There are a number of reasons why Freightliner’s Cascadia is the best-selling class 8 truck on the road, such as its advanced safety features, cutting-edge driver-assist technology, and bar-setting fuel efficiency, just to name a few. In this article we take a close-up look at this industry-leading semi-truck, focusing on the tale of the tape and answering the question, how long is a Freightliner Cascadia?
A Freightliner Cascadia is currently offered in three types of configurations:
- Day Cab: 116” BBC
- Sleeper Cab Mid-Roof: 116” BBC + 48” Sleeper
- Sleeper Cab Raised Roof: 116” BBC + 60” Sleeper
When it comes to Freightliner’s approach toward building big rigs, one of the things about the Cascadia truck that is most telling is the focus on a driver-centric design. From its Day Cab to the Sleeper Cab, the Cascadia is the quintessential purpose-built truck, so no aspect of its construction is without meticulous planning, including the lengths of its many configurations. Read on to learn what these are.
How Long is a Freightliner Cascadia? It Depends.
In some ways, a Freightliner Cascadia can be more accurately described as a semi-truck platform rather than a specific commercial vehicle. This is because there are no less than 12 base configurations (along with a number of options and packages for custom-tailored specifications) to choose from to best suit a broad base of applications ranging from long haul to bulk transport to regional distribution.
Having different cab configurations results in some models being longer than others, but one of the things that put Cascadia in a league of its own is the detail-oriented approach taken by Freightliner (which to no surprise is a subsidiary of Daimler – maker of Mercedes-Benz) in its design. This is evident in the multitude of cab options to meet the needs of drivers and operators of all types and categories.
The most common way that semi-trucks are measured is by their BBC – which is the length from their front bumper to the back of the cab where the driver operates the vehicle, and in many cases, sleeps and passes the time. Here is how the various Cascadia models stack up in terms of BBC.
Freightliner Cascadia Day Cab Configurations
For shorter routes and localized transport, Freightliner’s Cascadia is available in two Day Cab (no sleeping quarters) variants.
They include these sizes:
- 116” BBC
- 126” BBC
The main differences between the shorter 116” BBC and the longer 126” BBC configurations are that the latter can accommodate larger engines with more torque under the lengthened hood, and there are also additional axle options for the longer Day Cab variant. (The same applies to the 116” BBC and 126” BBC Sleeper Cab configurations.)
Despite the lack of a bed, the Day Cab configurations of the Cascadia offer the same advanced on-road technologies as those found in the longer Sleeper Cab variants, to provide the tools and features that enhance the all-around driving experience for professional drivers and owner-operators.
Freightliner Cascadia Sleeper Cab Configurations
As Freightliner has so aptly recognized, professional drivers can spend in excess of 100 hours per week in the cab of their trucks. For primarily this, but also for many other reasons, the Cascadia Sleeper Cab variants are a collective showcase of driver-centric amenities that transform these confines into bona fide workspaces and home-away-from-home living quarters.
Mid-Roof XTS
Let’s start with the Mid-Roof XTs.
Here’s how they measure up:
- 116” BBC + 48” Sleeper
- 116” BBC + 60” Sleeper
- 116” BBC + 72” Sleeper
- 126” BBC + 48” Sleeper
- 126” BBC + 60” Sleeper
- 126” BBC + 72” Sleeper
Now, let’s see the next configurations.
Raised Roof
For even greater height and overhead clearance, there are four Raised Roof configurations of the Cascadia.
They include:
- 116” BBC + 60” Sleeper
- 116” BBC + 72” Sleeper
- 126” BBC + 60” Sleeper
- 126” BBC + 72” Sleeper
All Sleeper Cab configurations of the Cascadia feature a sleeping bunk in the back of the cab with the longer models adding more options and amenities.
For instance, among the features offered by the 72” variants of both the Mid-Roof XT and Raised Roof series are an optional upper-level sleeping bunk and lower-level work lounge featuring a mini-dinette with folding seats and a swing-down Murphy bed.
Conclusion
As the drivers who operate them can attest, Freightliner Cascadias are more than just the most popular class 8 trucks out there. They are a workspace on wheels, and for many, they are also living quarters away from home. For these reasons, when it comes to their length, every inch of a Freightliner Cascadia counts, whether it means more power under the hood or greater comfort in the cab.
