Why American and European Trucks Are So Different

Why American and European Trucks Are So Different - In this video, Dave talks about the differences in design, size and functionality of the cabover style trucks in Europe vs the 'hood trucks' found on our North American highways.... and Why they are so different.
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[@SmartTrucking]

Hey there Driver. So glad you could take the time to drop by to watch today's video. How about you? Anything to add that I missed in the video? Love to hear from you.

[@scaniabeast5026]

I drive a Scania, those trucks are so comfortable the axle's, cab and chair its all air supspension auto gearbox its really smooth just a nice truck to drive with. Greeting's from The Netherlands.

[@Skusty]

Some small pointers from a northern european truckers. We do have setups with several trailers, such as the B-train, especially up here in the north. It is also very common with rigids pulling drawbar trailers up here in the north, it both gives maneuverability and the ability to deliver LTL-loads to tight spots without bringing a trailer, LTL-loads are pretty much the norm up here. When it comes to the tagaxle vs the tandem drive like you have it in the states, it's to allow both lower mileage when running empty or with a light load, and better traction in harsh weather since most trucks up here in the north are setup to being able to both transfer weight from the tag-axle to the drive aswell as simply lifting the tag-axle for maximun drive axle pressure. Tandem drives are pretty common amongst trucks running on soft soil, such as gravel and timber trucks, so they still exist here; Sisu was the first to offer a liftable tandem-drive axle (you can lift the rear axle in a tandem drive, which also dis-engages it from the drive), but now in the recent years Volvo are also providing this option.

[@chris76-01]

I think people like conventional trucks more because it's easier to Pre-trip and your junk doesn't end up all over the place after tilting up the cab.

[@letd1995]

How often do people actually pop the hood to pre trip? 😂

[@mixermanbear.4002]

I’ve been a trucker since I was 18 and I’m 53 now. I loved everything about trucks since my conception. I drive a 2001 Peterbilt 379 long hood with a C15 cat set at 550 HP. I absolutely love it and want no part of an aero style or any thing with DEF. they have literally done everything they can do to take the fun out of trucking. I’ve driven a 2022 Cummins 565 HP in a Peterbilt 389 and didn’t like it at all. Sure it still looks cool but when ya step on the fuel and ya can barely here the motor really takes away from what I love about big Diesel engines. Also my old mechanical CAT 425 HP had so much more usable power than a modern Cummins 565 that it’s unbelievable. In my opinion CAT made the best Diesel engine ever produced in terms of drivability reliability and real world power and drivability and now they won’t even make road engines because the guidelines are so ridiculous that they just said screw it. It is a damn shame what has happened in the last 15 or so years to the industry. I still love trucking but I’ll stick to the old engines as long as I possibly can. I appreciate your channel and the work you put into it.😎👍

[@rickardmartinsson344]

I love our trucks we drive here in Sweden, truck and trailer configuration, we load and unload them ourselfs too, the big ones we have on the company i drive for takes 18 pallets on the floor and then we use beams above so the truck itself has place for 36 pallets, and the trailer takes 30 or 33 pallets on the floor and beams on that too, the total lenght of it is 79 feet (24 meter) and the maximum weight is 128 000 pounds (64 tons)

[@chriswilson7391]

Best explanation of the differences I've heard so far, thanks!

[@russellhorn7437]

We used to have that overall length law in the states. In Europe you don't have the wide streets in those old cities, and you would have a very hard time with a stretched out Pete and one of these 53 ft. 102 wide trying to get around, yet alone back into a dock somewhere.

[@rosswieloch1115]

I also wish Cabovers would make a comeback in the States. I never got to drive one, they had been all but phased out when started driving. But I always liked the looks of them. And I've been in a number of places over the years where backing in to a spot would be so much easier if I didn't have several feet of hood in front of me.

[@PressingMyLuckTruck]

I’m with you there. I haven’t driven one either, but if the manufacturers started producing them again, I’d definitely be interested in buying one as my next truck. They look so cool.

[@LittleBear379]

I've seen some nice cabovers here recently, and I love to get the stories behind each one. Most of the driver's are old-school and willing to teach us younguns when we listen.

[@aviatortrucker6285]

The first company I work for out of high school I actually was a mechanic there. This was back in 1980. When I started there they had the 1979 white Freightliner cab over with cat 3406 engines and Fuller RT0-12513 which was a 13 speed transmission. The company did have two conventional’s for the top dog drivers that had the cat 3408 and I believe both were Peterbilt 379’s. Eventually in 1981 they replace the fleet with Peterbilt Cabover that had three windshield wipers. It had the same drivetrain set up. That was the first rig that I learned how to drive. We also had 45’ trailers. The 53 footers hadn’t come on the scene for another decade.

[@showmemoblues]

Cabovers for truckers working in big cities, tight roads also tighter delivery areas, make sense. They should have cabovers just for cities deliveries.

[@larryfazen6468]

Dave, why do we romanticize the days of cabovers?.... I too, often think, "man would I like to restore an old "Binder", to her former glory, and hit the road for a few years in her to finish out my career".....then I remember the flank pain, the climb up into the clouds to get in the seat, the heat, the cold, the pain crawling over the sharp edge of steel to get in bed, GETTING DRESSED IN THE SLEEPER !!!....lol, our brains have an amazing way of filtering out all of the uncomfortable things in life, and embellishing the great.....as always, awesome video.....ps, ill never forget the feeling I had, the 1st time I drove a hood.....little intimidating, but that soon faded.

[@alcinovargas8736]

Thank you so much for the Educational video of them all

[@poireauer6517]

Very interesting ! 👍 Thanks , Dave

[@jamiemcdole4518]

Yes I would love to own one of those KW 's from Australia now that's a great looking cabover.I drove K100 's Every Mack cabover plus Freighter. Loved the Mack ultra liner

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Another thing I've noticed watching videos featuring European trucks is that many of their trailers have 3 axles rather than the tandems seen here. I'm assuming it's because many of their tractors are single drive. I used to drive a cabover quite a bit but only for about 100 miles round trip during harvest season. A friend of mine still runs an old K-100 cabover with 8v92 TA Detroit power and a 15 speed as his farm truck and, he occasionally calls on me to help out. I don't mind driving the old KW in situations like that but, I'll keep my Classic XL for OTR work. I wouldn't mind getting a shot at one of those Scanias you mentioned but, I wonder if it would even pass U.S. emissions regulations.

[@tuleralph6031]

Started with a cabover in the 70's couldn't wait to have a hood! Still driving 1 now!

[@texas4325]

I enjoy your no bs videos.

[@williamcarey8529]

I was a EU trucker for years before I returned to the United States in 2011. One point about European trucking that I would like to make is that unless the EU driving statutes is the every other weekend a European driver is required to do a 45 hour weekend break plus making up any time that the driver used for reduced weekend breaks. It is complicated to explain it all in writing here but I would love to share my Euro Trucker experience and explain the laws in detail. How could I contact you in this case?

[@SmartTrucking]

Hey William. Love to hear from you. Send a note to [e-mail] and we'll connect on that topic.

[@roosthrower]

Thanks Dave great story, considering the roads in USA and driver shortage I don't know why they don't have a B Double combination like in Australia and NZ or a B triple to make freight more productive but driver intelligence is the worry no doubt.

[@charlesbolin7207]

Dave, Speed limit in Nevada, Utah and Wyoming is 80 MPH away from the towns.

[@jholzer1989]

Now compare the North American truck to the Australian truck. They have some pretty cool looking rigs down under.

[@kylemaples6461]

Thompson truck center in Memphis, TN has a whole row of those new Nikola cab over trucks, they're pretty cool looking from the road.

[@TRONMAGNUM2099]

Cabovers make sense for city drivers or if you operated primarily in the NE. One of those Scania trucks would be ok for me if I only slept in it a couple nights a week.

[@rohangaming642]

IF you wanna drive a Scania visit their Scania demo centre in Södertälje, Sweden it's really great experience and great content for you too

[@sidewind131258]

About the living space, and especially the comment about comming "home" a few times a year, you see, we, here in europa don't have to be on the road multible weeks at a time to make a living 🚚🚚

[@stuartloggins3691]

Haha l love you Dave. You have the best show on utube

[@jacobkindiger4593]

Interesting video!

[@MiketheTruckDriver]

I drove cabovers for the first 8 years of my career back in the 90's and I don't miss them at all I love the better ride of a conventional.

[@Ultrakillerism]

You were saying that due to the difference in speed, the Euro cabovers don't consume as much as American ones: that is partially true, but you got to take into consideration that fuel is so much more expensive in Europe overall, once because it's sold by the liter and the myriad of taxes applied on it, which is why you get a liter being £1.83 average per liter as it is in the UK right now (that translates into £6.95/gal or $8.45/gal in freedombucks) On the speed front, getting back to the point, it is true that most of Europe is indeed limiting due to the limit of the infrastructure, but exceptions have began appearing in Eastern Europe in particular and Asia Minor where highways have been built to US specs (like in Bulgaria) and the trucking system there have developed to be something similar to what have you been telling stories about on the channel: speed is an important factor as more loads = more money. That is why aside from the fact that US trucks did and still work in countries like Russia and Ukraine, but Euro cabovers have begun having their speed governors eliminated (of course illegally, but then with a bribe you can solve almost anything in that side of the world) so they can go up to 160kph/99mph; sure, there are very rare instances where you see one of those absolutely hauling it like that, but when I was a year back in Bulgaria and just sat at a highway petrol station to just watch the traffic, I saw plenty of trucks going towards Turkey going anywhere from 120 to 140kph/74-86mph, and they weren't exactly hauling light loads, but things like cement, building materials, generally stuff that surpasses 24 tonnes. When it comes to safety, while it is true that fundamentally cabovers are not as safe because you haven't got an engine between you and the thing you collide with, due to sensors and technology things really have progressed from that point of view: Mercedes trucks has a suite of radars now that can prevent reliably even collision with pedestrians, let alone cars and other things, and that technology is rapidly being picked up by everyone in the Euro cabover market. You could have a look at the Mercedes brake test on KZbin, there are a few videos of it; if that works here in Europe, it'll sure work in the US as well. I would be personally not only curious, but it I had the money I would have launched a project to test current Euro cabovers in North America under the future prospect of setting a hold there: Volvo already has a factory which they could split or even build a new one to build Euro cabovers if those prove successful, if the money is there everyone else from Europe would jump at the opportunity as well.

[@timothykeith1367]

There could be a snub nose cabover where the nose is half the length of a slant hood truck. The bottom portion of the cab - hood, front cowling, and bumper cover would slide forward for servicing . The sleeper, the cab roof, cab enterior and dash of the cab remain in a fixed position. Once the hood portion slid forward, it wouid then tilt exposing the engine, or could be removed entirety in 10 minutes

[@hudson8865]

Thank you.

[@malkyerf]

We are limited to 56mph 90kmh. We have twisty roads but most of our driving is done on motorways or dual carriageway roads.

[@johnbell6854]

Hey Dave if you’re ever in uk you welcome to try my scania v8 we do long haul European reefer work Spending 2 weeks from home in these small cabins we don’t think about the size to much as this is just the normal over here most of the trailers are 3axle on super singles running at 44 ton

[@jimconnor8274]

Hello thanks for sharing. This may sound vary far fetch. My 79 F model Mack cabover with it's big Kysar AC/heater on top of the dog house. Was the most comfortable climate control truck I've driven. And even quite with straight exhaust. Unlike My 92 CH Mack,94 W900 studio and 96 T600 aerocab.The 96T600 aerocab had a comfortable ride.

[@brucejohnson3351]

I grew up in my trucking world in the 1970's, 80's driving cabovers nationwide. Emeryville, Mack, freightliner, and my favorite K100e. I moved into the long hood Pete in 1998. Yes! I have seen the US/CANADA From the Cab of a truck.

[@Iggy1219]

Fantastic informative video. Can you please do a video or explain why you can’t import a euro truck to the U.S.?

[@kevinpolito1529]

When the Model T began ramping up production, there were still fellows arguing over which breed of draft horse was the best and who made the best wagons.

[@philipdemaeyer1665]

Some of the roads I drive on here in Belgium are made by Caesar. They remained in use over the centuries.

[@mitchcoop1]

Not a trucker, born '64...saw many cabovers (in USA) as a kid. Told there was an overall length limit "70's / 80's. Was it like 55 -60 feet?

[@constantins.2981]

As a mechanical engineering student i have my critisim about the aerodynamic efficency of american trucks. Many of the semi have a really long wheelbase and a big gap between the cab and the trailer, which creates big turbulances in this space and causes fuel efficency issues. YES I know this currently changes, but when i look a videos of american roads there are a lot of really old tucks on the road in comparison of europe. As a final word about crash safety, its absolutly true that in a collision american trucks are better due to crumple zones, but european trucks have way more emphasis on active and passive accident prevention strategies. Such as active emergency braking assist, lane keeping assist, lane depature warnings, active pedestrian recoginition software and on the passive side overall better visibility and shorter breaking distances. PS: You probaly would love the new scania trucks, they have so much power, an atomatic transmission that shifts increadibly fast and they are way more spacios and luxurios than you might think. You should check aout Bruce Wilson, he just brought a brand new scania r770 over to america

[@johnm6642]

Never drove a cab over. Looks like they have great visibility. Also as blockish as they are, wind resistance here likely affect fuel consumption. I see cab overs out ND about working. Local mostly

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

Cabovers look cool. Never cared at all for riding in or driving one. Always felt like my feet sat on the front bumper.

[@teamsters2824]

Peterbuilt is my favorite and I like an old mac haha

[@mikefitzpatrick5209]

what is the ride comfort like with a cab over vs conventional? I've always heard cabovers are a ruff ride.

[@dmgarage9029]

I ❤ Cabovers

[@Jefff72]

I have a question maybe if you haven't already done a video on health conditions that preclude one from being a truck driver.

[@loutenant9480]

I can compare European and American trucks. American trucks of the 00's is much more simple and easyer to work on. More comfortable, no matter wat, size is matters. And if you broke down in a middle of nowhere in winter - you ain't got to pop the cab and getting frozen, it's better to just open up the hood and work on anythin you want, and when you feel you gettin cold - you always can get back in a cab and heat up. And 6x4 configuration is way better than 4x2 in winter.

[@Black.dynamite-]

I'd like to import a scania with that big bunk left hand drive an 18 speed and that big ol V8

[@letd1995]

I love seeing a cabover on the road. Those guys don’t give AF about nothing always haulin hard!!

[@Hybris51129]

If I was driving in a city like New York or LA or Chicago then I would spec a cab over just for the added maneuvering. Outside of that use case give me a conventional.

[@sandasturner9529]

There's still some "dummy" axle trucks in the US. KLLM had a fleet of them back in 2016 to 2019. They were stick-shift too.

[@clydeacor1911]

You'll never get me back in a cabover.

[@sstevocamaro]

The Euro trucks seems to be spec’d more powerful on average also..

[@johndyck456]

I'm a driver in northern alberta Canada hauling logs my rig is about 100 feet long front to back

[@walidabdaoui44]

Where can you find American semi trucks beside Canada and the USA and Australia

[@bnsflover7062]

This is the same with British and American locomotives as well plus the other reasons too. Since American locomotives are larger than British locomotives

[@rossbower5855]

I loved my 2 story ford

[@patriciaacevedo4429]

North America wants the weight spread along, Europe wants the load short to a certain limit, that is an easy answer.

[@fairlaneswede]

I own a 260” wheelbase 1989 peterbilt 379 here in Sweden and I get around just fine And my opinion about the European trucks are that they are way to clumsy built way too heavy The two years old Scania that I drove for a while had way too soft suspension and the airride cab too soft almost felt like the cab was hanging in a bungee cord no road feeling at all and the European trucks don’t have jakebrake and nothing beats my 3406 with a 15 speed horseshoe

[@red---paulvanravenswaay2247]

In my limited experience, cabovers seem better for maneuverability and visibility. Give me a Classic XL any day, much more comfortable riding and living not to mention the looks......CLASS!!

[@alejandrotrombono6234]

my question is which is easier to service? Cabover, or the hooded trucks?

[@Hybris51129]

Hooded by far simply because you have to move a far smaller amount of mass to get at the engine.

[@alejandrotrombono6234]

@@Hybris51129 ah good point

[@onebadapple83]

Actually from a lot of experience during the 80s, working on cabovers was always easier, you just had to jack the cab up! If you had to do something really serious, the cab would move to 90° putting everything out in the open!!!

[@kvgirisxyaoimaster]

Summary: America Big, Truck Big Europe Small, Truck Small

[@Lorre982]

About the seafty An ipact at 80mph and 56mph are totally different and modern Euro truck use Curtain airbag

[@billmcmahon2211]

I've been on the German autobahn and the trucks are limited to 50 miles an hour even in the unrestricted areas of the autobahn.

[@jjlawnservice5229]

Im definitely way over that I'm 75-80 feet with both trailers I barely fit in a rest aria parking spot

[@andrewfox1755]

Heavy haul trucks still have tag axles. Mine is steerable

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

Euro trucks seem like they're about to tip over without trailer because all the weight is up front and only one rear axle.

[@stuartloggins3691]

I don't miss em haha

[@Sira_Kackavalj]

I dont see the reason for US to not normalize having a taglift axle on the trucks. shorter wheel base would help a lot for tighter turns

[@johnmack7656]

Scania don't make a double cab there specially made by outside company's bespoke fella

[@A_barrel]

Why didn't the steinwinter supercargo takeoff in Europe? The concept just screams of squeezing every useful inch out of total length

[@samuelgoddard5248]

i don't understand why american built trucks are still running 6x4 axle set up for high way use when here in europe every thing is 4x2 or 6x2 set up which is better on fuel usage, maneuverability and increases load capacity.

[@dwjunior]

Cabovers are great, but not for me! I gotta have a hood!

[@samcooke2742]

Owner operators who do their own maintenance need engine access, like my Pete 379/C15

[@RR-jf6tl]

Only old school cabover’s

[@nfprojectshop]

I think it would be great to see new cabovers back on the road! I'm rebuilding an old 94 freightliner cabover to look like Optimus Prime on my you tube channel "NF Project Shop"

[@aviatortrucker6285]

Don’t forget most European countries are only as big as some US states. They drive across the country in only one day in some cases!

[@francomtz7115]

Any of today's trucks are just as maneuverable as an old cab over. The old cab overs were pretty rough on the driver..

[@stuartloggins3691]

I won't have a cabover if you tried to give it to me

[@Ivane_Maskhulia]

Simple, America is more free, Europe is heavily regulated.

[@110pLover]

Bro did not cook with this one

[@truckerhershey7042]

no sound for me

[@truckerhershey7042]

Musta been a youtube pickup. working now

[@canadianguy5244]

My father has been doing trucking in USSR and Europe for 42 years now. He is out for months sometimes. Now when i became a trucker myself too i just cant imagine myself living in one those tiny cabovers. But if the Scania u r talking about was he in US, i would definitely go for it. Those are luxurious trucks with beast engines

[@containerguru4477]

I hate cab overs if isn't not a conventional I'm not driving it

[@davidcanaandaniel]

I gonna build my own cab over. With big 2 floor convertible sleeper, aerodynamic snow/people plow bumper...

[@kingnoobie9614]

I don't agree with you on that part in my country and Jamaica I've seen some guys do sum things with American trucks u won't believe your eyes and they turn the tightest corners like nothing 😂n boy the speeds they drive at is like some ground plane

[@AllianceB95]

If only we had Conventionals in Europe.... I hate them Curbsniffers. No space, Scania has no real power... my small 9L MAN D15 can pull away faster than a Scania 500HP V8 (16L) The 770HP V8... It doesnt deliver that to the rear axle... As a matter of a fact a MAN TGX 640HP pulls much better up a hill than that rubbish 8 cil. And let's face it what Conventionals pull with a Cat C15 is the same if not more than the modern Cummins/Paccar rubbish. If you buy a modern Fakerbuilt (doesnt matter 389 or worse) you get the same Paccar engine as in a 'DAF' Curbsniffer with the same Garbage Transmission. The best thing about a Scania is NOT driving it... that way the sensors wont get faults. To add insult to injury the new 500HP Scammies (6 cil) like to blow thier turbo every 100.000-150.000km if the load is too heavy (above 18tons)

[@110pLover]

You want conventional yet you hate curb sniffers? Curb sniffers are conventionals dumbass