Fontaine Modification engineers right-hand drive conversion for Freightliner M2 trucks

Feb 25, 2021

Visibility is important to every driver, but it’s critical for vocational applications like refuse/recycling collection and street sweepers where work is often completed in the dark or with minimal sunlight. And for drivers who spend long hours in the truck, operator comfort is also paramount.

To meet customer requests for greater visibility and increased driver ergonomics, including leg room inside the cab, Fontaine Modification has engineered an innovative right-hand drive steering conversion for Freightliner M2 cabs. The conversion is unique because it fully mirrors the OEM cab configuration, providing the same leg and belly space as the original left-hand driving position. This solution allows drivers to operate from the right side to improve visibility, without being cramped behind the wheel.

The solution is ideal for applications where the driver needs to clearly see the area to the right of the truck, such as street sweeping, curbside refuse collection, leaf removal, highway paint striping and pesticide spraying.

“Fontaine Modification has a long history of steering conversions, and we combined that experience with the voice of the customer feedback to develop a unique solution for the M2,” says Jamil Young, president, Fontaine Modification Heavy Truck Operations. “Our engineers worked hard to ensure that our solution addressed the customer’s concerns without causing new issues such as reduced interior cab space.”

Other features of the modification include:
The right-hand drive conversion solution was developed at Fontaine Modification’s state-of-the-art Innovation Center for Research and Development in Charlotte and will be installed on Freightliner M2 trucks at the Charlotte modification center.