What do you prefer

Volvo.... flat out.

Just for interest. In the Oil Fields in Western North Dakota. I couldn't believe all the Western Stars I saw there. Tons of them. Tough trucks.

 

379 Peterbilt with 270" wheelbase. 600 cat. 355 rear ends. End of discussion.

 

Also like 4 Alaska roads a,
389 peterbilt 310" wheelbase
600 horse Cummins 18 speed transmission
With full lockers.
Would prefer a cat motor but unfortunately new trucks it's just not an option anymore.

 

It's all the same. Driven by computer. Ugh.

I consider myself lucky to have had the old iron back in the day, many newbies wont touch them with a 10 foot pole today.

The OP isnt familiar with trucking, all the trucks have all the parts that can go into all of them. Its easily mix and match until you have a truck you like with some things no longer made like Cat which refuses to try and keep up with modern emissions standards (Or could not keep up with it anyway)

Also if the OP got into trucking he or she will be very disappointed by the plain simplified company rigs. There is usually nothing spec'ed on these that are worth a second look. If I spec'ed a truck to run it will have a number of things, starting first with a very high horse engine and no emissions anywhere other than what was in place prior to 1998 at the latest.

 

How old is this iron are we talkin about?
5&4 transmission or is that getting too old?
We had a truck still running with one of those old ancient transmissions in it there was only one guy that drove it though.
When I worked at big state logistics they had all freightliners and even though they were X15 Cummins with 18 speed transmissions I swear all of them felt completely different from any peterbilt or Kenworth I've ever driven in a bad way. I've drove some old freightliners never had problems with them but the newer freightliners are total crap as far as I'm concerned. Never driven an automatic so I don't know about those. I imagine they're cheap crap seeing how that's what all the big carriers seem to be buying now.

 

Ive gone as far back into the late 50's there was a little Volvo white about a 58 or 59 two axle and 17 foot. That was my very first truck in school no less. I did not know enough in those days but it was full up functional, nothing wrong with it. You could and did learn to dock with it really well before moving up to the really long trailers etc. I concede you probably can use a sprinter van or something today for that work and weight. There was a two stick mack, straight 4 possible, low low, low and high and high high. I just wimped out and stuck it into a gear and rolled not too quickly to the Tamko loading bay. Sometimes a arm through the steering wheel was needed to complete some shifts. Then in my milk days other than the walking beam mack we had a couple of Reo's, Autocars and other rigs that were really good. The Reo with the double under 13 made quite a impression, being perfect in every way. I can hear the growling and threats to this day if I made a mistake. Trainees would consider it abuse.

Some of my employers had old iron as well. They wanted me to see them as punishment trucks, well guess what they found out I loved them so that pretty much "*Sticks a pin "POOF" into whatever pain they intended for some of the stupid stuff Ive done to earn a ride in those. I can go on but I think that's quite enough for tonight.

 

Let us first all agree that any fleet spec truck is garbage no matter who made it.

Second, if you didn't pick the specs yourself, it probably isn't as good as you want it to be. I'm sure you can certainly come up with ways to improve it.

Lastly, if you did spec it out yourself, then it is both the best truck in the world and the biggest pile of scrap in the world, depending on how your day is going.

 

Oh, and I like a pete, but I've never driven a Volvo or a Mac.