized rotors, working lights, a cargo bay door/ramp, 3 sounds (ignition, take off and fly by) and retractable landing gear. The rescue truck has working lights and fits inside the helicopter's cargo bay.

The 2013 Hess toy features a heavy duty truck and custom trailer with retractable loading ramp. It carries a motorized front end loader with backhoe. The front and back buckets are articulated and the front bucket can be locked in position. Both the truck and tractor have all the working lights typical of a Hess truck. The truck also has 4 realistic truck sound effects.

2011 Hess Toy Truck and Race Car Commercial

Hess Trucks from the 1960s

The collection started in 1964 with the Hess Tanker Trailer modeled after an actual tanker trailer. You can even fill the tanker with water which then flows through the delivery hose.

With the exception of 1966, all trucks during this decade were variations of the tanker truck. All had working lights.

The Hess Tanker Ship

The truck for 1966 was actually a replica of the Hess Voyager tanker ship. The toy version has working lights and wheels underneath so that it can roll.

Hess Trucks from the 1970s

The 70s started with a fire truck modeled after the fire engine at a Hess refinery. A box trailer truck was introduced complete with removable oil barrels. There were also additional variations of the original tanker truck.

What do you do with your Hess trucks?

See results

Hess Trucks from the 1980s

The first truck of this decade was a replica of the Hess training van that traveled to Hess stations across the country. It was the first truck to have a lighted Hess logo on the side.

Another popular model from the 80s is the replica of the 1933 truck that Leon Hess used to deliver fuel oil. This truck was produced in 1982-83 and again in 1985 with the addition of a coin bank in one of the tanks.

1988 marked the first truck that came with another vehicle. The Hess "Toy Truck and Racer" carried a friction powered race car.

Two new fire trucks were also introduced in '86 and '89.

1985 Hess Toy Truck Commercial

Hess Trucks from the 1990s

Several trucks released in the 1990s continued the multiple vehicle packaging theme. The 1995 truck came with a helicopter and the 1997 truck came with two race cars that fit in the trailer.

1999 celebrated the Hess Truck's 35th anniversary with the "Toy Truck and Space Shuttle with Satellite". Several new emergency vehicles were also released during 1993, 1994 and 1996.

Hess Trucks from 2000-2009

Trucks of the last decade include a helicopter carrying a motorcycle and SUV, a truck carrying a bi-plane, a monster truck with motorcycles and race cars.

2008 featured a hauler truck with a motorized front end loader that moves forward and reverse (it's the first Hess vehicle with reverse motion).

What do you think of Hess trucks? Share your favorite Hess truck stories in the comments below.

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)