When was the last time you saw a cab-over semi in the US

"facw" (facw) 03/12/2019 at 22:01 • Filed to: DOTS, Dashcam, cab-over, Truck Yeah, Truckin' Tuesday, Truck Tuesday, Trucking Tuesday, I didn't know Truck Tuesday was a thing, I still don't know which tag is best for it

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Saw this guy today, I feel like it’s probably been 15 years since the last time I saw one.

It’s possible I’m mistaken and have forgotten a more recent sighting, but regardless, these are plenty rare here in the states. This one was looking badass too.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:11

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Now I have Convoy in my head, “cab over Pete with a reefer on”

MM54 > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:12

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Strangely I saw one not too long ago and thought the same thing; prior to that it’s been years.

facw > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 03/12/2019 at 22:22

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Heh, my brain hadn’t made that connection, but now it has.

atfsgeoff > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:30

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Love me some COE. Getting into owner-operator trucking, COEs tend to be very cheap to buy because nobody wants them. They make great urban haulers.

daender > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:39

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They are extremely rare in the US.  That said, I know where an intact one is for sale off the side of a road.

daender > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:39

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They are extremely rare in the US.  That said, I know where an intact one is for sale off the side of a road.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:39

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All the time.

They’re still pretty heavily used around the airport.

facw > atfsgeoff 03/12/2019 at 22:41

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Given the matching, but unbranded trailer, I assume this guy is some type of owner operator. I’d imagine there are some benefits in terms of not having to comply with modern emissions standards as well, though driving a truck that’s probably as old as I am has to have some pretty serious drawbacks, no matter how cool it looks.

atfsgeoff > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:43

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https://lancaster.craigslist.org/hvo/d/holtwood-1980-peterbilt-352/6839644071.html

makes me want to go get a CDL :)

ToyotaFamily > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:45

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Lots of them get  sent out to Central America, can’t get enough of them since they’re easier to maneuver.

facw > atfsgeoff 03/12/2019 at 22:50

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I would be entirely unable to resist the temptation to paint it as Optimus Prime (G1, none of this blue flame nonsense) .

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:50

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Nice spot...think I can convince my wife that one of these is a better idea than a pickup whenever I get my next truck?  

facw > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 03/12/2019 at 22:51

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Obviously a highly practical alternative.

Under_Score > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:54

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Why are these the only semis in Europe, but they’re so rare here?

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > facw 03/12/2019 at 22:55

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They’re not uncommon in the borderland; I probably see them on a weekly basis. That said, they’re always Mexican trucks (running localish ), very old and usually not great cosmetically . However, I’m not sure I can remember the last time I saw one with US plates.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > facw 03/12/2019 at 23:00

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I see them every so often. I paced a 90's International Cabover like this a few days back wh ich was kinda nea t.

MM54 > Under_Score 03/12/2019 at 23:02

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High speed long-haul means all the fuel economy matters, and a brick is much less aerodynamic than a brick with a nose on it.

facw > Under_Score 03/12/2019 at 23:02

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Mostly h as to do with regulation as I understand it. In Europe the maximum length if measured from the front of the cab to the back of the trailer. The US used to do it this way, but changed it to only measure the trailer length, so cab length was no longer important.

There are some other differences as well. Cab-over trucks are less comfortable (shorter wheel base makes for a rougher ride, engine intruding on the cabin space makes getting into and out of the sleeper harder, etc.), and harder to work on (have to tip the cab to get to the engine , hope all your stuff is nailed down). Meanwhile, cab-over trucks are more maneuverable and have better visibility which makes them more desirable for Europe’s tight city centers.

Under_Score > MM54 03/12/2019 at 23:03

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That makes sense! Some of those new Volvo semis look shiny.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > facw 03/12/2019 at 23:12

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I saw one just the other day and thought the same thing. 

Svend > facw 03/12/2019 at 23:13

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That’s the opposite of the U.K., it’s quite rare to see a truck that isn’t a cab over.

Captain of the Enterprise > facw 03/13/2019 at 07:07

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Optimus!

facw > Captain of the Enterprise 03/13/2019 at 08:18

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The shape is good, though the black made me think of Motormaster:

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > facw 03/13/2019 at 08:56

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The really interesting things is the reasons for not seeing them much:

Gas mileage, weight distribution, and comfort.

The “curb sniffer” trucks have better aerodynamics, which saves on fuel costs.

The longer wheelbase helps with weight distribution on the bridge law calculations.

And not being over the front axle means that you only feel half of each bump twice instead of the full bump once. And not being over the engine makes it easier to keep the cabin from getting too hot.

The downside of manuverability isn’t as pronounced in the US as it is in Europe.

Pickup_man > facw 03/13/2019 at 09:15

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I’ve seen a surprising amount lately , almost like they’re making a resurgence, still pretty rare to see though. 

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > facw 03/13/2019 at 09:38

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I actually saw one the other day and thought the same thing!

Cé hé sin > facw 03/13/2019 at 10:21

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You often hear people claiming that what would be conventional trucks in much of the world are uncomfortable but I don’t think it’s actually true, or at least not true any more. I remember recently reading an article by a UK based journalist who writes for a trucking magazine and he wrote about a trip he made to the US during the course of which he got to drive a front engined truck whose maker promised “chrome and technology”. He found it cramped and uncomfortable with poor visibility. Lots of chrome though.

Also, front engined trucks are a minority in much of the world, not just Europe.

Mercedes Streeter > facw 03/13/2019 at 15:17

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I see them at least once a month. It’s about a 50/50 between more recent Freightliner Argosy trucks and those vintage beasts.

facw > Mercedes Streeter 03/13/2019 at 15:24

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As I understand it, many of those recent Argosies (Argosys? Argosyes?) were sold as gliders, letting truckers take an old drive train with fewer emissions restrictions and still get the comforts of a more modern truck. I think the gliders aren’t being made for US consumption any more though, the Obama administration tried to clamp down on the glider scam, though Trump at least talked about rolling back those rules.