If you could improve anything about the interior of your semi truck what would it be?

I've yet to see a truck with a rollout bottom storage unit. I can't maximize the space of the bottom compartment on either side of my sleeper because I never know what's in the nooks and crannies in the back of those compartments.

Better lighting on the bottom bunk in a condo unit when the top bunk is lowered would be nice too. I know Prostar top bunks never lift, but I'm in a Cascadia and the lower bunk light doesn't provide enough.

Built-in Qualcomm unit for the sleeper so the #### cord on the QC unit in the front doesn't get tangled in everything. Could simply be a touchscreen that's fixed above the lighting and A/C controls. Have an on-screen keyboard to save space and reduce the size of the LCD screen.

Instead of the cubby holes for a TV or microwave that's open, put a slide up door like older desks used to have to keep the area kind of uniform and those units hidden when not in use. Might deter some criminals from breaking into the trucks.

Front passenger seat that can fold into a "table" using the back of the seat to place a laptop or for eating, rather than using the steering wheel, as I do now.

Use a portion of the passenger bottom compartment from the sleeper as a trash receptical that folds out about 45 degrees into the cab and folds back in out of sight.

My old Freightliner Century had a compartment that folded out like above just beneath the cup holders on the center console and I used it to store paperwork. I'd love one of those again with more capacity.

Thanks for asking us and I hope to see some of the designs incorporated into future trucks.

 

So this!!!! My APU takes up a third of the storage space under my bunk and the top bunk gets little to now airflow from the aftermarket installed vents.

 

+1 for a fridge you can reach from the driver's seat. I don't remember for certain how ProStar has it laid out, but I remember my last international was uncomfortable for 2 to sleep in the lower bunk because the rear speakers were at the same level as the mattress and jutted into my back. How about making the sleeper cabinet design modular/reconfigurable, perhaps using rail mounts of some type?

Um, unless I'm completely off base here, doesn't Lone Star use the same sleeper shell as the midroof ProStar? Anything you do for one should work for the other.

 

I'd like more power outlets on the dash. Hard to run a GPS, sattelite radio/iPod, and phone charger off one outlet. Forget about plugging in a 12V cooler and maybe actually using the lighter plug as an actual cigarette lighter.

Also, smooth everything out in the dash and get rid off all the little nooks and crannys. Trucks get dirty way too fast and it's already hard enough to keep things clean, especially when there are spots that collect dirt where you can only get to with a toothbrush. It should all be able to be cleaned with a rag.

 

Cabinets with lots of drawers that will actually stay shut...and don't rattle.

Some deep, some shallow.

ALL controls within the bunk located in a central location. A remote start for those of us who sleep with the engine off in winter. So we can warm it up, before we bail out of bed

Very few companies actually utilize the space within a truck effectively. So any improvement would be a plus.

Too much head space above the bunk on a mid roof, is a complete waste. There should be racks that contain drawers. This rack would need only to be half as deep as the bunk and high enough for the drivers head to clear while sitting on the bunk, to be of effective use.

 

Ditch the cheap plastic in the interiors... you pay $125,000 for a truck built like a Yugo?

Improve the insulation...these beer can trucks get cold in the winter and hot in the summer...

Make side sleeper doors std equipment... nothing nicer than taking a nap with the door open on a beautiful summer afternoon with the breeze blowing thru the cab...

Better instrument lighting (although the last Farmall I drove had good gauges)...

Bigger lettering on the dash gauges... there are a lot of older drivers who can't read a #### thing on the dash at night... and better dome lights/reading lights... never saw a truck with good cab reading lights...

 

I'm new, but here's what I've noticed so far:

1. Why, why, why does everything have to be coloured battleship grey? Most truck interiors are extremely depressing because of this. I prefer tan, or at the very least a lot of accent colours to offset the grey. Think bright and cheery. Every interior should be a happy interior!

2. I'm 6'1 - tall but still within the average - and if I set my seat properly I have difficulty seeing out of the top of the windshield. So I'd like to see higher windshields and more glass area.

3. I second the idea of a modular interior. There's no reason why an upper bunk shouldn't be easily replaced with 4 variations of modular shelves. If some people prefer a tv stand and others prefer a wardrobe, make it so. this will help with the resale of the truck - each owner could customize it to his or her content. Kind of like a trucker's Ikea. Just make sure that nothing rattles.

4. I second the motion for built in cameras, HUD systems, qualcomm and the like. I'd also like to see some sort of easy mounting feature for aftermarket GPS's & satellite radios - for those of us who drive company trucks. Something that makes for a nice, clean install. There's no reason that dashes should be cluttered with add-ons.

5. A simple thing would be making sure that all the gauges point in the same direct unless something is wrong (like they do with aircraft). I'm not sure if new trucks do this. And while we're on the subject, how 'bout a simple indicator that tells the driver what gear he's in. Many drivers don't need this, but us newbs would appreciate it.

6. Insulation and quiet are things that I appreciate. Perhaps something that could be easily upgraded upon resale?

7. Cab chairs that swivel to maximize living room - as a standard feature. This would also make breaks in a daycab more tolerable - particularly if you could recline your chair.

8. I haven't driven any of these, but I think that new Peterbilts (narrow cab) and new Macks have nice looking dashes. Kenworths are a bit too busy looking.

9. Ergonomic and easily depressed pedals - like a car.

 

I have seen several things here that would be easy to do, and that I like allot.
I drive a prostar, and my company has weight issues with them already. So allot of the things like a potty and much larger bunk just do not make sense for us due to weight.
Ideas I liked were.
-My changes to the hanging clothing box at rear of sleeper.
-Modular movable cabinets and shelving.
-Fold down passenger seat with table.
-Some way to make a couch/ seat in the sleeper. Cannot watch TV or work on the computer comfortably for long while sitting up on a bed. In an hour it has my legs cramping and back/ neck hurting. Cannot lean against the walls due to protruding parts. So sitting up on edge of bunk or laying down is only options now.
-Fridge you can reach from drivers seat. I know with current placement in an international it cannot be reached. And really the full cooler does not need to be reached. If they just made a small one that could hold a few things close to the seat or under the current cup holders. The area cuts in anyway in front of the shifter. If they just made a small drawer cooler to hold a few drinks or a drink and a sandwich I would be good.
-Better placement of dash vents. I am with Nana, I do not like them blowing on the steering wheel. And mine point at it or my legs all the time. They do not adjust enough to get away from both.
-Flat screen TV mounting point on sleeper wall. Above the window in the passenger side would be fine or to it's left. Company drivers cannot make permanent changes to a cab interior, so the only way to mount a flat screen is with the TV strap, which does not work well and eventually my stand will break. It really needs somewhere flat to mount it where I can remove it when I have to swap trucks.
-Under bunk pull out drawers. If they cannot do this and a seat/ couch then I will take the seat first lol.
-Better quality mattress standard. At least a memory foam one. The spring mattresses that International uses are only good for maybe a year. Then the springs are popping whenever you move, and they are not comfortable at all.

The big thing is for them to make as much of this standard equipment as possible. Most fleets that buy trucks new and do not lease them will order them stripped out. With no storage at all and no options on the interior. This keeps costs down at purchase time, but Navastar is having a hard time selling these trucks when they are traded in. Think about all the heartland trucks in dealerships that are not selling. And the hundreds of trucks they had that international would not take in trade because they could not sell them.
If the storage was not an option but standard, they would have a much easer time selling these trucks when they come back to them.

I saw some other good ideas here as well, but cannot remember them all.

 

Know what is funny is that even on a navy ship they paint the insides white, green, blue or black depending on the use of the space, almost never grey.