Cabin (truck)

The cab of a truck is an enclosed space in a truck where the driver is seated. The word originated
as a short form of cabriolet, not cabin. Some may refer to the tractor unit of a semi-trailer truck
as a cab, but this is not the subject of this article. Modern long-haul trucks cabs usually feature
air conditioning, a good sound system, and ergonomic seats (often air-suspended).
A sleeper (or sleeper berth or bunk) is a compartment attached to the cab where the driver can
rest while not driving, sometimes seen in semi-trailer trucks. They can range from a simple 2 to 4
foot (0.6 to 1.2 m) bunk to a 12 foot (3.7 m) apartment-on-wheels. There are a few possible cab
configurations:
• Cab over engine (COE) or flat nose, where the driver is seated on top of the front axle
and the engine. The front doors are typically in front of and above the front tires. This
design is almost ubiquitous in Europe, where overall truck lengths are strictly regulated.
They were common in the United States, but lost prominence when permitted length was
extended in the early 1980s. To access the engine, the whole cab tilts forward, earning
this design the name of tilt-cab. This type of cab is especially suited to the delivery
conditions in Europe where many roads follow the layout of much more ancient path and
trackways which require the additional turning capability of the cab over engine type. The
operating conditions of these vehicles tend to be cooler than the conventional cab design
and so the increased engine surface area used for cooling in hotter climates is not
required.
Access to a COE cab is commonly by steps forward of the front tires.

• Conventional cabs are the most common in North America and Australia. The driver is
seated behind the engine, as in most passenger cars or pickup trucks. Conventionals are
further divided into large car and aerodynamic designs. A "large car" or "long nose" is a
conventional truck with a long (6 to 8 foot (1.8 to 2.4 m) or more) hood. With their very
square shapes, these trucks experience a lot of wind resistance and typically consume
more fuel. They also provide somewhat poorer visibility than their aerodynamic or COE
counterparts. By contrast, Aerodynamic cabs are very streamlined, with a sloped hood
and other features to lower drag. The front doors are in back of (and mostly above) the
front tires.
Access to a conventional cabin is commonly by steps at or near the fuel tank(s) in back of
the front tires.

• Cab beside engine designs also exist, but are rather rare.
• Slang terms
• Tiltin' Hilton or flying coffin - Cab-over with a sleeper berth.
• Anteater - Specifically refers to the Kenworth T600, an aerodynamically-designed
tractor whose nose resembles an anteater.
• Large car - A conventional cab with a large square hood, such as the Peterbilt 379
or the Kenworth W900.