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hot nickel

A trucker and highway slang term for Interstate 5 — the major north-south freeway running along the US West Coast from the Canadian border down to Mexico.

ˈhɑt ˈnɪkəl167 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

A trucker and highway slang term for Interstate 5 — the major north-south freeway running along the US West Coast from the Canadian border down to Mexico. 'Nickel' is CB radio and trucker shorthand for I-5 (the number 5), and 'hot' references either the heavy traffic flow or the intense heat of the California stretches. If you're a long-haul driver rolling through California, Oregon, or Washington, you know exactly what someone means when they say they're riding the hot nickel.

We made it from Seattle to Portland in three hours on the hot nickel — barely any traffic.
Origin: From US trucking CB radio culture. 'Nickel' as shorthand for the number 5 (as in a five-cent coin) applied to I-5; 'hot' may reference traffic density or heat conditions on the California corridor. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(slang) Interstate highway 5.

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