Need for Cab Comfort, More Technology Compels Push for Greater Driver Efficiency
This story appears in the March 27 print edition of Transport Topics.
Heightened expectations for driver comfort, safety and convenience from behind the wheel are intersecting with a surge in technology and digital information in the truck cab, compelling a push to help drivers maximize efficiency in their increasingly crowded work environments, industry experts said.
The key is to give drivers the information they need but not supply all the information available, said Stacy Earnhardt, director of fleet maintenance at Kernersville, North Carolina-based Best Logistics Group, and a member of the board of directors of the Technology & Maintenance Council of American Trucking Associations.
“From vehicle-performance information to safety systems to DOT compliance requirements, the drivers literally have information coming at them from all angles and therefore, in my opinion, require the level of accessibility and comfort of today,” he said.
Gauges are plentiful in the cab, and — in theory — the more gauges there are, the more information a driver can read, said Darren Gosbee, vice president of powertrain and engineering at Navistar Inc., the parent company of International Trucks. “But we can’t just keep adding gauges,” he said. “We have run out of space.” One idea is to locate a screen in front of the driver to display virtual gauges or to assist in driver coaching using graphics that illustrate the truck’s position on the road, or show real-time fuel economy or information relayed from the back office to the cab, Gosbee said.
The possibilities are endless because so much information and connectivity is available. “But this could backfire because of driver distraction,” Gosbee said.
All of this equipment and technology means nothing if the human in the cab doesn’t know how to operate it, said Brett Wacker, vice president of maintenance at Egan, Minnesota- based Dart Transit Co. He stressed that settling drivers into a truck should start with a classroom experience; the driver must be taught how to be safe and efficient in the cab.
“We have invested a ton of resources into helping them understand all that before they drive — how to be successful in that truck and how it works,” Wacker said. “We do it more than one time because there is so much technology in the truck it can be overwhelming.”
In conducting training classes on how to properly operate the equipment on today’s trucks, Dart has found it is tough for the drivers to retain all that is discussed in an hourlong class. “We could literally spend eight hours on how to operate the truck successfully,” Wacker said. “Then you change trucks on them, and you have to do that same thing over again.
“You must establish a continual training program to ensure that the added items to help lower cost don’t become added costs” and driver frustrations, Wacker added. Dart ranks No. 69 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in the United States and Canada.
An environment that conforms to the driver is vital, said Ivan Neblett, manager of international markets and product strategy at Daimler Trucks North America, parent company of the heavy-duty brands Freightliner and Western Star. A truck cab “must be adjustable to the driver … so they don’t [have to] adjust to it to operate their vehicle,” he said.
That starts with the seat, a critical element since that is where drivers spend most of their time, Neblett said.
“Air seats have come a long way, and today are almost the norm, but there will be further advancements,” he said, noting areas such as heating and ventilation of the seat, cushion designs and how the head rests interact with the seat belts.
Neblett was one of three executives from truck makers who addressed the topic of cab design at a session during TMC’s annual meeting in February.
As one example, the new Freightliner Cascadia model, launched last September, is available with a new “Driver Loft” configuration, DTNA announced in February. It features sleeper berth and ergonomic designs that include a multifaceted dinette/worktable and opposing seating with safety belts. The seats can be folded down to facilitate a Murphy-style bed. Additionally, standard features include LED ambient lighting and a dimmer switch for personalized light adjustments.
Modeling the entire vehicle for improved aerodynamics is important for cab design, said Wade Long, director of product marketing at Volvo Trucks North America. Aerodynamic mirrors, for example, help reduce noise and make for a more comfortable driving experience, Long said. Many aerodynamic improvements are on Volvo VNL tractors, which were developed first as part of Volvo’s involvement in the Department of Energy’s SuperTruck program, VTNA said in September.
Ultimately, features that underpin truck design come down to an engineer with an idea, and a lot is on the line as drivers seek out ever-better work environments.
International’s new LT model over-the-road truck, introduced in September after extensive driver feedback, has relocated the air horn back to its traditional, intuitive position over the driver door. As a result, it achieved a four-sone decrease in wind noise, which eliminates noise harshness for improved driver comfort. It also has standard LED headlamps to improve night vision, a column-mounted gear shifter that allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road and a redesigned one-piece side window that affords the driver a clearer line of sight, the truck maker said.
Earnhardt believes today’s cabs also should include adjustable seat belts and wide-base seats. “And I’m not sure, over time, you won’t see adjustable pedals come into play,” he added.
“The engineer who isn’t open to learning new tools, applying new methods, testing new materials, will find themselves rapidly losing ground,” said John Adami, principal at NW Heavy Duty Inc., a rep agency that introduces technology companies to truck makers, including Paccar Inc. and DTNA.
Quality standards are incredibly high in the on-highway Class 8 industry, he said, but he noted that production volumes are low and cost pressures are immense. Truck makers can’t amortize tooling and design costs over countless units as in the automotive or appliance businesses, and they don’t have the deep budgets for research and development as in the aerospace sector, Adami said.
All the more reason to get the design work right.
“The cab has to be comfortable so drivers feel they have some ownership in it — pride in the ride — including the right insulation for heating and cooling,” Dart’s Wacker said. That’s their hotel room at night, so they have to be comfortable.”
