I think it has to do with length regulations. Generally, European trucks have to navigate smaller roads so having a shorter front end makes life easier for the drivers.
You do see US-style trucks over here occasionally (mostly Scanias). I think its more to do with fitting the environment rather than a total length restriction.
You do see US-style trucks over here occasionally (mostly Scanias). I think its more to do with fitting the environment rather than a total length restriction.
europe has length restrictions on the entire rig (tractor and trailer). US used to do it that way but switched in the to just length restrictions on the trailer.
To my knowledge the shorter nose makes it easier to move through tighter roads and not have to worry about hitting things. The trucks also take up less space and are thus easier to park which is a huge concern in many urban european cities in Germany, Italy, France, etc, where parking is limited:thumbup:
Which would be more consistant with a cross country trip in the USA and Canada due to the larger spans between destinations, which is not typically a problem in much smaller European countries. American trucks often have bigger sleepers as well.
I don't know the exact reasons but I can tell you that a cab looks cooler (my opinion) but rides horribly. Riding directly over the front wheels SUCKS!
If i remember correctly, in North America, the length laws only touch the trailer length, while in Europe the length that matters is the overall length of the truck and the trailer, therefore shorter trucks. as simple as that
Some parts of the US had similar restrictions in the 1960s and 1970s, so cabovers were common in those decades, but quickly lost popularity after length laws were standardized.
its a combination of most things listed above, and also some other factors:
such as the roads being very tight, more like highways instead of interstates like here in the US. the shorter rig lenght of the european model makes it much easier to move around, while in the US the nose is actually much more efficient at high speeds, like on interstates.
Reason you don't see too many cabovers in the US anymore is for two reasons, #1-not as safe as the standard nose truck. #2-fat americans, if you've ever tried to crawl into a cabover, it's almost impossible for fatties. Freightliner came out with a newer cabover design that has steps that swing out from the bottom of the cab (think adjustable wings on an F-14) which made it easier for the driver to get in and out. I've driven cabovers and yes I'm a fatty as well, but I didn't feel safe in it and they ride like ****. With trailors moving more into the 57' range (max is 53' now), you'll likely see a rebirth of the cabover.
'merican. With the new "nose" designs from KW and Mack, the other manufacturers are playing catch up. CAT has started manufacturing their own line of trucks, which I'm not entirely sure they aren't rebadged Macks. Truck manufaturers are doing all they can to make trucks more fuel efficient to which they'll never break the 10mpg barrier. Fact is, most trucks only get between 7-8 mpg even with all the new advances in trucking, ie..., super single tires, fairings for the trailors and generators for the trucks to cut back idle time.
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