Why We Still Use This 1970s Trucker Code to Ask ‘Where Are You?’

3 min readNew DelhiMay 2, 2026 07:00 PM If someone texts you, “What’s your 20?”, they are most likely asking one simple thing: Where are you? The phrase may sound confusing if you’ve never heard it before, but it has a long hory rooted in radio communication and law enforcement language. Today, it has crossed over into casual conversations, especially in pop culture, texting, and social media.
Origin
The phrase comes from the 10-code system, a set of shorthand radio signals used police officers, truck drivers, CB radio users, and emergency responders in the United States. One of the most common codes was 10-20, which means location.
So when someone asked, “What’s your 20?”, they were really asking, “What’s your location?” This system became popular because radio communication needed to be quick, clear, and efficient. Instead of saying long sentences, officers could use short numeric codes.
For example:

 10-4 = Message received / understood
10-7 = Out of service
10-9 = Repeat message
10-20 = Location

Over time, “What’s your 20?” became one of the most recognisable phrases from this system.

How is it used today?
Even outside police and radio communication, the phrase is now used casually.
Friends may text: “Hey, what’s your 20?”Meaning: Where are you right now?
Or someone might say: “We’re all here. What’s your 20?” Meaning: Tell us your location so we know where you are. It’s often used in a playful or informal tone, especially among people familiar with American slang, movies, or police dramas.Story continues below this ad

Why did it become popular?

Television shows, crime dramas, trucking culture, and CB radio popularity in the 1970s helped bring the phrase into mainstream language.
Movies and series featuring police officers often used radio codes, making phrases like “10-4” and “What’s your 20?” widely recognized even people who were never part of that world.
Today, social media and texting culture have kept the phrase alive, especially because it sounds cooler and shorter than simply saying “Where are you?”

Should you use it?
Yes, if the context is casual and the other person understands the phrase. It works best in informal chats, friendly banter, or pop-culture-heavy conversations. In formal settings, simply asking “Where are you?” is clearer.
Still, “What’s your 20?” remains one of those phrases that adds personality to everyday conversation while carrying a bit of old-school radio hory. From police radios to WhatsApp texts, this phrase proves that language often travels far beyond where it started.