What Does “Cab” Mean In Truck Driving?

In trucking, the “cab” or “cabin” is the driver compartment of the truck or tractor. The cab of the truck is the area of the vehicle where the driver sits. It comes from the word cabriolet.

Truck cabs can be tailored with amenities like ergonomically designed air suspension seating, professional sound systems, and attachment sections for resting or sleeping. Since the weight of the vehicle and the load being hauled are always factors in trucking, drivers give special consideration to cab improvements that will affect weight.

Origin

18th Century – derived from “cabriolet” (French), meaning to leap in the air. The word found its way into English usage with the dawn of the two-wheel horse-drawn carriage. The leaping motion of the carriage became the basis for the carriage itself to be called a “cabriolet.”

Examples of use in a sentence:

Knowing it was a small space and a long drive, Jared was very selective in who he allowed to join him inside the cab of his truck.
If you’d like to speak with the driver, head to the front of the truck and ask her to roll down the window of the cab.

Sleeper truck cabs:

The most popular addition to the standard truck cab is a sleeper cab attachment, often featuring sleeping bunk options, dining areas, a restroom, a roof-mounted air conditioning unit and beyond.

Other meanings of “cab”:

Taxicab – A car purposed for transporting passengers at a paid rate

Cab – a unit of measurement in ancient Hebrew equaling about two quarts

Cab – Popularized by skateboarder Steve Caballero, one of a variety of skater tricks involving a switch jump move, known as a “Caballerial” or “full cab.”