Volvo and Freightliner Sleepers: Tell Me All About Them

[Retired in Nevada]

Greetings again, everybody. I am getting pretty serious about entering trucking as a post-retirement, second career. If I do it, I have pretty well settled on the training company that has its driver school in Missoula, MT and puts you straight into a truck, solo, upon graduation.

The company's recruiter told me that its fleet is composed of Volvo and Freightliner tractors.

Please tell me all about the sleeper berths in those brands of tractors.

What are the dimensions of the sleepers (length, width, and height)?

The company allows inverters to be installed. Are the sleepers large enough to accommodate a TV, microwave oven, a small refrigerator/cooler, and even one of those four-gallon capacity little portable toilets that Wal-Mart sells?

Tell me all that you can about Volvo and Freightliner sleeper berths. After all, the berth would be my home for three weeks at a time. I want to be as comfortable as possible at the ripe young age of nearly 55.

Those of you with digital cameras, please shoot some photos of your sleeper berth and the stuff that you have in the berth and post the photos here.

These CAD forums are great! I've been reading them for a few years. I have learned so much, and continue to learn every day that I read them.

Thanks!

[Drew10]

I would suggest you got to the manufacturers websites. You can look at images of the actual models sleeper there. Sleepers vary from model to model.
It may also be helpful to us if we knew what model Freightliner and Volvo the company uses.

[belpre122]

Hey! You drivers out there with the sleepers! I think that this is not only a great opportunity to show Nevada what it looks like back there, but to give all of us locals/newbies/curious types a glimpse in to how you have the sleeper berth arranged and what you have back there? What may seem mundane, actually has the makings of an interesting topic! We've seen the Rev cooking up a delicious looking breakfast special. How about the rest of you out there? Let's see some pics!

Stan first!

[Drew10]

2007 Freightliner Classic XL.
Since an APU has been added to the truck and an 1800watt inverter,
Ive added a household coffee maker and microwave to the sleeper.

[belpre122]

Drew,
Lower right hand corner pic. Is that Orangetxguy assisting?

[Drew10]

Drew,
Lower right hand corner pic. Is that Orangetxguy assisting?

I guess it does kind of look like him from a distance....
But, thats actually "Radar". He a "come along". Left over from my Aviator days. He just rides along on the pax side grab handle.
He's my "Chic Magnet"....

[Syncrosonix]

the volvo sleepers have kickass sound dampening.

[Uturn2001]

Every truck maker offers several sizes of sleepers. They can go anywhere from 36 inches from the back of the seat to the back wall up to 84 (or more inches). Height can go from about 3 feet to around 8 feet. Side to side dimensions are anywhere from about 6 1/2 feet to 8 feet.

On top of that there are often many options as far as cabinet and storage bin configurations.

[Malaki86]

What company is it? That'd help us figure out which type of truck models they run.

Myself, I'm in a Volvo 770 and absolutely love it. Wide mattress (that also makes into a table), huge cabinets, plenty of room to move around. I could probably put a 19" tv in one cabinet if I wanted and easily put a microwave and apartment size fridge in the other cabinet (plus still have tons of open cabinet space).

[Retired in Nevada]

What company is it? That'd help us figure out which type of truck models they run. . .

Watkins-Shepard. The recruiter told me Volvos and Freightliners, without specifying model numbers. I will call her back tomorrow to get the specific model numbers. In the meantime, if any of you knows the specific models, please post what you know about them.

[Roadhog]

When you look at the home page of the company...they show the Freightliner Columbia, and the Volvo 64T670.
Those have a 61" bunk. That is a van mostly company, with some flat,step and sidekit trailers.
Those are functional sleepers, but not spacious like Drews XL, or Mal's big condo.

I started in a Volvo 770...oh baby was that nice! I just slept in the upper bunk, and kept the table set up. It was the most comfort in an OTR tractor I ever had.

[JeffTheTerrible]

Never ran a Volvo, but I have driven a couple Freightliners with 70" boxes. One was the double bunk condo... company truck for a major carrier. Underneath the bottom bunk (which lifted up), you had three storage compartments. There was the larger main compartment in the centre, and two smaller compartments on either side, and one had a door to allow access from the outside. The other side compartment, I really couldn't use, because that's where the power supply and other components of the Qualcomm system had been placed. Behind the driver's seat, there was a small platform. It was hollowed out to allow a cooler/fridge to be placed in there, and there was a 12v power supply at the back of it, for plugging a cooler into. Above this was something of a tabletop, which I'm guessing was designed with the intent of being a place to put a microwave, but I could never use it for such, given the company's policy on inverters. Above this was an enclosed compartment with a couple of shelves.. you could put clothes, food, or whatever else in there. Mine had door.. I've seen some which used mesh netting. Behind the passenger side seat, there was a shelf with a small bar intended for hanging jackets and such on (but I preferred to store these under the bunk, and I'd hang a jacket on the back of the driver's seat), above which there was a space to put in a television, which also housed another 12v connection. Freightliner provided a "seat belt" to hold the TV in place, but this was very ineffective, and I'd have to use bungee cords to hold the TV in place.
Above the compartment for the TV was another cabinet, with a couple of shelves, and I typically divided this up between my DVD player, some clothes, and other miscellaneous items. Again, this one had doors, which were rather troublesome, and required me to secure them with bungee cords, as well. At the head of the bunk, directly behind the driver's seat, there were the controls for the Optimized Idle, as well as for the sleeper berth air conditioning/heating, and a small reading light built into the wall of the sleeper, as well as another 12v power supply. The second bunk could be folded up if you didn't need to use it for storage.

The other Freightliner I drove had a 70" midroof sleeper and a single bunk. Thus, the cabinets weren't as high on that one, although the truck's owner did install cabinets above the bunk for storage. Additionally, I had an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) with that one, so I didn't have (or need) the Opti-Idle controls, plus I had 120v receptacles for power, rather than having to rely on 12v appliances.

They seem big at first, but when it fully sinks in that you're expected to spend months living out of those boxes, they become a prison, real quick. That's why I strongly recommend local driving. But, hey.. OTR isn't just a job.. it's a lifestyle. That's what they say on here, anyhow. Driving local rules! :P :

[Retired in Nevada]

The Watkins-Shepard recruiter just told me that their Volvos are of the 600 series. The Freightliners are of the Century class and their newer ones are Cascadias.

I've heard that those new Cascadias are really nice.

Of the three--Volvo 600 series, Freightliner Century class, and Freightliner Cascadia--which is the roomiest, most comfortable tractor to drive and sleep in?

[Roadhog]

Nevada... You might enjoy looking through the Truck Paper. It will have all the models. It's a paper selling equipment, but it will get you somewhat familiar with all the different models.
http://www.truckpaper.com/default.as...9804FFF892BAA9

Also, when you want to look at a specific model...do like I just did...
type in your browser what you want to see, and look through the site.
I typed in Freightliner Columbia. You can see all there is about this truck, with interior photos, etc.
http://www.freightlinertrucks.com/tr...umbia/cab.aspx

[Ian Williams]

There is a reason "Freightshakers" earned their nickname.

When it comes to you typical fleet spec tractors I'd take the Volvo. Although the new ProStar from International is a very close second.

From a drive it 9-11 hours per day perspective the VN is smoother and quieter than a Columbia.

Working LTL and local I have never used a sleeper so I can't offer much there.

I have not had a chance to drive or ride in the new Cascadia though.

[bigtimba]

Typical Tuesday night in my '09 Freightliner condo . .

[JR OTR]

The larger Volvos (770 or 780) have a much nicer interior than the smaller (660 or 670) series. My 780 has a huge built-in fridge and the lower bunk converts into a nice sitting area with table. For comfort, I'd take a 780 over any other "stock" truck on the road but if you're going to get shoved into a 660/670 I'd try for something else.

Good luck.

Jim

[Retired in Nevada]

The company's recruiter just told me that as a new solo driver, I would be assigned a Volvo tractor. At the beginning of the summer, she said, none of the Volvos was older than four years old. According to her, they all have 70" stand-up sleeper cabs.

Volvo's Web site shows only one 600 series model that looks like a 70" stand-up. It is the VN670.

Anyone out there who drives a VN670, please post how you like it, and what its pros and cons are.

[Roadhog]

I call these "bubble trucks." I prefer the midroofs. Bubble trucks lean on the corners, and get shoved around more on big cross winds, like you'll find a lot through Wyoming, or other High Chaparral areas, and Mountain passes. The bigger bubble trucks with some weight to them fare better...like the Freightliner Classic XL, Volvo 770 or 780...or the Pete 387. This company is not going to put you in one of those, unfortunately.

You will be getting into a Fleet truck. It's not going to be fancy, or especially comfortable. They have a shorter wheelbase, which will be easier for a beginner to maneuver, but you sacrifice road comfort.

I hope you get to start out with a decent, clean rig. Some drivers do keep their trucks clean and well maintained. But it must be said, there are also a lot of drivers who don't.