Cargo bike with steering linkage In Europe, I've seen a common type of utility bike with the cargo basket on the front, and the rider behind it. Sometimes the cargo basket is a seat for children. To make this work, there is some sort of mechanical steering linkage from the handlebars to the front wheel/fork in the front. Is there a name for this type of bike and can you buy them in North America?
What you are thinking of goes by several names:


Front-loader
Long john
Bakfiets 


There are a variety of manufacturers of these style bikes available in the USA. Some of the big names are imported from Europe such as Bakfiets, Babboe, Riese &amp; Müller, Urban Arrow, but there is an American brand Yuba that manufacturs them too. There are many other smaller manufacturers as well.

If you expand to trikes with a basket in front, those come in even more names, and even more manufacturers.