Cab over

Kenworth cab-over dump truck
Overview
Manufacturer	Various
Also called	COE, Forward Control
Production	1907 - present
Assembly	Worldwide
Body and chassis
Class	Light, Medium, and Heavy
Body style	Cab Over Engine

Cab-over, also known as Cab Over Engine (COE), cab forward (U.S.), or forward control (UK), is a body style of truck, bus, or van that has a vertical front, "flat face" or a semi-hood, with the cab of the truck sitting above (or forward of) the front axle. This contrasts with a conventional truck where the engine is mounted in front of the driver.

This truck configuration is currently common among European, Japanese and Chinese truck manufacturers, because the laws governing overall vehicle lengths are strict and the body style allows longer trailers (in the case of a tractor-trailer truck) or a longer cargo area (in the case of a "straight" truck, a truck with a single rigid frame supporting all components and the load) for the same overall length.

Although popular among United States heavy truckers and trucking companies during the 1970s because of strict length laws in many states, when those length laws were repealed, most heavy-truck makers moved to other body styles. It is, however, still very popular in the light- and medium-duty truck segment. However American companies Paccar and Freightliner still manufacture traditional cab over engine designs for the Australian and South African markets where length restrictions still make them advantageous.

In Australia both American (cab over axle) and European/Japanese/Chinese (cab forward of axle) types, as well as the conventional type are common. Cab over engine types dominate urban and light duty use, with conventional trucks predominating in remote and off road areas. Both types are common for highway use.

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Wikipedia