Sleeper Cab Design

By the late 1940s, OTR (over-the-road) haulers were covering thousands of miles on the burgeoning Interstate network—with nowhere comfortable to sleep except roadside motels or makeshift arrangements in the trailer. In response, truck builders began tacking on small compartments behind the driver’s seat:

Kenworth 500 Series (1946): One of the very first production trucks to sport a rudimentary bunk—essentially a narrow mattress platform tucked into the cab’s rear wall.

Peterbilt 280/281 (1949): Shortly thereafter, Peterbilt offered a modest “sleeperette” option, giving drivers enough room to lie flat and store a few personal items.

These early sleepers were cramped—lacking insulation, ventilation, or even curtains—but they represented a sea change in driver welfare. Within a decade, competitive pressure drove manufacturers to add small windows, better bedding support, and simple amenities like reading lights and storage cubbies, humanizing life on the road and laying the foundation for the spacious, home-like sleepers of the 1970s and beyond