Custom trucks for comfort or profit??

TNT Frosty

Well-Known Member
Just wondering for the O/O drivers out there, and the people who work for them as "full timers" (im guessing as full timers)

Do you aim your truck more at being comfortable over the range of freight you can haul and the profit possible?
Alot, if not most of the trucks I have seen of O/O drivers, have massive sleepers, with a mix of single, or duel axle at the rear, yet a massive overhang.

As an line-haul driver, for me, if I had the choice, I would pick the middle path, with just an 110" sleeper, as you can wash your clothes every week, yet make as much profit by hauling different loads...
If I had the opportunity, say in a rigid truck, I would get the 110" sleep, and the cargo hold, have it insulated side gates on either side (so its a refer), but duel axle, and a fold out tailgate at the rear, with roller door.
Reasons for this, is well, not only being a refer, but say if no loads were for refer, but an over size, load was around, well, I can open the side up and fork it on the side..
or if a load needed to be pallet jacked onto the truck, well, slide out the tailgate and load the pallet that way.. or to load up onto a dock, just reverse up, and open the rear roller door...
and being 110" sleep, means there's more space for more cargo at the rear to haul. (perfect for over size loads)
That size sleeper, fits in plenty of shelves and hanger space, and a minibar fridge, also one can go under the lower bed for more cooled space. and can hold a tv and microwave on either side.

As for if it was a semi with trailers, well, just the cab side of things, the freightliner argosy (love the style/looks), aside from looking great, being a flat truck, tighter turns, but I would swap out the motor for one from cummins (ISX15)
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Just wondering for the O/O drivers out there, and the people who work for them as "full timers" (im guessing as full timers)

Do you aim your truck more at being comfortable over the range of freight you can haul and the profit possible?
Alot, if not most of the trucks I have seen of O/O drivers, have massive sleepers, with a mix of single, or duel axle at the rear, yet a massive overhang.

As an line-haul driver, for me, if I had the choice, I would pick the middle path, with just an 110" sleeper, as you can wash your clothes every week, yet make as much profit by hauling different loads...
If I had the opportunity, say in a rigid truck, I would get the 110" sleep, and the cargo hold, have it insulated side gates on either side (so its a refer), but duel axle, and a fold out tailgate at the rear, with roller door.
Reasons for this, is well, not only being a refer, but say if no loads were for refer, but an over size, load was around, well, I can open the side up and fork it on the side..
or if a load needed to be pallet jacked onto the truck, well, slide out the tailgate and load the pallet that way.. or to load up onto a dock, just reverse up, and open the rear roller door...
and being 110" sleep, means there's more space for more cargo at the rear to haul. (perfect for over size loads)
That size sleeper, fits in plenty of shelves and hanger space, and a minibar fridge, also one can go under the lower bed for more cooled space. and can hold a tv and microwave on either side.

As for if it was a semi with trailers, well, just the cab side of things, the freightliner argosy (love the style/looks), aside from looking great, being a flat truck, tighter turns, but I would swap out the motor for one from cummins (ISX15)

You must be in Europe or Australia. Almost nobody runs cabovers here any longer. I rarely see one, and the Argosy is one rare bird here in the US. I'm not even sure that Freightliner even sells them in the US any more.
 

bacha29

Well-Known Member
You must be in Europe or Australia. Almost nobody runs cabovers here any longer. I rarely see one, and the Argosy is one rare bird here in the US. I'm not even sure that Freightliner even sells them in the US any more.
I agree. Unless somebody is still offering a glider kit the Argosy is the last I know of as well. They ride too rough and when you lift the cab anything not nailed own inside goes flying. Then too, you know what they say about driving a COE....... You're always the first one at the scene of an accident.
 

TNT Frosty

Well-Known Member
Aussie driver here.
Freightliner last Argosy is to be built in 2020, the last year. For us aussies, the last of the cab overs, will be left to.. everyone else.
I hate day cabs though, no matter the front, its like seeing a D-size with no arse, large at the front... but nothing to grip onto.

For me, at first the ride was a tad rough, but removing the air from the drivers seat, made it smoother, having 3 sets of airbags is a tad much, front suspension, cab, then seat, that's more air then an airbed.
I do admit that yes, every now and then after the mechanics have worked on a cab-over, books have moved to the front window ledge, or where your feet should go, but only because said driver had forgotten to put it in its cupboard for storage. Then some do say they do become heavy once loaded up, however it was rather surprising to see them still getting lifted up by one person. (safer to do with two, but most shops use one person)

You guys have remind me of another reason to like them sort of trucks.. no need to worry about a motor sitting beside me, or worse, sitting on my lap in an accident. Im all for getting to know my motor.. but thats getting too well acquainted if you ask me :P

I have seen alot of the cascadias floating around, what are your guys thoughts on them?
 

Artee

Well-Known Member
The International cabover's FedEx had were pieces of crap. The only good thing to be said about them was the doghouse was big enough to sleep on should you do an overlay route to the hub. We only had one COE that was a Freightliner and that was not much better than the Internationals. The White was the worst since it had no air ride and the cab was bolted directly to the frame. Like what was mentioned when was the last time you saw a COE on the road in the US?

The newer Cascadias are a piece of crap because of the constant electrical problems and the leaky front windshields. They are comfortable and drive like a sports car though compared to a COE. Never cared for driving the newer Volvos. Not sure how the 2019 Freightliners are . We have one 3 axle with the automatic for 2 months now. Supposedly good things, but still low miles on it. The LED headlights are blinding on it especially when driving the mountain pasess and in the snow. Its nice to be able to see vs the Volvo where you have to drive with the highbeams on at all times just get get some light on the road. Even with the Volvos highbeams on people don't flash you when coming the other was because they are so dim, they look just like the normal lowbeam on other trucks.
 

Artee

Well-Known Member
You're always the first one at the scene of an accident.

Almost 20 years ago now we had a driver coming back from the hub on an overlay route and about 3am fell asleep at the wheel. Hit a tree along side of the freeway and took his legs clean off along with other parts. Died in surgery. Still would have been a nasty accident in a conventional, but maybe would have had a chance? Maybe not.
 

Operational needs

Virescit Vulnere Virtus
Almost 20 years ago now we had a driver coming back from the hub on an overlay route and about 3am fell asleep at the wheel. Hit a tree along side of the freeway and took his legs clean off along with other parts. Died in surgery. Still would have been a nasty accident in a conventional, but maybe would have had a chance? Maybe not.
We had a guy who ran into the side of a flatbed trailer years ago about 0400. He never saw it. Really messed him up. FedEx screwed him over royally. I think he died a few years ago, maybe suicide?
 

TNT Frosty

Well-Known Member
Over here we have a thing called TAC, Transport accident commission, and if your injured on the road, they pay 90% of your earnings etc.. however.. only if its road/car/truck related.
Had one driver, rolled his car on the way home, TNT wouldnt pay his work comp, because new laws state that they dont have too as his finished work.
TAC took over his payments and were paying him, till they found out during the crash he also had a heart attack, and stopped his payments (put on hold), but would resume/pay him what his owed if proven his heart attack was after the crash... and only by their doctors...
His been waiting 6 months so far, but each time his told the docs out, or on holidays etc... and TAC wont budge...

With a cabover, everything goes under you, the only part you need to worry about is the same for all truckers.. the dash... but if that doesnt move much, your fairly fine.... and the theory is the motor will be your new best friend in the other trucks
 

Artee

Well-Known Member
With a cabover, everything goes under you, the only part you need to worry about is the same for all truckers.. the dash... but if that doesnt move much, your fairly fine.... and the theory is the motor will be your new best friend in the other trucks

Not quite everything. Never seen a 40' oak tree go under a coe. Tell that to the guy who had his legs sheared off. Not sure how well the coe does against a freeway overpass. How about running into the back of a stopped or slow moving flat bed trailer at highway speed. Hope you don't miss your feet too much. You are putting too much faith in a thin sheet of aluminium and rivets. If I had a choice in being in a bad accident in either coe or a conventional I certainly would not be putting myself right above the front bumper. I would rather have 6' of crumple/impact zone in front of me rather than being the crumple/impact zone. FDX doesn't pay me enough to be the bumper.
 

Fred's Myth

Nonhyphenated American
Not quite everything. Never seen a 40' oak tree go under a coe. Tell that to the guy who had his legs sheared off. Not sure how well the coe does against a freeway overpass. How about running into the back of a stopped or slow moving flat bed trailer at highway speed. Hope you don't miss your feet too much. You are putting too much faith in a thin sheet of aluminium and rivets. If I had a choice in being in a bad accident in either coe or a conventional I certainly would not be putting myself right above the front bumper. I would rather have 6' of crumple/impact zone in front of me rather than being the crumple/impact zone. FDX doesn't pay me enough to be the bumper.
But a cab-over give a much better field of vision, permitting the driver to see and anticipate hazards earlier, with the potential to react and avoid them.
 

bacha29

Well-Known Member
By utilizing the brakes and steering wheel.

It’s called ‘Getting the bigger picture ‘.
Sure, with the little package cars you used. Rolling down the road with one of those 40 ton behemoths is another story altogether.If COE's were the road tractor of choice they would still be in production. I can still remember those GMC Astro 95's my former employer used and the driver sitting up there just inches from those enormous windshields that if shattered would cut the poor slug to pieces.
 

Fred's Myth

Nonhyphenated American
Sure, with the little package cars you used. Rolling down the road with one of those 40 ton behemoths is another story altogether.If COE's were the road tractor of choice they would still be in production. I can still remember those GMC Astro 95's my former employer used and the driver sitting up there just inches from those enormous windshields that if shattered would cut the poor slug to pieces.
While the cabover I drove was a dainty 24' box truck, I could see twice as far ahead as the conventional truck I drove previously. And I know that doesn't guarantee all hazards will be seen, I still preferred it.

And I was driving up and down Central Expressway in Dallas.
 

Artee

Well-Known Member
Also means the cabover.. we can get real close to fences curbs, and other cars/trucks... :).. great turning as well.

I can see you definitely love your cabover. I the short 20 years I have been driving a semi, I can count the number of times on one hand where having the cabover has helped me get into a tight spot at a hub/ramp or customer location. Its no advantage to me. If was was playing yard mule driver that would probably be a different story. Once you start driving a conventional you will never go back to a cabover unless you want to take a few laps around the yard in it to remember "the good ole" days.
 

Artee

Well-Known Member
While the cabover I drove was a dainty 24' box truck, I could see twice as far ahead as the conventional truck I drove previously. And I know that doesn't guarantee all hazards will be seen, I still preferred it.

And I was driving up and down Central Expressway in Dallas.

Twice as far? You need glasses. How close do you sit to the TV?

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