ong-haul luxury ith all mod eons
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IRI ERS need no longer ear heir cab as a latter-day ort re chamber — the iod rn sleeper cab, with its rea er dimensions, npr ved seating and soundroo ing and cunning use of las ics trim, is a very difere t environment from that t n years ago. And, with on er hauls becoming inre singly common, it is om ng to resemble more and ior a driver's personal beditt r. rather than an afterho • ht by an engineer.
A basic piece of equipment in ny ab is the driver's seat. In los cases "basicit does not an to be. The driver can spend lot a third of his working life at he heel. Back and stomach om laints are prominent mo g the list of driver ailnen S. Irregular meals, consising f the wrong types of food, lo nit help.
S ats that have ample adust ent in squab and back rake iffe a choice of posture and on' quently lessen chances of :ra ping the stomach. There is om evidence to show that a us ension type of seat can inn some benefit by reducing he vertical shock loadings hro gh the squab.
I many maximum weight ,eh cles they are fitted as tan ard, but the majority of na -produced middleweight ,ehi les remains very much the 100 relation in this respect. rVh re they are not included in he arger models, the cab itself s o ten sprung and the argunent put forward that the corn)inertion of the vehicle, cab and ,eat suspensions would interact o work against one another for nuch of the time.
With greater emphasis being )ut upon foreign trade with :urope and the Middle East, the :oh is no longer just a workplace for many it has become a Iotel room as well. For any use, )ther than the occasional night )ut, the bunk needs to have a jood thick firm mattress.
iomewhere to hang clothes is a nust, if away from home for :everal nights Food can be a problem, but with a gas fridge, supplies can be kept fresh and drinks kept cool, on journeys through hot climates. Gas is also the answer to the cooking problem, and a good kitchen would not be complete without a sink unit and table. All of these items can be fitted in, but just as at home, consideration must be given to the priority of each item. The bunk, for example, could be fitted lengthways instead of transversely but for most applications would only get in the way of other equipment.
A good arrangement that I saw recently had a sink unit in front of the passenger seat covered by a flat top doubling as a working surface, where food could be prepared, and as a dining table. A cooker located between the seats was easily accessible, while a freezer box was stowed away behind the driving seat.
Not everyone needs to go to these lengths. To provide a hot drink en route, a vacuum flask is more than adequate for most of us. Plastic-moulded trim affords an ideal storage place for them, provided the flasks are selected to fit the recesses properly.
Tinted windows seem to be coming more into the vogue each year as some defence against the hot summer sun. The roller type of perforated sunblind, fitted above the side windows as well as the front screen, provides a very acceptable alternative. For in-cab heating on cold nights, freestanding heaters fuelled by gas or diesel can be operated without relying on the vehicle's engine temperature. Air conditioning, too, can be powered independently by a separate diesel engine.
Some manufacturers offer their own special versions of the long-distance cab.
Leyland deals with the design problem in the Marathon 2 by stowing cooker, basin and storage locker below the bunk placed behind the seats. In standard trim, the less exotic day cab has a sundries tray mounted on the engine cover which includes two pre-formed cavities for safe storage of flasks. The headlining incorporates cubby-holes for storing such items as maps and books.
Mercedes-Benz transit driver's cab has all the modern conveniences and can be divided into five different areas each fulfilling a particular function: driving seat, kitchen, sleeping space, stowing or storage room, tools and spare parts store. In the driving seat, all the instruments and controls can be easily reached. Similarly, personal items, food in the centrally-mounted refrigerator and emergency equipment such as the fire extinguisher, are all close to hand.
, For the kitchen it is necessary to fold back the co-driver's seat but again everything is within easy reach. During the daytime the mattress can be folded back against the rear wall of the cab, allowing unobstructed access to the storage lockers below holding tools, water and clothing.
There is space and equipment available to provide a pleasant combination of workplace and living quarters. The distances to be covered remain the same but facilities for washing, sleeping and preparing hot food and drink can make them seem a little shorter.