The life of a long-haul trucker can be tough, even when they're not behind the wheel. When it's time to get some shuteye in the truck's cab, some of them have a scant 36" behind the seats in which to stuff a twin mattress, and there's barely enough room to turn around back there, let alone get dressed and undressed. And for the trucker who brings their spouse on the road—yes, husband-and-wife trucker teams exist—it's simply not enough space for two people to live out of.
For those that can pony up for a larger cab, an Indiana-based company called ARI Legacy Sleepers specializes in tricking them out with custom packages suited to the customer's tastes. Let's take a look at some of their work.
First off, if you see a cab that's this size, you can bet there's more behind the seats than just a twin mattress.
And you'd be right. When you look back between the seats, here's what you see:
And here's the view looking fore:
Overhead is a small, subtle lighting trick that provides the illusion of more space: Using a mirror and one-way mirror to provide "infinity lighting," making the LEDS look like they stretch off forever overhead.
Close the curtains to the "cockpit" and enjoy your flatscreen in peace.
There's plenty of storage both above and below the kitchen counter, which features an electric stovetop and a sink.
When not in use, both have covers that conceal them, providing uninterrupted counter space. This photo below is not the exact same interior, but you get the idea.
Also note the mirror above the sink, so the driver can shave.
Opposite the counter is a sofa and a little nook to the right of it.
You'll notice a cable management port at back right; one can place a computer, laptop or gaming system here.
To the right of that is a door, and the toilet paper holder on the inside of it has probably clued you in…
…yep, they've got a bathroom in here.
A wall-mounted dispenser obviates the need for shelving.
Moving back inside the cabin, we see the sofa, which of course has storage beneath it.
You might think, "Is that where the driver sleeps?" Not exactly; note the dual tracks in the wall. An elevator bed motors down at the touch of a button.
For cabs where there is no rear door, the sofa and bed arrangement can be placed across the rear wall. And as you can see here, the choice of lighting strongly impacts your perception of the space.
The lighting scheme in this one here reminds me of The Peach Pit from the original Beverly Hills 90210.
And this one below is like The Peach Pit but with hardwood floors.
With spaces this small, the materials choice also makes a profound visual impact. This one here is owned by a married couple who both go on the road together, and I imagine it must recall what their actual home looks like, aesthetically:
Another customer has opted to have his look like more of a bachelor pad:
And for drivers who plan to do some open-air sightseeing during downtime, there's an option to haul your Harley. Yep, if you've got the space you can have a motorcycle "garage" with side-loading ramp installed:
You can check out more of ARI's custom designs here, and they also have a good amount of photos on their Facebook page.
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Comments
Slowly reconsidering this design career to become a long haul trucker...
Those are some crazy cool interiors. A lot of houses ain't that nice. As a Mamas Family fan I recall the next to last episode. Vint and Naomi got that old motor home and Bubba hit his head on the ceiling vent, I guess the AC. Thelma said as a little decorating tip don't install a ceiling fan. One photo shows a ceiling fan in a sleeper.