Pakistan’s “Jingle Trucks”

Pakistan’s elaborately decorated trucks are a hard to be missed highlight of any road trip across the country. They dominate the highways as well as the winding high mountain roads and passes, moving pieces of art. Dedicated workshops, many of them around the city of Rawalpindi, provide artists and specialists work decorating the trucks. Complex polished metalwork and glossy paint depicting animals, beautiful women, deities and symbols require several weeks to complete and cost thousands of dollars. Nevertheless they make the truck drivers proud, showing off their personality, and the vehicles trustworthy, since an impressively decorated truck can surely transport goods equally efficiently. The inside of the trucks is at least as impressive as the outside, with special upholstery, woodwork and added statuettes that create a palace for the driver, who usually spends more money for his vehicle than for his home. The painted dangling bells and chains hanging from the trucks give them their fancy name “Jingle Trucks”!

  • Place Rawalpindi
  • Country Pakistan
  • Continent Asia
  • When July 2019
Proudly posing in front of a heavily decorated truck
Elaborate paintwork covers every inch.
A driver's truck is his "bride".
Dangling chains and bells provide the soundtrack as the vehicle moves.
Many specialist's workshops are in the outskirts of Rawalpindi.
It takes several weeks to complete a truck's decoration.
Painters, metal workers and mechanics collaborate for the final result.
Many shops sell decorative items ready to install.
The inside decoration is equally important.
Who needs a refreshment?
A truck driver takes pride in showing his personality through his vehicle.
The "Jingle Trucks" take everything everywhere!
A well taken care of truck is a dependable means of transportation.
Bold colours dominate Pakistani roads.