AirFlow Truck Company StarShip Aero

[slowmover]

I don't like, and will never like, the overly wide cab of these aero trucks. Say, the KW 680 update of my current T660. The "large car" shaped cab is far more "natural" to drive. To remain easily lane centered, as, indeed, one is far closer to lane center. Etc. The extra interior space is just that much harder to keep cool or warmed. And I genuinely hate the giant windshields. No advantage whatsoever. Hard as **** to clean, lets in way too much solar radiation, and the A-pillars are ALWAYS in the way.

Etc.

Driver ergonomics, first.

For all you civilians, the common as dirt Freightliners are terrible. Hit the washers and the mirrors get nailed. Obviously not designed by someone who has done this for a living. The work day becomes too long and tiring. Conversely, a Pete or a KW is far easier on one. And can last two million owner operator miles. A Freightcrapper is a rattling POS by about 400k.

The T660 I'm in has 770k on it. No noises. No leaking windshield. No door whistle. Etc. Does pretty well with a lightweight 10.8 liter Cummins/10-speed (really, a bus motor great for up to 55k. We're at 78-79k for half of all miles).

Dock bumpers (lower life forms) are the majority, granted, but there's a helluva lot of other kinds of trucking.

[kach22i]

How many people here remember unloading one of these when they were younger?

Just looking at it makes my back ache.

QUESTION: are there provisions for natural lighting of the trailer?

In other words do the solar panels cover the whole area, or could they be translucent solar panels perhaps? I just saw something on a new type of glass which acts like a photovoltaic panel, got me to wondering is all.

Going from .65 to .25 would be amazing..............split front to back, are the modifications about 50/50 or more slanted towards the rear?

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by kach22i

QUESTION: are there provisions for natural lighting of the trailer?

In other words do the solar panels cover the whole area, or could they be translucent solar panels perhaps? I just saw something on a new type of glass which acts like a photovoltaic panel, got me to wondering is all.

Going from .65 to .25 would be amazing..............split front to back, are the modifications about 50/50 or more slanted towards the rear?

Th 15 thin-film solar panels on the roof of the trailer are not transparent, so they allow no sunlight to pass through. We won't be loading and unloading this trailer once we ballast it to get our Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) so a transparent roof is not really necessary.

Actually, the rear meter of the trailer is where the Cd spikes. If it were not for that area, we would be in the teens, believe it or not.

[kach22i]

I may have posted about Monopan before, I've never had the chance to use it myself. However they have built trailers out of it - walls and roof.

Translucent, not transparent.

MonoPan :: About MonoPan®

Bodies / Chassis - Neptune Auto



I've not operated a big rig before, but in my younger days I emptied out a few of these trucks before. A little natural lighting makes the job easier in my opinion.

Oh, and this stuff is supposed to be light weight, meaning more payload or fuel savings.