Big Truck Cab Access

PatriotNomad

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Hello, I have been looking heavily into expediting with a straight truck. I would like to go with 20+ plus and I think I would like the option of being able to access the cab from the inside of the box or vice versa but from what I've seen, the trucks that go beyond 15 ft. do not seem to have that option. Is this some type of legal issue that does not allow that type of access once the vehicle reaches a certain criteria? Do you have the option of having a custom designed access to the cab if legalities do not prevent the owner from doing so? For those of you that drive 20+ ft. trucks, do you just access the freight/living area (for lack of a better term) from the rear door and if so, are you able to lock it from the inside? Thanks!
 

Tobster317

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Why would you want to access your freight. It ain't going anywhere unless you didn't properly secure it. I just go throw the rear door. There is no lock on the inside but you can put one. If you are that worried about the freight you can put a camera in the box.
 

PatriotNomad

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
It's not the freight I would want access to. It would be for the purpose of sleeping inside of the box. I'm assuming that drivers sleep in the back with their freight as hotel rooms would be too expensive. Do you sleep in the back of your straight truck without locking it?
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
It's not the freight I would want access to. It would be for the purpose of sleeping inside of the box. I'm assuming that drivers sleep in the back with their freight as hotel rooms would be too expensive. Do you sleep in the back of your straight truck without locking it?
A sleeper is built right into the cab like a TT
 

PatriotNomad

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Correct. I have looked at a lot box trucks and I think I have only seen one that had a sleeper. Most are day cabs but there is an occasional crew cab. So I'm assuming most sleep in the box.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Very few sleep inside the box. It's not unheard of, but the cost (and insane hassles) to build a DOT approved sleeper inside the box makes it cheaper to just replace the cargo box with a smaller box and then put in a sleeper.
 

PatriotNomad

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Is it not legal to sleep inside of the box? Are you saying that a sleeper is attached and the box is added after the sleeper install? Thank you for your info.
 
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Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Is it not legal to sleep inside of the box? Are you saying that a sleeper is attached and the box is added after the sleeper install? Thank you for your info.
The sleeper is part of the cab.

100_0904.jpg
 
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RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I see where the confusion is. I was referring to something much smaller.
594d691eb314e9300874e34c.jpg
Ahh, I was gonna say before, sounded like you wanted to do what some cube van people do with a access door. Guess I was right

When I was looking into cube vans, I didn't see very many with the access door, but they are out there. I think you can have it done, or cut one yourself. But don't quote me on that. Never looked close enough to see what that entails

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Chris@Doms

Seasoned Expediter
Carrier Management
If you get a cube that is over 10k gvrw you better put a dot approved sleeper in it or get used to staying in hotels. Most cubes do come with a doorway. But if you just throw your belongings in the front of the box and show up at a shipper that wants to seal the truck you won't be able to take that job.
Basically all my cubes have a wall built and some form of matress I side.
You won't find a 20' cube truck just so you know.
 

PatriotNomad

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Thank you for the info. I didn't think of the sealing option but that is why I'm on here and trying to learn as much as possible. So do you add a door to the side of the box to access that sleeper section or is the access from the cab?
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Thank you for the info. I didn't think of the sealing option but that is why I'm on here and trying to learn as much as possible. So do you add a door to the side of the box to access that sleeper section or is the access from the cab?
Yeah in a little box truck like that you'd just have access directly from the cab. You wouldn't need a DOT approved sleeper, unless as Chris noted, the GVRW is above 10,000 pounds.
 
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Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
TST cranks out under 26,000 GVWR straight trucks with a sleeper in the box. There's always a bunch parked at their dock in Woodhaven.
. TST 1.jpg TST 2.jpg
 
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Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I see where the confusion is. I was referring to something much smaller.
594d691eb314e9300874e34c.jpg
The above picture is a cab/chassis with a box. The cab has a back wall and no access to the box from the cab.

A cut-away chassis has no back wall on the cab and the front of the box is open allowing access
from the cab.
 
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geo

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Navy
in early day's there a lot of F350 with a small sleeper and sleeper was about 48" and box about 12' long
 

John Clark 46

Active Expediter
Retired Expediter
Hello, I have been looking heavily into expediting with a straight truck. I would like to go with 20+ plus and I think I would like the option of being able to access the cab from the inside of the box or vice versa but from what I've seen, the trucks that go beyond 15 ft. do not seem to have that option. Is this some type of legal issue that does not allow that type of access once the vehicle reaches a certain criteria? Do you have the option of having a custom designed access to the cab if legalities do not prevent the owner from doing so? For those of you that drive 20+ ft. trucks, do you just access the freight/living area (for lack of a better term) from the rear door and if so, are you able to lock it from the inside? Thanks!
49 CFR 393.76 - Sleeper berths..

I don't know if your truck falls under these DOT requirements but if it's a straight truck and your logging your time this stands true.

If I'm wrong someone correct me please
 
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JerzyVan79

New Recruit
Driver
I can tell you one thing, you do NOT want to be sleeping in the box of your truck in Laredo, TX while waiting on a load I can tell you this much especially as I write this with sweat on my brow from inside my sprinter van with the AC currently on full blast and it's not even summer yet!


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Mark Crain

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
I've been considering a sprinter but in reading posts I'm wonder if I would I be better off to buy a straight truck with a 16' box, under 10K than a sprinter? Is the demand higher? Would it pay better than a Sprinter?
 
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