What happened to cabovers?

That is awesome. I love cabovers.

 

I saw a swift cab over yesterday morning. I wouldn't drive one. Seems like your bunk space is cut in half.

 

Oh wow. That is awesome.

 

The Swift Cabovers are all Argosy. They are one of the few trucks they own; the rest are leased. Some of the long sleeper ones are still on the road. Many are infact gliders as Swift drivers wreck them out. Others are stocked piled up in Arizona waiting for the time that Swift will find a job for them.

Almost all of the Argosy car haulers on the road once belonged to Swift. The problem Swift had is the drivers they would hire are no better at parking cars then they are trucks. Swift paid out more in claims then the trucks earned so they got sold.

 

One other thing that hasn't been mentioned. The old COEs had their shifter mounted on an "island." There were usually 2 linkages running back to the trans. These linkages and island would wear out over time. You would end up taking a stab at a gear and hope it was the right one!

 

It is not that STAA 'allowed' 53' trailers. It prohibited states from prohibiting trailers less than 48.'
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/FREIGHT/publications/size_regs_final_rpt/index.htm
As you can see in 1982 48' was the longest allowed in most states.

53' did not become pratical for national carries until the 90's.
http://www.truckinginfo.com/article...y-donald-g-oren-chairman-dart-transit-co.aspx

That is probably true. The mega-crap like to hire the inexperienced driver that figures he must have a Smokey n the Bandit truck to be cool.[/QUOTE]

Don't want to sir up a hornet's nest here, but Paccor brochures claimed that the Cabover was more aerodynamic. That claim was not including the famed 372 Pete that is claimed to be the most aerodynamic truck.

Glad you remembered because here we are back to square one. Walmart pimps a non-emissions cabover glider in order to promote the idea of 60'5 trailers saving the world. It cannot get a exemption for it to run in the US so it takes it to Canada. Canada gives it a provisional exemption only to find out it is a sham. Truck runs to stores with a painted up 53' cause drivers hate the long trailer that the office folks said would save the world.

 

You have obviously never driven one.

 

No but I want to. Schneider doesn't have any old cabovers laying around (at least not that I have seen anyway) so it won't be happening anytime soon.

 

You arre better off living with the dream because once you do drive one your bubble will burst.

 

That's exactly how it was for me. Like I said earlier in this thread. My first trip out I kept asking myself what the hell was I thinking.