Tractor preference

Me too brother. Me too. I dream about driving a 389 or w900. They are the kings of the road. I envy the guys who drive them. I worked on a ranch in Wyoming for 5 years and the owner had a Pete dump truck. Didn't have a CDL and never knew how to drive stick. I learned on a jeep we had on the property. Then I jumped in the dump and started driving it around the ranch. I used it to haul deadfall trees from the forest surroinding the ranch. I felt like a boss behind the wheel of that big bootch.

I don't mind the Freightliners. They're not bad looking. Just cheaply made. As stated, not very inviting interior. It's nothing but a work horse. Very basic. They're to trucking what the Boeing 737 is to the airline industry.

 

I hear ya Krafty!
I had a W900 years ago.....Loved that truck.
Yellow motor and left lane stepping man!

The shaker does pretty good though....It pulls pretty good and the governor is set at about 78-79...

 

company truck one that runs and pulls

 

I drove a 2015 Cascadia on Friday. Company truck. Had to do a quick 15 mile road test in it. It had the Detroit power train (DD15 & DT12 automated manual transmission). It was an OK truck in my opinion, really goofy driving an automated manual. The inside was decent, but felt cheap, especially the terribly uncomfortable driver's seat. But I really didn't mess with anything since it was an assigned OTR truck.

Since I'm choosing between two opportunities tomorrow, I'll either be driving one of those or a 2005 KW T600 with a big studio sleeper. I really hope the job with the KW turns out to be the better deal because I really want to drive that!

 

I am unable to find enough four letter words to describe th engineers at Volvo for stupid design flaws that I certainly didn't see in my Peterbilt. The biggest one is; why don't we put an inch gap between the bunk and the cabinet? That's big enough for things like glasses, keys, phones, etc to fall in there, but not big enough for a hand to get in there and grab it!

Not wanting to be left out, Freightliner did their homework. The Columbia dash has about a 1/4 inch gap on the floor. Perfect thickness for a bill of lading to fit under.

 

Well I took the job today that is giving me the 05 T600, and they said in a month or so I'll probably be driving a 2015 Pete so that's pretty awesome. Excited for that!

 

For what kind of work? I'm a Kenworth C500 and Oshkosh kinda guy, but they're hardly practical for something like OTR.
I guess I'm not that picky, so long as it holds together and makes me money. I've run containers in an old 84 Astro COE... hardly my first choice of truck, but it was dependable. I've driven the fancy W900Ls and T905 RHD variants (when I was in South Africa). Freightliner (US LHD models and South African RHD models), Western Star, Sterling, Mack, Peterbilt, Kenworth, International, Volvo (US VNL and VED and South African FH and NH models), ERF, Foden, MAN, Scania, Autocar (80s era), Ford, GMC... I've run them. All have had their ups and downs. I've dealt with them.
If it were a COE, Scania, hands down. The T-cab was a pretty good truck, too. But I'd either want to swap in an Eaton-Fuller or just go auto... I don't think I can ever get to the point where a synchromesh transmission will feel 'right' to me in a truck that size.
I like the W900Ls, 379EXHDs, 4964Ls, and so forth, but there have been times I've appreciated the shorter wheelbases and tighter turning radius, as well... particularly, delivering for Reynolds Signs out of Irving, Texas, and the ####ed up spots they just LOVED to put you in. I had a 2007 Volvo 730 when I had to bite the bullet and go OTR with a D16 and a 13 speed. I seemed to have pretty good luck with it... the owner still calls me and complains to me, "you're the only one who was ever able to get anything out of that truck" because he had a whole rash of problems with that engine afterwards. I'd never own that setup, that much is certain. The air ride all around certainly kept me on my toes for the first couple months until I got more accustomed to it. And I do think Volvo makes the best use of their sleeper space.
Sterling would definitely never be my choice. They have a redeeming quality in their day cabs in that they're spacious, but that's pretty much it. Those trucks are crap all the way around. I could live with the International 9100, 9200, 9300, 9400, and 9900, but I wouldn't want the ProStar, especially one with the TrashForce engine.

 

As a owner Pete and KW. most company's are using Volvo and freightliner. girl trucks. a company that is a really good company a have top of the line trucks with all the bell and whistles is TMC. I trainer for roadmaster school in PA and there one of the company's that take our students. Peterbuilt. APU, paid satellite radio, 10" sub. all leather interior. very nice

 

WesternStar, but since it's not on the list, then it would be Freightliner seeing as it's owned by the same company.
Mines just over three years old now, 310,000 miles on Saskatchewan rough highways. Still does not rattle or squeak, very solid truck, almost too solid, rough ride, definitely heavy, 23,000 lbs.
560 hp DD15. No problems, just usual truck stuff and a couple of oil leaks fixed under warranty.

 

As a company driver just give me anything reliable and not all beat up becuz the previous 1 month employee couldn't drive. Be nice if it was cleaned on a regular bases also. When the aluminum rims get dull and the tanks are full of overspill it looks like hell.

As a o/o those long nose Petes and Kws look awesome with the coffin sleepers but I'm guessing a Pete 386 or KW 660 would be nicer to spend ur road life in. If I was paying the bill best price and warranty flat out. Try to get a fresh one as often as possible. Guessing that wouldn't be a Pro Star. Shame cuz they look nice.

If u really want to fly it seems like every long nose Pete that goes bye me in the Dakotas is doin 85 mph plus. Had a flatbed go by me once and had to be going close to a buck. High diesel rpms and gears just a whineing. I tried to get in his lane after he went by to get my crash detection radar on him but he was going so fast I couldn't pick him up and the radar reads out forward just about 600 feet.