# Why haven't Asian and European truck manufacturers
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 21, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232 "2008-12-21T21:48:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/21 "2008-12-22T22:03:43Z")
> [@MandaJo](#):
>
> But presumably the trucks in Japan have to be at least big enough to haul a flat bed big enough to carry an ISO container.
There’s actually a bunch of different ISO sizes. I don’t think [this](http://www.rwfreight.co.uk/ISO-Container-size-and-type-codes.html) is a full list, and even so there’s quite a few.
Wiki sums it up as "There are five common standard lengths, 20-ft (6.1 m), 40-ft (12.2 m), 45-ft (13.7 m), 48-ft (14.6 m), and 53-ft (16.2 m). United States domestic standard containers are generally 48 ft (15 m) and 53-ft (rail and truck). "
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### Author:  [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/22 "2008-12-22T23:42:39Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> I see quite a few Isuzu on the road. I don’t know if you count them as “big,” they aren’t Mack-sized, but are box trucks used commercially.
FWIW, the non-diesel powered trucks, labeled NPR EFI, are actually powered by a Chevy 350 cu.in. small block.
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### Author:  [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/23 "2008-12-23T00:34:34Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> I don’t recall ever seeing something shipping container sized going down the street. My guess would be that they use a train to transport containers most of the way, then break them down into smaller trucks when they get close enough to the target destination.
>
> And possibly, internally, they use smaller ISO containers.
>
> I really don’t know.
That’s funny, seeing as Americans think all things American are bigger and - by extension - European trucks are smaller.
But I see those shipping containers on the road all the time.
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### Author:  [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/24 "2008-12-23T01:19:43Z")
So what about larger pickup trucks, namely 3/4 and 1 ton? I’ve never seen such a truck not made by the big American three, and I live in Texas where they’re very common.
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### Author:  [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/25 "2008-12-23T02:15:23Z")
I can remember in the mid 90’s selling UD trucks and parts. Didn’t last too long but I see they are still making them.
> **[Home | UD Trucks](https://www.udtrucks.com/)**
>
> Udtrucks
Made by Nissan.
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### Author:  [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/26 "2008-12-23T06:04:05Z")
> [@snailboy](#):
>
> So what about larger pickup trucks, namely 3/4 and 1 ton? I’ve never seen such a truck not made by the big American three, and I live in Texas where they’re very common.
There are very few US sized pickups in Europe. Most you see are owned by the GIs/Sailors/Airmen stationed over there. There are two Italian owned ones in the Vicenza Italy area that I know of. Both guys are dude ranch cowboys with horses and appropriate dress from old US westerns:).
ISO containers are the same everywhere - that’s where the “Standards” comes from in the name. Same size in Europe, US, Japan, India, and other places. They also go down in size with such standards as ISO 90s, ISO 60s and such which related to cubic capacity. The construction is the same, weight supporting capacity, side rails, doors, etc…
I lived in Japan from 1982 to 1984. The large trucks (tractors, dump trucks), buses, and containers where the same size as US back then. There were small versions also but the full size ones were a real handle passing on the roads.
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### Author:  [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2008, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-asian-and-european-truck-manufacturers/478232/27 "2008-12-23T07:10:32Z")
My understanding for the massive US rigs is that the US regulations for overall length is greater than most of the world. So while the rest of us have to cope with a 19m or 20m maximum length, resulting in a small cab area, the longer US regs let the truck owners have their huge sleeper cabs.
The Japanese trucks here are comparable with the KWs, Sterlings and MACKS except in the area of engine power. The US makers use CAT and Cummins engines, which seem to always have 50 or so hp more than the Japanese makers.
One other thing the Japanese don’t seem to do is off public highway rigs. These have the high power engines and beefed up chassis and suspension to handle very heavy loads on private forestry roads.
Also they don’t seem to be involved in the Australian roadtrain scene, but I’m not 100% sure on that.
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