Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

First of all, you would need to get permission to live and work in the EU. I checked it, and your CDL can not be exchanged for a European driver's license. So you have to get a new driver's license, but that's not enough. You need a so called Code 95 stamp in your driver's license if you want to be a full time commercial truck driver. Code 95 is a EU wide course and diploma with extra knowledge the EU thinks is necessary for a commercial truck driver. It's not a one time course either, you need to refresh your knowledge. That takes 35 hours per 5 year, incl. 7 hours of practical training with a truck.

Driving a truck on highways may be about the same, but driving a truck over narrow country roads and through narrow streets in old cities and villages is not quite the same as you are used to in the US.

You could always drive as a guest with your CDL of course, as long as you don't earn money with it and drive as a friend of a European driver, you should be able to give it a try. A kind of experience holiday so to speak..

 

It can't be to hard ... I've heard the companies are importing eastern euro drivers at a high rate.

I wish @98989 was still around . He was very knowledgeable .....

 

I suppose you can change everything as long as you stay within regulations. And if you change something that affects the certification of the truck, it will have to be certified again.

 

Can you explain. Regs on trucks? What's certifications?

Here we can't have un-secure metal panels. No hanging wires or items under truck. Ect.

 

You're forgetting something, those countries are part of the EU, so the same regulations apply. These drivers may cheaper, but that's all

 

There are lots of regulations. I don't know them, but I recently read a nice example. The minimum number of bolts and the minimum quality of those bolts to mount a fifth wheel on the frame is regulated. The regulations are quite strict. I've seen American cars and small trucks with bull horns mounted on the hood. Try that over here and the police will confiscate you car and give you a huge fine. If you would hit a pedestrian with those horns, he would be pierced and killed. Somehow we don't like that.

Almost all trucks are build to customer specification, so every truck is a one of. Suppose you order a beer tanker. Then the truck factory will deliver a truck frame to the company that builds the beer tanker part on the frame. When it's ready, the truck will go to a government approved institute that will check and certify the truck to make sure it is build to regulations. Only then will it get a license plate. If you change anything important, like putting other wheels on the truck, it will have to be certified again.

 

Yes, if you believe Fox, Donald and Sarah. But if you believe them you also might believe in father Christmas.

 

True, but that is because it is very illegal to drive on the left lane if you're not overtaking, or you're in a traffic jam. I've been told the same rule applies to the US as well (in theory), but everybody has forgotten it.

 

Should I believe liberals like Obama, Clinton, Frau Merkel or Hollande ? father Christmas? what you mean?

 

This link to European Directive 2007/46/EC may help a bit. Can you do me a favour? Try to browse that directive a bit, and tell me if its is understandable for you. Personally I find these European directives very readable and understandable.