Quote from S k i p p y :

You're an idiot. American truckers are among the hardest working truckers around. Averaging 600 - 700 miles a day. The old school guys ignore the rules and run even harder. 800 miles and 16 - 18 hour days are not uncommon over here. Some of my livestock hauling buddies regularly run 2 or 3 days straight.

is it why they crash a lot eh? dont tell me shit i live in the usa,i see what i see.

Straighter roads, more length allowance, and a different ingrained cultural idea of what a truck 'should' look like.

Quote from e2mustang :

is it why they crash a lot eh? dont tell me shit i live in the usa,i see what i see.

BS. Trucks have 10% the crash rate as cars. Of those 10% of truck crashes, 70% of those are caused by cars initiating the crash. You need to get out more if you live here.

Quote from S k i p p y :

You're an idiot. American truckers are among the hardest working truckers around. Averaging 600 - 700 miles a day. The old school guys ignore the rules and run even harder. 800 miles and 16 - 18 hour days are not uncommon over here. Some of my livestock hauling buddies regularly run 2 or 3 days straight.

Which is why over here you have a digital clock cards, once you reach your hours you can't drive your wagon any more (all sorts of alarms go off until you turn off the engine for x amount of hours or another driver with a different card takes over). If you break your hours you lose your licence.

You might think "oh, they are so patriotic, running to all hours god gives so people get their milk on time", but really over doing your hours is a cock thing to do, hitting back stims doesn't keep your brain awake, only your body and that is how people end up dead.

Quote from S k i p p y :

BS. Trucks have 10% the crash rate as cars. Of those 10% of truck crashes, 70% of those are caused by cars initiating the crash. You need to get out more if you live here.

no thanks i see enough idiots on the road while going/coming to/from work..

Quote from e2mustang :

no thanks i see enough idiots on the road while going/coming to/from work..

Well that's a given in the US anyway. Nobody can drive for shit here. Especially in Jersey. I feel for you.

:munching_

Quote from S k i p p y :

American truckers are among the hardest working truckers around. Averaging 600 - 700 miles a day. The old school guys ignore the rules and run even harder. 800 miles and 16 - 18 hour days are not uncommon over here. Some of my livestock hauling buddies regularly run 2 or 3 days straight.

Anybody can run that distance per day on American roads!
I would LOVE to see your American Trucker buddies get anywhere NEAR that figure driving in Europe...Heck, I will bet that they would find it IMPOSSIBLE to cover 250 miles of MOTORWAY (Freeway, to you!) in the legal time limit.. depending on which roads they were on! (Currently 9 hrs per day..may be increased to 10 hours 3 times per week)

EVERY WEEK in the UK we see mega carnage caused by "Hard Working" truckers who think they are superman and can drive 14 hours a day...a lot of them end up DEAD! (http://www.thisislocallondon.c ... =complain&cid=7286116)
This particular accident caused the majority of the area northwest of London to become totally gridlocked for most of the day..and I had to try and work through it..I was well happy, I can assure you!
I have been a professional driver (Trucks as well as buses) for over 20 years.. and I have a special name for those great people that can cover 1000 miles a day without sleep.

I call them "STUPID WANKERS!"

As for the OP's question...it has quite a lot to do with EU regulations concerning the maximum length of articulated vehicles... a shorter cab means that the semi-trailer can be longer, and that means more carrying capacity..which is what the job is all about!

Quote from S k i p p y :

The further the front axle is from the cab, the better the ride. The longer the wheelbase, the better the ride.

Can agree with that, when sitting on the top of the front axle you jump up and down when driving in to a small pothole. I can imagine that sort of car being more comfortable on a long run if the size of the thing is not a problem. Closest what I've driven to something like that is a Kraz 255, which is an soviet rip-off of some American WWII military truck. It has a long nose, ride is quite smooth actually, but at intersections with bad visibility that kind of car would be a pain. You'd had to bring it on the road with no idea if there is anyone coming, I'd hate to do that.

I'd say different trucks for different conditions and purposes.

Quote :

Sorry, but I'm sure we are making more HP and Torque on average with our engines then you are. There aren't many trucks running around out there right now with any less then 500HP and 2200ft/lb of torque. Many of the guys that own their trucks are getting over 700HP and 2500ft/lbs.

That is actually quite close what the best Scania engines do. Can you post some more names of these trucks or so, could be interesting to learn more.

Forgot many European trucks use Cummins engines. Which are American, and one of the best there are.

By the way, what is the maxinum allowed weight and the length for a truck over there?

Quote from Bladerunner :

Anybody can run that distance per day on American roads!
I would LOVE to see your American Trucker buddies get anywhere NEAR that figure driving in Europe...Heck, I will bet that they would find it IMPOSSIBLE to cover 250 miles of MOTORWAY (Freeway, to you!) in the legal time limit.. depending on which roads they were on! (Currently 9 hrs per day..may be increased to 10 hours 3 times per week)

EVERY WEEK in the UK we see mega carnage caused by "Hard Working" truckers who think they are superman and can drive 14 hours a day...a lot of them end up DEAD! (http://www.thisislocallondon.c ... =complain&cid=7286116)
This particular accident caused the majority of the area northwest of London to become totally gridlocked for most of the day..and I had to try and work through it..I was well happy, I can assure you!
I have been a professional driver (Trucks as well as buses) for over 20 years.. and I have a special name for those great people that can cover 1000 miles a day without sleep.

I call them "STUPID WANKERS!"

As for the OP's question...it has quite a lot to do with EU regulations concerning the maximum length of articulated vehicles... a shorter cab means that the semi-trailer can be longer, and that means more carrying capacity..which is what the job is all about!

We'd probably get lost on your jacked up roads over there. So you probably got me there. However, over here where a truck can run 80mph for 10 hours on the Interstate, it's not impossible to cover 700 or 800 miles in 10 - 12 hours. I've gone 14 years accident free. My employees have gone the last 6 years I've been in business accident free. So if you think I'm a wanker for following our rules and doing everything right and still getting the miles in then I only have one thing to say - actually, it will get me banned so never mind. But hey thanks for calling me a wanker and its not my fault you guys can't stay alert for more than 14 hours. Just kind of proves my point though.

You can drive trucks at 80 mph? :O

Over here they are only allowed to drive 80 kmh and have limiters at 90 (but of course everyone always runs against the limiter non-stop).

Quote :

That is actually quite close what the best Scania engines do. Can you post some more names of these trucks or so, could be interesting to learn more.

Forgot many European trucks use Cummins engines. Which are American, and one of the best there are.

By the way, what is the maxinum allowed weight and the length for a truck over there?

Finally someone who doesn't want to argue j/k

The major brand trucks over here are Peterbilt and Kenworth which are competitors but are both made by Paccar. Stupid huh?

Other major brands are Freightliner, Volvo, Mack, International.

Volvo makes their own engines now. Mack also makes their own.

The big 3 engine manufacturers here are Cummins, Caterpillar, and Detroit.

Cummins is big over there. But I'm sure there are some emissions differences between the EU and the US engines. Yours are probably more effiecient simply because they have to be to meet your standards. Which is a good thing.

Weights and lengths vary by state. That too is stupid because you go from state to state and your rules can change. The majority of states have a maximum 80,000# gross weight and a 75 foot length. But you can permit in those states to haul more.

Quote from Blackout :

You can drive trucks at 80 mph? :O

Over here they are only allowed to drive 80 kmh and have limiters at 90 (but of course everyone always runs against the limiter non-stop).

Most of our interstates speeds are 75mph and they don't bother you unless you are over 85mph.

Quote from S k i p p y :

Yeah it's a known fact around here that you can bash Americans all you want. I'm getting sick of it. I've never once bashed anybody here until today. I've never once bashed another country here either. So get of my ass.

Well that's very interesting.
I wasn't bashing you, neither was he, he just said a little joke.

I wasn't searching an argue with this.

Quote from Electric Eye :

But about engines... most of the trucks tend to pull same kinda weight? so... what's the.. ehm point.

They have bigger trailers, drive a lot faster and some US freeways are steep in places, still fast and wide but the lie of the land is beyond even Americans to play with.

Quote from S k i p p y :

We also get pretty good fuel mileage considering. My trucks are running upwards of 700HP and we are getting 7mpg pulling heavy loads.

We find 12 mpg disappointing from a ten year old 28 ton laiden tractor/trailer, admittedly you're probably carrying a lot more unlaiden weight and a heavier load. Having said that it is nothing compared to the 7.5 ton converted skip truck, completely unsuited to motorway running, delivering 6 mpg at a 1000 rpm, into the red at about 55 mph.

Australia wins.









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Quote from Crashgate3 :

Australia wins.

Actually road trains are legal in some states here. Hauling 2 and 3 trailers and 130,000. But as far as the normal stuff goes, Australia wins hands down. They have some serious trucks there.

Quote :

We find 12 mpg disappointing from a ten year old 28 ton laiden tractor/trailer, admittedly you're probably carrying a lot more unlaiden weight and a heavier load. Having said that it is nothing compared to the 7.5 ton converted skip truck, completely unsuited to motorway running, delivering 6 mpg at a 1000 rpm, into the red at about 55 mph.

I can't really compare. We haul 40 tons and 7mpg is our average. The point I was making though was that 7mpg with 700HP was pretty good. At least by our truck standards. The EU have always had us beat in efficiency.

Just curious, what's a skip truck?

Yeah seen road trains (not in real life obviously)

Thanks for all the posts, but just a wee reminder if anyone is up for more discussion. This ain't the right place for trying to prove whose trucks are better ok ? :P Cause yall just end up killin' each other Live In Peace!

Maybe this.. http://www.boomerangskips.ie/images/skip-truck.jpg

*doh* beat me to it

Quote from DratsaB :

The design is called Peter Built I think.
I'd say its 'cause those yanks like big engines and there aint no where else to stick it except out the front
You have to admit they do look a lot cooler and more menacing too, like the truck from Duel for example.

Peterbuilt is one word.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

Which is why over here you have a digital clock cards, once you reach your hours you can't drive your wagon any more (all sorts of alarms go off until you turn off the engine for x amount of hours or another driver with a different card takes over). If you break your hours you lose your licence.

You might think "oh, they are so patriotic, running to all hours god gives so people get their milk on time", but really over doing your hours is a cock thing to do, hitting back stims doesn't keep your brain awake, only your body and that is how people end up dead.

Your attitude is that of someone who doesn't understand how difficult it is to stay awake in a truck anyway... 56miles per hour. Everywhere. Drivers that give you no respect, possibly a bad back, maybe even a badly secured load that you get the blame for, when in reality, you just trusted somebody elses judgement and it was a mistake to do so. Truck drivers get no respect, there are some drivers who **** up, but they end up going to jail. Without Truck Drivers countries would simply crumble, as nobody would be able to haul goods around. You would not get milk, bread. Well, you wouldn't get anything... Even the factories wouldn't be able to produce as they would be getting no goods in. Literally, the country would die.

Well yes but if people are working more hours than they really should be then it simply suggests that there is a need for more truckers. I don't think it would be physically healthy for someone to constantly keep on doin' 15 hours a day, without proper stops.

Also I'm kinda of confused about the truck speed limits. Everyone keeps on talkin about doing 70-80 mph, but ain't that only for passenger cars? Wiki seems to think that trucks have speed limit of 55mph as far as I can understand.

Uh little fact, (remember someone discussing about how many accidents are cause by retarded drivers.) "Two thirds (67%) of truck/passenger car crashes are the fault of the passenger vehicle."

Speed-limit for UK trucks is 56mph, most EU trucks are 80kph to my knowledge. Overdriving is stupid, there's a few EU drivers that do it so they can earn more money, it's not really that common of a thing for a driver to be driving over the limit, seems to be just Polish drivers and Portugese as a rule.

Quote from BlueFlame :

Speed-limit for UK trucks is 56mph, most EU trucks are 80kph to my knowledge. Overdriving is stupid, there's a few EU drivers that do it so they can earn more money, it's not really that common of a thing for a driver to be driving over the limit, seems to be just Polish drivers and Portugese as a rule.

I was talking about US speed limits. Well my dad drives a lorry here in Scotland, and there's no real way of avoiding the required stops since everything is monitored and you can get checked by police anytime. You'd be in deep shit if you got into an accident and didn't have all the allocated stops throughout the day.