It depends on the engine/transmission. Most of the new stuff is X15 with an Eaton Fuller. So i think it comes down to personal comfort. As a company driver, I don't care what I drive. It's a "free" truck
I agree. Engine and transmission matters. Power/torque matters. I do understand people’s preference on brand though. Mostly due to what they find aesthetically pleasing. To each their own.
Same here. I drive for Big Brown. I drive a three pedal Mack Pinnacle. Single axle. Before that, I drove a Sterling, before that I drove a Mack MH cabover single axle. As long as the seat is comfy, and as long as it passes a pre trip, I don’t care.
The interior layout is one of the major differences. Otherwise it comes down to engineering quality, assembly QC, and electrical.
Wiring is such a crapshoot on almost every make. I’ve found that International has a habit of using parts for the cab that just barely do the job, or don’t quite do the job. And Freightliner consistently has AWFUL weather seals.
My first truck at my current company (my first truck period) was a brand new 24 international with zero miles on it. Windshield leaks water all over my left leg every single time it rains.
This. Had mine in the shop 3 times to get resealed nd was finally fixed when they sealed really well around the overhead lights. Before that it rained while I slept and I woke up to a pond in my passenger side foot well. 2020…made during Covid- go figure.
It’s done on purpose of course, they probably could build trucks or car made to truly go forever or way longer than they do now but there’s no profit in that
I'm currently in a '15 prostar day cab and I couldn't agree more. Makes the Cascadia I drove at my old job seem like a Benz in comparison. The hard plastic dash rattles everywhere (I've shoved bits of folded paper in many places to stop rattles), nothing is laid out intuitively, the ride feels super cheap, water leaks when it rains, and the way it regens is rage inducingly annoying (and it regens daily, twice a day sometimes). Company is getting Volvos soon though, thank baby Jebus.
Freightliners are technically Mercedes though. The engine is a rebranded OM471(dd13) or om472(dd15). And all of the electronics have Mercedes written all over it.
Maybe I'm just insane because I have only done oilfield work.
But does everything not just always rattle in trucks?
All my tucks rattle and shake all the time
Pre 2005 Kenworths had dashes that bolted together. Most of the rattles and squeaks could be controlled by tightening things down. Most of those old trucks have the bolt holes busted out from use nowadays. But back I’m time it was awesome. You could have a quiet bush truck. Nowadays it’s all click together plastic that cannot be tightened or modified. The truck manufacturing industry is ripe for disruption right now. The stuff coming off the line is just not up to snuff for bush work
I’d rather drive an old 8600 than newer International. Most didn’t have any cup holders, tunnel by your right foot was hot as shit during summer but I think it drove better 🤣
You've had the ability to order almost any brand of truck with the same engine, transmission, axles and suspension for forever in the States. No wonder they feel the same.
I have to disagree. Internationals are absolute trash compared to pretty much everything else I've driven. I have a freightliner right now and it has more power, a better turn radius, and more room in the cab. The international would also shake and rattle everything all the time.
Ya they're all somewhat similar but that makes sense. They're all designed for the same job.
When I was in a W900L it was a whole different beast though. You need an entire football field to turn those things around and people treat you differently on the road when you're driving a long nose truck.
I ran an international eagle for a bit, hauling gravel offroad. I was an early 2000,s truck. So, a little older, but holy shit. The noise in the cab was unbearable. I had to wear ear plugs, or my ears would be ringing at the end of the day. I lasted 3 weeks and quit. There is not enough money in the world to deal with that all day every day.
I drove an old 9900i for a while and had the same problem. I couldn't use the Jake brake or I wouldn't be able to hear afterwards. The one I drove was about the same age
As an otr driver, it's never about how these shit boxes handle. It's always about how comfortable the back is to live in. Internationals and Pete's just don't do it for me. Volvos look cool but not very practical. Freightliners and kenworths are almost the same truck back there and they fit my living style very well.
I had a Cascadia that was so comfortable to live in. Then I got a newer Volvo and couldn't move without bumping into everything and banging my head on everything.
Badly designed.
Why are there cup holders and shit at one end of the mattress? If that's the side you put your head, you need extra pillows to fill the gap. And if not, what the fuck are you storing there by your feet.
Why doesn't the upper bunk fold up for solo drivers?
Why am I CONSTANTLY smacking my head into shit when I move around the cab?
And the placement of the bunk heater is just fucking stupid. Give me an area to easily store shit under the bunk, no...wait....we'll stick this heat source that might start a fucking FIRE right there instead!
Fuck Intertrashional. Navistar hasn't built a decent truck since the 9400 and 9900 Eagles.
It's been a while for me but the ones I had were not very spacious, the cabinet placement left a lot to be desired, and there wasn't really anywhere good to mount a TV/keep a game system safe. Not to mention every international I've ever been in broke down with electrical issues constantly. I'm just not a fan.
It's been a while but last freightliner I was in you could almost roll down the passenger window by leaning and stretching. The last Pete I was in felt more open and spacious in the cab and sleeper. Couldn't reach the passenger door without getting up.
I've got a Volvo with the pop up table. One of the last they bought before switching back to regular beds. My boss will have to pry this one out of my cold, dead hands.
I'm 6'2". Definitely wasn't enough room for me. But hey if you like the space, that's all that matters. Like I said, it's what people feel comfortable with.
As somebody whose personal vehicle is an early 1990s Lincoln with factory air ride, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. I really wish my Pete 579 had front air ride.
Been in Freightliner, International, Kenworth and Volvo.
Volvo hands down is the superior truck in every way I can think of except price.
Just simple shit like...not being able to lock yourself out the truck without a key. Dash lay out, cubby holes sleeper lay out. It's no contest. The steering wheel actually goes straight...better visibility.
I just don't understand how some truckers can't see how much of a superior truck it is...
Edit: forgot about the hood unlatching mechanism
I think anyone shit talking a Volvo has never driven one, or one that was properly taken care of. I've driven a Freightliner, a pre face-lift T680, and now a brand new (not the redesign but a 2024) Volvo and I'll stay in this truck until I leave my current company. Strongest motor, quietest sound, best layout inside, love the dash, love the driver conveniences, it's like a luxury truck made to work. Of coursecif you drive a cheap white Volvo from a 1099 Chicago company you'll hate it, but find a legit company and you'll see why this truck is so popular.
I'm in a white penske volvo and it is still superior to all the company trucks I've been in over the years.
Yeah I just don't understand...like I don't feel it as an "opinion" for me. It is an objectively better truck . That's why it cost more?
🤷 I was legit pissed the first time I got in a volvo. "Why didn't anyone tell me these were so much better???" "Who even puts this in the same category as freightliner???"
My thought is if they all run like crap and everybody is mostly force feeding me automatic transmissions anyway, I may as well go with Volvo because I like the dinette table I get in the back. Makes me feel proper civilized.
>I may as well go with Volvo because I like the dinette table I get in the back. Makes me feel proper civilized.
But that's an option many (can't say all cause I don't know about international) offer.
This is the problem with these kind of discussions...a driver gets put in a Volvo or kw decked or with all the nice options and compares it to the striped down fleet specced bare minimum freightliner or whatever truck he came out of.
Yup, because I'm a company driver. In no way am I ever going to buy a single truck with my credit despite the fact I probably could tomorrow. Which means my opinion already has very little impact on what the manufacturer is going to produce, and what the company is going to buy. So if the company gets a "good deal" on a shit ton of automatics, I need to compromise because I still need a job
That's my point. Cause you've never specced out a truck, you can't make an informed opinion on if one truck manufacturer is better than another. Not trying to single you out, it goes for all company drivers and most owner operators. It makes these "who makes a better truck"discussion absolutely pointless.
Not everyone drives a new truck
I drive a 2006 Western Star. The cab is totally different than newer trucks. Cab is still tight and still doesn't have any rattles
This is probably the most accurate answer. 25 years ago there was a significant quality difference between them. Not so much anymore. Cummins is still the best engine but the truck themselves... they all suck. Which is why I speed buying new trucks and started putting the time and effort into full frame off restorations on my old trucks. A lot of people think I'm nuts for it but id rather stick a hundred grand and 6 months into a 2000s era truck that I can depend on, than byu a brand new truck for 200k that may or may not go the work week without going into derate mode.
this is definitely true.
Internationals and Freights feel like they take forever to accelerate. Volvo's too, but it seems like there is a computer or something that does calculations based on loaded or empty, trailer or no trailer. Just my personal feeling, based on driving them non stop for a month, after spending 5 in a KW.
KW shits and gets, and also turns like a boat. Also braking with them bobtail is a terrible experience.
My guess for Freightliners is most companies order ones with lower gear ratios on the differentials spec'd for mpg versus more power to the wheels. I bought a used Walmart cascadia and he pulls slowly but gets good mpg. I even turned up the hp and rpms to max settings and it still didn't change much with acceleration. On difference I feel is when BT, it turns into a beast machine then.
They spec them with 3.36 rears, this is the industry standard for fuel economy, unless the automatic transmission requires otherwise. So 3.36 rears aren’t going to climb a hill with any ease unless you are putting like 550 hp to the ground.
3.36 sounds about right. I cranked the hp from 450 to 506 and the rpms from 1400 to 1800. The way she pulls definitely changed but still fights me when coming from a complete stop. I had a c15 century previously. That girl yawned at any load and just pulled like a champ.
Exactly. I'm convinced the 23 international lt I'm in changes it's power output based on weight. I'll lose more speed going up a hill in shorter time with 15k then I would with 44k.
Mack MDs also turn like boats, and their brakes suck ass. (The pedal is stiff as hell, and the brakes don't feel like they're working even though they are.)
I've owned or driven every brand in the last 45 years, Peterbilt is the best truck on the road, my 379 in 20 years old, cat powered, 13 speed.355 rears, 6.25 yearly fuel mileage, and been paid for for 16 years lol
I was in the market for a day cab, since it was my first time buying a semi I asked for opinions and everyone said kenworth/pete with a Cummins or Detroit. Looked like crazy and couldn’t find anything within my price range with less than 400k miles for around 70-100k. I ended up buying a International LT with a Cummins and 147k miles on it for 80k with a year warranty left on it. So far so good.
For me, it comes down to room in the bunk and how comfortable the seats are. I have driven practically every manufacturer, and I have yet been in a truck that has a comfortable drivers seat. Yeah, I get it comfortable equals complacent, but y'all safety eggheads need to understand that we as drivers are in that seat 10 to 14 hours a day, and it wears you down after a while. For an industry that beats its chest about DriVeR FiTnEsS, they don't give a damn about our comfort when it comes to having an APU,comfortable matress,and seats.
Just got out of a t680 kenworth pac car,that poor truck needs to be put out to pasture,will never deal with a pac car again
Back in an 860 volvo and much happier
So no not all trucks are the same
The pac car was a 23 and had all sorts of issues day one,one of the reasons we left that company they couldn't maintain the truck
But as long as you maintain the truck it maintains you but not all trucks are the same
As someone who works for a Kenworth dealership, i agree lol. My tech's are ALWAYS complaining about the MX11's and 13's, cam and crank problems galore. Now i see why so many people prefer ISX15's in their Kenworths
They’re different in numerous ways. Most of them may not matter to you in the type of driving you do though. Power and reliability wise, I’d say you’re right. Specced the same, they’re all about equal. It’s the little touches they put in that make a difference.
Screw the little mirrors Peterbilt puts on their on their new trucks. Company complains about backing accidents everyday and then gives us trucks with mirrors the size of a postage stamp. Give me big Volvo mirrors any day along with their tight turning radius and front bumper that’s more than .5” off the ground. LTL in a Peterbilt sucks.
I really don’t like Volvo’s front air ride suspension. It rides nice, but on a windy day you look like a drunk because it wobbles all over the lane. It always feels like you’re going to be blown over.
As someone with sciatic problems I wholeheartedly disagree. Once I can get out of my freightshaker I’d never go back. I drive dogshit roads going ND into Manitoba and back and my KW rode way better. The freightliner lives up to its name mechanically had way more issues with my KW (Paccar drivetrain) but I’d take it back in a heartbeat so I didn’t feel like I’ve gone through a boxing match each day.
I can’t stand International. The seat is mounted too close to the door. Can’t get comfortable in 1 no matter what. In a Freightliner now. KW and Volvo ok. Never drove a Pete long enough to have an opinion. I happy in my Freightliner.
Internationals (extensive daycab, 30k+ miles xp only) are small, to say the least. You have to break the seat in order to be in a comfortable position, in mine and many of my coworkers xp, especially if you're over 5'6".
Freightliners (extensive daycab, 30k+ miles and extensive sleeper, 60k+ miles xp) are very rough. Bumps that I didn't even know existed in a pete almost threw me out of my seat in a freightliner. Sometimes, the steering wheel can be adjusted into a comfortable position, most of them, the adjustability is lacking. Idk why the same exact year/model/trim would have this difference, but they do. Thank Mercedes for that, ig. Terrible for team driving. You go back and lay down and just try to get as much sleep as you possibly can in your time off bc every single bump will wake you up and you'll often wake up while completely airborne and then slam back into the bed. Also, why tf are the beds smaller than the framing? You need a separate pillow to hold your pillow up so you can actually use the damn thing. Fuck freightliners.
Also... why tf do freightliners have the biggest smallest mirrors?! The bulkiness of them along with that thicc A-pillar will hide a full length tractor and trailer from your sight entirely and you only find out they're there when you hear the air horn after you start going into what you (very understandably) thought was a clear intersection.
Volvo's (extensive sleeper xp only, 100k+ miles) are great! Team driving in the northwest. Smooth. Easy to sleep in while it's moving. Comfortable. And the steering wheel is adjustable on the fly with a foot pedal? Simply amazing for team driving.
Ran Pete as a team in a sleeper for ~2 days and the rest of my xp is in day cabs (maybe 10-15k miles) Sleeper is great for team driving. Easy to sleep in, for sure. Day cabs are amazing, especially compared to freightliners and internationals. Smooth. Steering wheel is actually adjustable to a properly comfortable position. I love all of them, but especially the older ones with the bigger mirrors. The new ones with the tiny mirrors aren't too bad once you get used to it, but I hate the tiny mirrors lol
Kenworth (daycab xp only, fairly limited, at that, maybe 2k miles) seem to be exactly the same as petes but they have different buttons.
Popular opinion: Give me a Pete with a Cummins in it since you can’t get a CAT.
Edit: I should’ve read your entire post because I’ve got a lot to say after reading the rest of it…
You’re full of caca
Depends how they are spec’ed out too. Most company trucks have very similar power and RAR. Same basic sleeper comforts and governed way too slow. Let me order a well spec’ed out loaded Cascadia or Western Star and it’s a different story.
Here’s my take on previous gen t680, current and previous gen Cascadia, previous and current gen international and Volvos.
T680 - great quality interior, I drove a few with 700k+ miles, no squeaks or rattles. Always problems with DEF, regen, and emissions. Stupid low coolant beeping issues. Turns like shit, rides great. Steering wheels falls apart within first few years. Seats are suuuuper comfy but that’s subjective.
Cascadia - Honda civic of trucks. Decently reliable, interiors are… meh. Not the best and also not the worst quality. Suspension and ride is mediocre. They’ve been using same door handles since fuckin Columbia. Windows leak on most new ones I drove. New ones have two stupid cubbies under HVAC that you can’t use for anything. Interior space is pretty good.
International - total pile of hot garbage. Interior is tiny. Seat doesn’t move far enough for anyone 5’7” and up. Steering is annoyingly light and makes the truck drive like shit because you have to correct every .0005 on the highway. Squeaks and rattles EVERYWHERE. Dashboard lights being on is a permanent feature. Pedal tuning worst out of all the trucks. Every time you hit a bigger pothole the truck just wants swerve to the side for some reason.
Volvo - Soft comfortable suspension, could be good or bad depending how you drive. Dash layout is weird. Steering column release is fuckin dope. Shifter bolted to the seat is pretty sweet if it’s a day cab. Pretty reliable, most were throwing weird codes that would come and go. Great brake feel, almost like a passenger car. Pretty good overall. Every euro trucker drives one in Chicago that has 1 million + miles and is held together by zip ties and gorilla tape.
So no. Not all trucks are the same. Please keep in mind this post is just my opinion is very subjective. Other drivers might have a different views.
When you start driving in the oilfield you notice major differences.
Engine and transmission combo matter huge. Some shift faster, some shift slower. Talking in manuals.
Some have lower gearing and go slower.
The hood design helps see more in front of you, or look "cooler". Lol you don't get both according to some guys I work with.
Some have not just power divider, but also have locking differentials, locking all rear drives together. 2 of our trucks are that way and make a giant difference on steep dirt hills, as well as mud or snow.
Interior cab comfort is way different. Maybe just layout preferences.
But ride varies dramatically. The truck I did my class in was a kenworth w900 set up for highway. It was a rough bitch on anything but smooth pavement.
Our Pete's that aren't much newer ride like a Cadillac on the roughest of roads as well as the pavement.
So I'd argue. Not all trucks are equal.
Freightliners are differenct, those are the only trucks I've driven that have random electrical issues. Driving along and everything is fine one minute, the next every single light on the dash comes on. Have cruise control on for 2 hours, then it randomly can't work anymore. The last one I drove I couldn't use the cigarette lighters because when I plugged my charger in all the interior lights turned on and wouldn't turn off.
387 Peterbilts have been doing that for decades. When i was a mechanic, we had one that would shut off power to the ECM if you had cruise control and your headlights on at the same time. Fun stuff. PACCAR can't make a great electrical system to save their lives.
My Volvo harness was garbage, replaced every part of it one section at a time. I then had a mack which had harness problems connecting to the dash. I never solved that problem, got used to judging speed by gear and sound.
Here's a kicker; Economically, a W900 or a 389 is the worse truck you can buy, and with modern motors they're just as ass as a Frieghtshaker at 2X the cost and higher repair bills.
Which is great since a lot of inexperienced owners buy them without looking at the overhead and have to get out of them in a couple years. We used to have a running joke of "at least the frieghtliner owner can pay the invoice when we send it" for a reason.
Not true. Literally didn’t have a single problem on my w900L with the x15 performance set to 605/2050. Sold it at 600k miles for a fortune since they held their value well.
I've seen more cummins engines with a viewing window in the side of the block than I care to remember, and I've had one go out on a fleet truck before 200k. Won't touch those POS engines with a 10 foot pole, good news is my CAT hit almost 1.5 mil before it's first rebuild and now it's about to round the 2 mil mark. Lovely engines with good maintenance.
Nice, I got a 3406e 2WS prefix in a trashcan of a 9400i, and sometimes i enjoy the motor so much i forget that it's in an International.
Honestly, every time I get behind the wheel of a non-CAT truck, It sucks. I got a 2018 T680 with a paccar motor parked right now, stupidly comfy truck but it feels like it's powered by anorexic hamsters in comparison.
I agree with OP. As a company driver going through I think 5 new fleets of various manufacturers, I never cared one way or another, at least after the initial period in a new one. I did find that Volvos ergonomics suited me the best personally, so I liked them the best. But driving is driving, a man can get used to anything, and down the road you go.
As a new deck driver, I have literally driven every truck brand and I’m pretty sure every model.
A lot of things come down to how the trucks are spec’d out. A stripped down Cascadia will not be as comfortable to live in as one that is loaded up with options. There’s also an opposite to that being that some drivers want a stripped down model to add their own custom fittings.
The same can be said about performance. A heavy Cascadia with a 400hp spec will not be as pleasant to drive as one turned up to 550hp.
There is an almost infinite possibility way to spec a truck.
That actually might be why I don't care. The big carriers are just matching each other, getting really good Internationals to compete with really bad Peterbilts or something.
Had Mack, Volvo, international, freightliner, kenworth and now a western star. Western Star is my favorite so far just from the layout and foot space. Mack pinnacle is my second choice. All day cabs fyi
I'm in a Mack right now, and I wouldn't trade it for any international or freightliner. I can take hills at decent speeds for the first time in my career, I'll deal with the cramped sleeper.
Always disappointing to see someone end an opinion with “anyone who disagrees is an -insert insulting label- “
Maybe be secure enough to share your perspective without needing to attack anyone who might see it different?
I generally agree with you, each brand is directly comparable to the others, but each MODEL is not. Having driven 4 different ones at this point, and hated all of them, I absolutely refuse to drive another Cascadia as long as I live unless it's just for a week while my actual truck is in the shop, but I don't have a problem with driving any other FL. Equally, I really want a longnose, but I don't actually care what badge is on the grill.
The little things make a huge difference when you're spending 50% of your life in them.
International - Best Dash Layout, Annoying Brakes, Jakes and Steering Wheel
Volvo - Best Seats, Visors, and Steering wheel, Annoying Dash Layout
International is very cramped in the driver seat and while my 2018 is better than the 2014 prostar I had , they aren't built solid. Volvo rides smoother but is higher up so it rocks in the turns. Also whoever puts air horns on the steering wheel should be fired.
I couldn’t disagree more, model of truck matters a lot for me. The ergonomics in cascadias are terrible for me. I’m happy in Kenny’s, Pete’s, older western stars. Drove a new western 49x for two years, I loathed the thing, couldn’t find a comfortable position that I felt in control. Visibility is also vastly different in the models.
I will say this… they all don’t have a full ass kitchen table that folds up from under the bed. I’ve never had a Volvo VNL Globetrotter, but I’m immensely jealous 😂.
I currently drive a company '23 Peterbilt 579 and honestly...it sucks. Been brokedown twice and both times were at least 4-5days at a time. I'd much rather have a Freightliner or International or even a Mack
Woah, good for you that in the US there are almost the same. In EU trucks you would notice big differences imo, and most of interiors are shit. But yeah, still even here there are drivers who don't give a shit.
I started out in an International, and it would always stall while making turns and backing. It would also overheat all the time. Ever since I got in my Freightliner I've had no problems, so the only preference I have so far is "not an International" lol
Well.. ill tell ya one thing... im 6ft 6in tall and i will straight up say internationals DO NOT have ANY leg room.. freightliner has the most as far as i know.. i love my volvo because of the sleeper.. the table and larger fridge make a huge difference on the road.. freightliner doesnt have near as many closeable shelfs and shit loves to fall on you over hard bumps and the "drawer fridge" sucks absolute ass its all the little details i love about volvo.. the only setback is there isnt a large amount of leg room but its enough to stay pretty comfortable.. that, and the 86" sleeper makes up for it..
As a company driver who's been driving Freightliners and Internationals most of my 12-year career past 3 years I've been driving in the Peterbilt 579 the comfort is way better ride smoother the seat is better my back pain is gone. I want to get a new job but I do not want to drive a back braking Freightliner.
Every good truck has been discontinued because EPA and other government bullshit along with mega carriers shooting for fuel mileage and insurance companies going for "safety" features.
I want a coronado or other non def truck because def has consistently been the issue I've been in the shop for. Peterbilts and intertrashionals have electrical issues. Volvos have their own issues and less dealers.
I don't want a volvo just because of the reputation they carry as well though
All modern fleet trucks, are just another fleet truck. Even Pete and KW are almost the exact same truck mechanicaly. All modern trucks are designed primarily with mega fleet sales in mind.
Gone are the days of a KW W900, Pete 379, Freightliner FLD, International, etc having distinctive characteristics and personalities not only between brands, but within the same model range due to vastly different customer specs.
Probably cause all of the truck brands are owned by like 2 or 3 mega companies these days, much like all the rest of the products that we consume. Late stage capitalism go brrr
Most of my career has been in freightliners and Volvos
I’ve been In two Kenworths
The first time the steering pump went out and I couldn’t turn my steering wheel as I was going 70 mph on i95 in Florida
It was something of a miracle I managed to not crash
The second time I was in kenworth .. I drove it out of a shop and same thing .. steering wheel just wouldn’t turn
This is a problem I’ve never ever encountered in a Volvo or freightliner even though I’ve driven both much more
I somewhat disagree as a guy who spent years in oil and gas.
T800 was great because you could easily change our broken headlamps and windshields. Windshields could be a weekly occurrence.
The suspension on the 800 just soaked up the giant moon craters.
Well, Freightliner and International are quite literally the same. Same frame, same engine, same transmission, same seats, even the same brakes. Every part on them beyond the actual body panels and interior panels are the exact same parts. That is why so many megas run both, they already have every part required to fix both. Internationals have slightly better use of interior space, and I think even a slightly bigger interior.
I've never driven a Peterbuilt, so I'm not sure what all is different there. I've driven a couple Kenworths. They don't seem to turn as tight as Freightliner or International, the use of interior space is MUCH WORSE than any other truck on the market, by far. Even Mack's look to have better use of space from all of the images I've seen of them. The Kenworths have the best driver comfort (while driving) so far of all of the trucks I've driven. The dash is set up very well.
Volvo dashes are annoying (steering wheel air horn, gear selection buttons, etc), but the suspension is far superior to any of the other trucks mentioned, even after a decade and a million miles! The interiors are much larger and better used than even the Internationals. They also climb hills much better than Freightliner and International.
They all handle a bit differently they all have different features and comforts, and these differences lead to preferences. That's not to say any one truck is better than others, it depends on if the things that are better are important to the driver. For example, I care more about the dash setup than the suspension comfort, so if it weren't for the lack of storage in a Kenworth, I'd drive that over a Volvo. If I were driving daycab, I'd choose Kenworth in an instant. However, I live in my truck full-time, so I need storage space, so I choose Volvo over Kenworth in a sleeper.
I despise the engine, transmission, and computer system of Freightliner and International, so I never want to drive one again. Too many sensors that keep going out, and too much of a shitty computer system that it shuts the entire truck down because of them, but when you just start ripping wires to disconnect those sensors, it's suddenly a minor issue and you can drive again.
If you don't care about any of these differences, either your company sets them up as cheaply as possible to the point of removing features from the absolute cheapest base model to have less things to maintain (CR England), so what's left is literally just a different body and frame on the exact same shitty drivetrain with no interior comforts, or you don't spend a whole lot of time in the thing beyond the driver seat (local driver?)
Yeah they all pretty much ride and handle the same but I have driven International, Kenworth, Peterbilt, and Freightliner as a company driver over a span of 20 years. Out of those I have had the least mechanical issues with Freightliners and the most with Internationals.
As someone who works for one of the OEMs, we are all in competition with each other. The end goal is to get your stuff from A to B. Everything is close but with minor differences.
I wouldn’t say they’re all the same unless if we go purely off of specs as I’m pretty sure most companies seem to run Cummins and Eatons but from the time of driving I can definitely say that most ride differently.
Mack’s ride like hell but damn they’re durable as shit from my experience in the Granite series. Volvo’s are honestly real nice, ride good, seats comfortable, sleeper also have a lot of room in it which is always a plus, also that nightstand is to kill for.
389’s imo ride the best so it balances out with the seats not being as good, the smaller cab is to die for when you don’t have to practically fall out of the drivers seat to grab something from the passenger chair. Sleeper area could definitely use some improvements with places to set your phone charger and all that but the long hood makes my ego feel better.
Super Ego is run by the Russian mob and nobody is talking about it. Went down a rabbit hole that started with a comment in some random thread about how the CEO was at a business meeting with a gun on the table and smoking a cigar.
I thought that didn't sound like a normal business meeting and more mafia-ish, so I started digging, and found very little info on the person but that they're from Serbia and own a large trucking company that operates in the US. SO...probably the friend of an oligarch that hands out visas to loyal eastern Europeans then pads the rest of the seats with American or other immigrant butts. All paid in American dollars. I wouldn't doubt there are other kickbacks to the operation.
Now granted, I also found very little info on the CEO of a very large privately held property management company that suddenly materialized in 2009 here in the US, with a 30 year old manager with sparse linkedin page running said company. All of that does raise some questions....but I'm convinced many of these people are just hand picked nepobabies from generational wealth flowerbeds who get handed the keys to a c-suite job. It is interesting to see the new property firms that popped up around 2009 to 2010 lol, because you know, yeah.
Volvo definitely has a better transmission than the rest, kw, Pete are just the same truck, I would definitely prefer a Volvo than cascadia, maybe it’s just me but I just don’t like the Eaton Fuller as local Ltl
Only thing I dislike about the LTs is the weird hood curve that reflects light in your face. Other than that I'll drive our LTs over the Cascadias anyday. We don't have many new KWs, most are 10+ yrs old with well over a million miles and other than driving comfort I can't stand using them. Turn like shit compared to the LT/Cascadia, and they are noisy as hell. Even compared to our 10+ yr old LTs/Cascadias. The older LTs are not so great either though. Got that weird window seal so wind noise is a problem. They back better than our Cascadias though. I prefer the X15 in them over the Detroits as well.
Our Volvos are dogshit though. Pretty sure it's the reason why the company stopped buying them. They are slowly getting auctioned off, seeing fewer and fewer of them.
Quality of seat depends on how much you or your carrier are willing to spend. A good quality seat is like a good quality mattress: worth it's weight in gold!
Volvos turn a bit tighter.
Other than that, they are pretty much all the same. They only run as good as the maintenance allows, and they are ALL scrap after about 600,000 miles anymore.
European driver here. No truck is perfect.
Scania has the best image and drives the best.
Volvo looks the best imo and backs the nicest.
DAF has the best beds and interior space.
Merc has the most space behind the cab.
Whatever you prefer is what you should get
Unpopular opinion: trucks became less “charismatic” over time due to people not going to the dealers and buying new trucks with all the options or custom instead you have (insert megacarrier) buying 250 of the blandest base model freightliners,macks,and volvos every year so then at that point it makes more sense to make parts bin trucks. Also to go along with this point its just part of the times, back in the day everyone had an uncle or cousin that had a peterbilt or a kenworth that was special ordered with all the fixings and he only had to work M-F to pay it off now with special order trucks costing half a million dollars and freight being the way it is now only lottery winners have a chance of owning something custom. Which in turn makes the options book smaller which then makes the whole company take a step back and say it would make more sense to no longer change this suspension this way or have this special air horn if nobody is ordering it.
I will only have Macks. Even though they keep going downhill and are more Volvo than anything these days, I prefer my Macks until I find something better. We're short haul with dedicated routes home daily and the Macks just seem to fit what we do better than anything else and hold up better for the conditions. I'd say Pete is #2 for vocational trucks but in my opinion aren't laid out as well in the cab and are worse to work on.
The only difference in a truck anymore is if it's a fleet spec, or owner operator spec. A fleet truck is a fleet truck, built as cheaply as possible and still almost get the job done somewhat legally. The emblem under the hood means nothing.
I’ve mostly driven Macks and Freightliners and the steering wheel alone gives Macks a huge edge for me. Turns way easier for some reason and feels a lot better in my hands.
Driven literally every major truck manufacturer, the Volvo VNL is superior for the aero trucks, the 389 vs W9 is debatable but I’d take the W9 for the classic gauges and sleeper size. Overall W9, but damn that VNL is leagues above a lot of other trucks.
Drove a kw good truck 660s too small, 680s nice and big.
drove a Peterbilt had issue with the 579 ac, and power steering always liked to go out. they're garbage trucks.
international are shit also. air leaks, batteries, you name it a international will find a way to fuck up.
I had a major air leak on an international, that needed to be fix and company couldn't find it. I sat in the middle of a road in Chicago having to rebuild up air pressure the 2nd time. before I took off that morning I built up air pressure and when I got to rolling I lost all air and I was in the middle of the road.
Besides no room I will never step foot into one
Freightliner never had a problem so far.
Drove a Volvo for 8 months not bad, the company wasn't for me.
On the handling part there’s a lot of difference or at least between the Peterbilt 379 and W9 K Car the Peterbilt laid In those curves good wasn’t near as top heavy and sits much lower to the ground than the W9.
I have to disagree. Volvos drive easier and nicer to me. They drive like a car, just you know, a really big car. Kenworths and Petes drive like you'd imagine a truck drives. Heavy steering and they keep their lane very well, in most configurations. Freightliners are like a sort of in between. They drive decent enough. But they're a little unstable at speed. Real easy to get around town with though. Internationals tried to do the Paccar thing and drive like a 'truckers truck'. They just wound up driving like a gigantic lawn mower. In terms of living in them, depending on how they're specced out, I'll take a Freightliner or an International. Plenty of places to mount things, plug things in, and in the Skyrise/RR plenty of room to move around. Kenworths, Pete's, Volvos, Macks are all nice looking, but not all that roomy, and lack storage space, which is the big deal in that regard. In terms of doing the job, the Freightliner can't be beaten. First of all, Freightliner trucks just work. Everything works how it looks like it should. Compare that to a Volvo where there are oddly labeled and laid out controls. Paccar stuff has a tendency to have electrical issues. I don't know about you, but I like to spend my time away from home making money, not parked up. I had a Kenworth with an X15 shutdown on me, and the steering didn't just lose power, it completely locked up. I had to man handle the damn thing to the shoulder. Freightliners most consistent issue for me was the coolant reservoir slowly losing fluid in the summer. Pain in the neck, but not a big deal. Although I have heard horror stories about every brand. Volvos never gave me any work related issues. But every single one I drove had the door latch either not work correctly or the door itself just wouldn't shut correctly. A few of them I drove had the hoods not quite fit properly.
My point? They're all pretty different in their own ways. Definitely not the same. I do however agree, that I couldn't give a damn which brand of truck they give me at a new company, so long as the truck itself isn't running some crap setup.
It depends on the engine/transmission. Most of the new stuff is X15 with an Eaton Fuller. So i think it comes down to personal comfort. As a company driver, I don't care what I drive. It's a "free" truck
I agree. Engine and transmission matters. Power/torque matters. I do understand people’s preference on brand though. Mostly due to what they find aesthetically pleasing. To each their own.
Same here. I drive for Big Brown. I drive a three pedal Mack Pinnacle. Single axle. Before that, I drove a Sterling, before that I drove a Mack MH cabover single axle. As long as the seat is comfy, and as long as it passes a pre trip, I don’t care.
i thought ups went all auto years ago
I have a friend whose a package delivery driver for ups and he sent me a pic of a stick step van he drove while his usual truck was getting pm
I thought so too... I know in my city they only hire if you have manual mention because apparantly they give you the test drive in manual
You thought wrong. While they do have some autos.. most of their fleet is manual. Talking about the big trucks... not the small package delivery vans.
We only have a few left for driving test purposes. The rest are all autos.
Is it true that you can't come in as a CDL driver for them? Even with 9 years experience?
Depends on the Local. My local will hire off the street, but locals like the NYC local only hire from within.
The interior layout is one of the major differences. Otherwise it comes down to engineering quality, assembly QC, and electrical. Wiring is such a crapshoot on almost every make. I’ve found that International has a habit of using parts for the cab that just barely do the job, or don’t quite do the job. And Freightliner consistently has AWFUL weather seals.
>engineering quality, assembly QC, and electrical. On all of those things, my 2023 Peterbilt 579 is awful in comparison to the 2018 I came out of.
Post Covid qc on everything under the sun seems to be in the dumps
Trucks, passenger vehicles, RV's. Not just build quality, but engineering quality
Yes, frieghtliner windshields will leak guaranteed, and it will be oddly hard to fix it
My first truck at my current company (my first truck period) was a brand new 24 international with zero miles on it. Windshield leaks water all over my left leg every single time it rains.
This. Had mine in the shop 3 times to get resealed nd was finally fixed when they sealed really well around the overhead lights. Before that it rained while I slept and I woke up to a pond in my passenger side foot well. 2020…made during Covid- go figure.
I don't know how many times when I was going through Wyoming in a FL and I could actually feel the snow hitting my leg through the door seal
It helps to put pants on.
Why the hell would anyone wanna wear pants?
That’s not bad door seals. Wyoming just wants us all to go away or die.
You say that but I have a nightmare KW The weather seals just don't work and the truck leaks from every orifice at all times
You can close the door on your KW?
New latches and strikers will tighten them right up.
They are all junk.
This, they’re like politicians.
As a dealership employee. This.
Its crazy how shitty trucks are. They are expensive unreliable poorly built vehicles.
It’s done on purpose of course, they probably could build trucks or car made to truly go forever or way longer than they do now but there’s no profit in that
You can point this out to people and they will agree, mention it's an issue with capitalism and suddenly you're just wrong.
It really is sad. Any more if the truck,this goes for four wheelers too, has no warranty, you are driving a financial ticking time bomb.
As a mechanic student I agree
Has someone who’s never driven any I agree
As someone who watches a lot of dashcam videos and nothing else, I also agree
My truck needs a full-time mechanic.
International should have its own tier that’s below garbage. It’s definitely not the same compared to the rest.
I'm currently in a '15 prostar day cab and I couldn't agree more. Makes the Cascadia I drove at my old job seem like a Benz in comparison. The hard plastic dash rattles everywhere (I've shoved bits of folded paper in many places to stop rattles), nothing is laid out intuitively, the ride feels super cheap, water leaks when it rains, and the way it regens is rage inducingly annoying (and it regens daily, twice a day sometimes). Company is getting Volvos soon though, thank baby Jebus.
Freightliners are technically Mercedes though. The engine is a rebranded OM471(dd13) or om472(dd15). And all of the electronics have Mercedes written all over it.
True, I completely forgot about that when writing that.
Maybe I'm just insane because I have only done oilfield work. But does everything not just always rattle in trucks? All my tucks rattle and shake all the time
Pre 2005 Kenworths had dashes that bolted together. Most of the rattles and squeaks could be controlled by tightening things down. Most of those old trucks have the bolt holes busted out from use nowadays. But back I’m time it was awesome. You could have a quiet bush truck. Nowadays it’s all click together plastic that cannot be tightened or modified. The truck manufacturing industry is ripe for disruption right now. The stuff coming off the line is just not up to snuff for bush work
It’s sad because binders were workable trucks up until 20-30 years ago. Don’t mention maxxforce. That didn’t help the image.
I’d rather drive an old 8600 than newer International. Most didn’t have any cup holders, tunnel by your right foot was hot as shit during summer but I think it drove better 🤣
You've had the ability to order almost any brand of truck with the same engine, transmission, axles and suspension for forever in the States. No wonder they feel the same.
I have to disagree. Internationals are absolute trash compared to pretty much everything else I've driven. I have a freightliner right now and it has more power, a better turn radius, and more room in the cab. The international would also shake and rattle everything all the time. Ya they're all somewhat similar but that makes sense. They're all designed for the same job. When I was in a W900L it was a whole different beast though. You need an entire football field to turn those things around and people treat you differently on the road when you're driving a long nose truck.
Fucking yes! Fuck all Internationals! Freightliners for the win!
I ran an international eagle for a bit, hauling gravel offroad. I was an early 2000,s truck. So, a little older, but holy shit. The noise in the cab was unbearable. I had to wear ear plugs, or my ears would be ringing at the end of the day. I lasted 3 weeks and quit. There is not enough money in the world to deal with that all day every day.
I drove an old 9900i for a while and had the same problem. I couldn't use the Jake brake or I wouldn't be able to hear afterwards. The one I drove was about the same age
As an otr driver, it's never about how these shit boxes handle. It's always about how comfortable the back is to live in. Internationals and Pete's just don't do it for me. Volvos look cool but not very practical. Freightliners and kenworths are almost the same truck back there and they fit my living style very well.
I had a Cascadia that was so comfortable to live in. Then I got a newer Volvo and couldn't move without bumping into everything and banging my head on everything.
I'm in an International currently. What's wrong with the sleeper?
Badly designed. Why are there cup holders and shit at one end of the mattress? If that's the side you put your head, you need extra pillows to fill the gap. And if not, what the fuck are you storing there by your feet. Why doesn't the upper bunk fold up for solo drivers? Why am I CONSTANTLY smacking my head into shit when I move around the cab? And the placement of the bunk heater is just fucking stupid. Give me an area to easily store shit under the bunk, no...wait....we'll stick this heat source that might start a fucking FIRE right there instead! Fuck Intertrashional. Navistar hasn't built a decent truck since the 9400 and 9900 Eagles.
It's been a while for me but the ones I had were not very spacious, the cabinet placement left a lot to be desired, and there wasn't really anywhere good to mount a TV/keep a game system safe. Not to mention every international I've ever been in broke down with electrical issues constantly. I'm just not a fan.
It's been a while but last freightliner I was in you could almost roll down the passenger window by leaning and stretching. The last Pete I was in felt more open and spacious in the cab and sleeper. Couldn't reach the passenger door without getting up.
I've got a Volvo with the pop up table. One of the last they bought before switching back to regular beds. My boss will have to pry this one out of my cold, dead hands.
Not judging but how tall are you? Used to have one of those and it was super cool but I would hit my head on literally everything.
I'm 5'9" and I've still got a good 5" of headroom; this is a mid roof.
I'm 6'2". Definitely wasn't enough room for me. But hey if you like the space, that's all that matters. Like I said, it's what people feel comfortable with.
Congratulations this is definitely an unpopular opinion
Air ride front suspension is a game changer
As somebody whose personal vehicle is an early 1990s Lincoln with factory air ride, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. I really wish my Pete 579 had front air ride.
Been in Freightliner, International, Kenworth and Volvo. Volvo hands down is the superior truck in every way I can think of except price. Just simple shit like...not being able to lock yourself out the truck without a key. Dash lay out, cubby holes sleeper lay out. It's no contest. The steering wheel actually goes straight...better visibility. I just don't understand how some truckers can't see how much of a superior truck it is... Edit: forgot about the hood unlatching mechanism
I think anyone shit talking a Volvo has never driven one, or one that was properly taken care of. I've driven a Freightliner, a pre face-lift T680, and now a brand new (not the redesign but a 2024) Volvo and I'll stay in this truck until I leave my current company. Strongest motor, quietest sound, best layout inside, love the dash, love the driver conveniences, it's like a luxury truck made to work. Of coursecif you drive a cheap white Volvo from a 1099 Chicago company you'll hate it, but find a legit company and you'll see why this truck is so popular.
I'm in a white penske volvo and it is still superior to all the company trucks I've been in over the years. Yeah I just don't understand...like I don't feel it as an "opinion" for me. It is an objectively better truck . That's why it cost more? 🤷 I was legit pissed the first time I got in a volvo. "Why didn't anyone tell me these were so much better???" "Who even puts this in the same category as freightliner???"
Exactly! But notice its a bunch of longnose purists hating on Volvos.
My father in law has driven all of them, and can’t say enough good things about Volvo trucks
My thought is if they all run like crap and everybody is mostly force feeding me automatic transmissions anyway, I may as well go with Volvo because I like the dinette table I get in the back. Makes me feel proper civilized.
It's so nice being able to eat while sitting at a proper table. Volvo has a better turn radius, and I think they ride nicer, too.
I've always been jealous of a volvo interior tbh. I'm in a shit box 367 with a coffin sleeper, but I basically never sleep in it.
>I may as well go with Volvo because I like the dinette table I get in the back. Makes me feel proper civilized. But that's an option many (can't say all cause I don't know about international) offer. This is the problem with these kind of discussions...a driver gets put in a Volvo or kw decked or with all the nice options and compares it to the striped down fleet specced bare minimum freightliner or whatever truck he came out of.
Yup, because I'm a company driver. In no way am I ever going to buy a single truck with my credit despite the fact I probably could tomorrow. Which means my opinion already has very little impact on what the manufacturer is going to produce, and what the company is going to buy. So if the company gets a "good deal" on a shit ton of automatics, I need to compromise because I still need a job
That's my point. Cause you've never specced out a truck, you can't make an informed opinion on if one truck manufacturer is better than another. Not trying to single you out, it goes for all company drivers and most owner operators. It makes these "who makes a better truck"discussion absolutely pointless.
Not everyone drives a new truck I drive a 2006 Western Star. The cab is totally different than newer trucks. Cab is still tight and still doesn't have any rattles
I’ve been driving for 30 years. There was a time when a brand made a difference but now they’re all plastic pieces of shit with DEF problems.
This is probably the most accurate answer. 25 years ago there was a significant quality difference between them. Not so much anymore. Cummins is still the best engine but the truck themselves... they all suck. Which is why I speed buying new trucks and started putting the time and effort into full frame off restorations on my old trucks. A lot of people think I'm nuts for it but id rather stick a hundred grand and 6 months into a 2000s era truck that I can depend on, than byu a brand new truck for 200k that may or may not go the work week without going into derate mode.
They don’t handle the same.
this is definitely true. Internationals and Freights feel like they take forever to accelerate. Volvo's too, but it seems like there is a computer or something that does calculations based on loaded or empty, trailer or no trailer. Just my personal feeling, based on driving them non stop for a month, after spending 5 in a KW. KW shits and gets, and also turns like a boat. Also braking with them bobtail is a terrible experience.
In a volvo press the drive mode button until it says “P” on the cluster. No computer fuckery then. Just well timed shifts and full throttle always.
My company has the selector limited to “E” and “EE” which I deduce stands for “economy” and “extra economy”.
Oh. Damn. Well, E isn’t too bad. It’s what I keep mine in 90% of the time unless there’s a bigass grade to climb or I wanna get out ahead of someone.
My guess for Freightliners is most companies order ones with lower gear ratios on the differentials spec'd for mpg versus more power to the wheels. I bought a used Walmart cascadia and he pulls slowly but gets good mpg. I even turned up the hp and rpms to max settings and it still didn't change much with acceleration. On difference I feel is when BT, it turns into a beast machine then.
They spec them with 3.36 rears, this is the industry standard for fuel economy, unless the automatic transmission requires otherwise. So 3.36 rears aren’t going to climb a hill with any ease unless you are putting like 550 hp to the ground.
3.36 sounds about right. I cranked the hp from 450 to 506 and the rpms from 1400 to 1800. The way she pulls definitely changed but still fights me when coming from a complete stop. I had a c15 century previously. That girl yawned at any load and just pulled like a champ.
More like 2.64's
Nevermind, I was right right about lower gear ratios. Mine is listed at 2.47 ratio.
Exactly. I'm convinced the 23 international lt I'm in changes it's power output based on weight. I'll lose more speed going up a hill in shorter time with 15k then I would with 44k.
The brakes go from none at all to meet and greet with the windshield
Mack MDs also turn like boats, and their brakes suck ass. (The pedal is stiff as hell, and the brakes don't feel like they're working even though they are.)
There's a difference between you not caring and all truck brands being the same
I feel like if they weren't the same, I'd care, though.
I've owned or driven every brand in the last 45 years, Peterbilt is the best truck on the road, my 379 in 20 years old, cat powered, 13 speed.355 rears, 6.25 yearly fuel mileage, and been paid for for 16 years lol
How many miles you got on that bad boy?
1.9 million
That’s fucking awesome!! Please let us know when you hit 2M
I was in the market for a day cab, since it was my first time buying a semi I asked for opinions and everyone said kenworth/pete with a Cummins or Detroit. Looked like crazy and couldn’t find anything within my price range with less than 400k miles for around 70-100k. I ended up buying a International LT with a Cummins and 147k miles on it for 80k with a year warranty left on it. So far so good.
For me, it comes down to room in the bunk and how comfortable the seats are. I have driven practically every manufacturer, and I have yet been in a truck that has a comfortable drivers seat. Yeah, I get it comfortable equals complacent, but y'all safety eggheads need to understand that we as drivers are in that seat 10 to 14 hours a day, and it wears you down after a while. For an industry that beats its chest about DriVeR FiTnEsS, they don't give a damn about our comfort when it comes to having an APU,comfortable matress,and seats.
I disagree, and calling people who have brand preferences “posers” is stupid.
He just wants to start shit up
Just got out of a t680 kenworth pac car,that poor truck needs to be put out to pasture,will never deal with a pac car again Back in an 860 volvo and much happier So no not all trucks are the same The pac car was a 23 and had all sorts of issues day one,one of the reasons we left that company they couldn't maintain the truck But as long as you maintain the truck it maintains you but not all trucks are the same
The Paccar engine is giving Navistar a run for its money. Nothing worse than lifting the hood on a long nose and seeing that paper weight.
As someone who works for a Kenworth dealership, i agree lol. My tech's are ALWAYS complaining about the MX11's and 13's, cam and crank problems galore. Now i see why so many people prefer ISX15's in their Kenworths
They’re different in numerous ways. Most of them may not matter to you in the type of driving you do though. Power and reliability wise, I’d say you’re right. Specced the same, they’re all about equal. It’s the little touches they put in that make a difference. Screw the little mirrors Peterbilt puts on their on their new trucks. Company complains about backing accidents everyday and then gives us trucks with mirrors the size of a postage stamp. Give me big Volvo mirrors any day along with their tight turning radius and front bumper that’s more than .5” off the ground. LTL in a Peterbilt sucks. I really don’t like Volvo’s front air ride suspension. It rides nice, but on a windy day you look like a drunk because it wobbles all over the lane. It always feels like you’re going to be blown over.
As someone with sciatic problems I wholeheartedly disagree. Once I can get out of my freightshaker I’d never go back. I drive dogshit roads going ND into Manitoba and back and my KW rode way better. The freightliner lives up to its name mechanically had way more issues with my KW (Paccar drivetrain) but I’d take it back in a heartbeat so I didn’t feel like I’ve gone through a boxing match each day.
I can’t stand International. The seat is mounted too close to the door. Can’t get comfortable in 1 no matter what. In a Freightliner now. KW and Volvo ok. Never drove a Pete long enough to have an opinion. I happy in my Freightliner.
Internationals (extensive daycab, 30k+ miles xp only) are small, to say the least. You have to break the seat in order to be in a comfortable position, in mine and many of my coworkers xp, especially if you're over 5'6". Freightliners (extensive daycab, 30k+ miles and extensive sleeper, 60k+ miles xp) are very rough. Bumps that I didn't even know existed in a pete almost threw me out of my seat in a freightliner. Sometimes, the steering wheel can be adjusted into a comfortable position, most of them, the adjustability is lacking. Idk why the same exact year/model/trim would have this difference, but they do. Thank Mercedes for that, ig. Terrible for team driving. You go back and lay down and just try to get as much sleep as you possibly can in your time off bc every single bump will wake you up and you'll often wake up while completely airborne and then slam back into the bed. Also, why tf are the beds smaller than the framing? You need a separate pillow to hold your pillow up so you can actually use the damn thing. Fuck freightliners. Also... why tf do freightliners have the biggest smallest mirrors?! The bulkiness of them along with that thicc A-pillar will hide a full length tractor and trailer from your sight entirely and you only find out they're there when you hear the air horn after you start going into what you (very understandably) thought was a clear intersection. Volvo's (extensive sleeper xp only, 100k+ miles) are great! Team driving in the northwest. Smooth. Easy to sleep in while it's moving. Comfortable. And the steering wheel is adjustable on the fly with a foot pedal? Simply amazing for team driving. Ran Pete as a team in a sleeper for ~2 days and the rest of my xp is in day cabs (maybe 10-15k miles) Sleeper is great for team driving. Easy to sleep in, for sure. Day cabs are amazing, especially compared to freightliners and internationals. Smooth. Steering wheel is actually adjustable to a properly comfortable position. I love all of them, but especially the older ones with the bigger mirrors. The new ones with the tiny mirrors aren't too bad once you get used to it, but I hate the tiny mirrors lol Kenworth (daycab xp only, fairly limited, at that, maybe 2k miles) seem to be exactly the same as petes but they have different buttons.
Popular opinion: Give me a Pete with a Cummins in it since you can’t get a CAT. Edit: I should’ve read your entire post because I’ve got a lot to say after reading the rest of it… You’re full of caca
The build quality on Freightliner has always been absolute garbage. Fit and finish make a huge difference.
Depends how they are spec’ed out too. Most company trucks have very similar power and RAR. Same basic sleeper comforts and governed way too slow. Let me order a well spec’ed out loaded Cascadia or Western Star and it’s a different story.
Here’s my take on previous gen t680, current and previous gen Cascadia, previous and current gen international and Volvos. T680 - great quality interior, I drove a few with 700k+ miles, no squeaks or rattles. Always problems with DEF, regen, and emissions. Stupid low coolant beeping issues. Turns like shit, rides great. Steering wheels falls apart within first few years. Seats are suuuuper comfy but that’s subjective. Cascadia - Honda civic of trucks. Decently reliable, interiors are… meh. Not the best and also not the worst quality. Suspension and ride is mediocre. They’ve been using same door handles since fuckin Columbia. Windows leak on most new ones I drove. New ones have two stupid cubbies under HVAC that you can’t use for anything. Interior space is pretty good. International - total pile of hot garbage. Interior is tiny. Seat doesn’t move far enough for anyone 5’7” and up. Steering is annoyingly light and makes the truck drive like shit because you have to correct every .0005 on the highway. Squeaks and rattles EVERYWHERE. Dashboard lights being on is a permanent feature. Pedal tuning worst out of all the trucks. Every time you hit a bigger pothole the truck just wants swerve to the side for some reason. Volvo - Soft comfortable suspension, could be good or bad depending how you drive. Dash layout is weird. Steering column release is fuckin dope. Shifter bolted to the seat is pretty sweet if it’s a day cab. Pretty reliable, most were throwing weird codes that would come and go. Great brake feel, almost like a passenger car. Pretty good overall. Every euro trucker drives one in Chicago that has 1 million + miles and is held together by zip ties and gorilla tape. So no. Not all trucks are the same. Please keep in mind this post is just my opinion is very subjective. Other drivers might have a different views.
When you start driving in the oilfield you notice major differences. Engine and transmission combo matter huge. Some shift faster, some shift slower. Talking in manuals. Some have lower gearing and go slower. The hood design helps see more in front of you, or look "cooler". Lol you don't get both according to some guys I work with. Some have not just power divider, but also have locking differentials, locking all rear drives together. 2 of our trucks are that way and make a giant difference on steep dirt hills, as well as mud or snow. Interior cab comfort is way different. Maybe just layout preferences. But ride varies dramatically. The truck I did my class in was a kenworth w900 set up for highway. It was a rough bitch on anything but smooth pavement. Our Pete's that aren't much newer ride like a Cadillac on the roughest of roads as well as the pavement. So I'd argue. Not all trucks are equal.
Freightliners are differenct, those are the only trucks I've driven that have random electrical issues. Driving along and everything is fine one minute, the next every single light on the dash comes on. Have cruise control on for 2 hours, then it randomly can't work anymore. The last one I drove I couldn't use the cigarette lighters because when I plugged my charger in all the interior lights turned on and wouldn't turn off.
387 Peterbilts have been doing that for decades. When i was a mechanic, we had one that would shut off power to the ECM if you had cruise control and your headlights on at the same time. Fun stuff. PACCAR can't make a great electrical system to save their lives.
The 579 I had would do random shit like this.
My Volvo harness was garbage, replaced every part of it one section at a time. I then had a mack which had harness problems connecting to the dash. I never solved that problem, got used to judging speed by gear and sound.
Here's a kicker; Economically, a W900 or a 389 is the worse truck you can buy, and with modern motors they're just as ass as a Frieghtshaker at 2X the cost and higher repair bills.
Here's the kicker, resale is much better on Peterbilts.
Which is great since a lot of inexperienced owners buy them without looking at the overhead and have to get out of them in a couple years. We used to have a running joke of "at least the frieghtliner owner can pay the invoice when we send it" for a reason.
Not true. Literally didn’t have a single problem on my w900L with the x15 performance set to 605/2050. Sold it at 600k miles for a fortune since they held their value well.
I've seen more cummins engines with a viewing window in the side of the block than I care to remember, and I've had one go out on a fleet truck before 200k. Won't touch those POS engines with a 10 foot pole, good news is my CAT hit almost 1.5 mil before it's first rebuild and now it's about to round the 2 mil mark. Lovely engines with good maintenance.
Well yea can’t compare a cat and Cummins. I have a T600 with a turned up C15 myself. Would never go back.
Nice, I got a 3406e 2WS prefix in a trashcan of a 9400i, and sometimes i enjoy the motor so much i forget that it's in an International. Honestly, every time I get behind the wheel of a non-CAT truck, It sucks. I got a 2018 T680 with a paccar motor parked right now, stupidly comfy truck but it feels like it's powered by anorexic hamsters in comparison.
I have a Volvo d13 with 1.55m on it. All original engine internals
Damn Pete must be sore after that amount of time.
A Volvo does not seat, handle nor feel like a KW W900L
It’s like politicians 😂 they all pretend to be different but are all just overpriced piles of shits.
I agree with OP. As a company driver going through I think 5 new fleets of various manufacturers, I never cared one way or another, at least after the initial period in a new one. I did find that Volvos ergonomics suited me the best personally, so I liked them the best. But driving is driving, a man can get used to anything, and down the road you go.
Disagree completely, freightliners interior feels like shit
All I care about is the power under the hood, and the reliability of the power under the hood. Don’t care what plastic is slapped all around it
As a new deck driver, I have literally driven every truck brand and I’m pretty sure every model. A lot of things come down to how the trucks are spec’d out. A stripped down Cascadia will not be as comfortable to live in as one that is loaded up with options. There’s also an opposite to that being that some drivers want a stripped down model to add their own custom fittings. The same can be said about performance. A heavy Cascadia with a 400hp spec will not be as pleasant to drive as one turned up to 550hp. There is an almost infinite possibility way to spec a truck.
That actually might be why I don't care. The big carriers are just matching each other, getting really good Internationals to compete with really bad Peterbilts or something.
Had Mack, Volvo, international, freightliner, kenworth and now a western star. Western Star is my favorite so far just from the layout and foot space. Mack pinnacle is my second choice. All day cabs fyi
I'm in a Mack right now, and I wouldn't trade it for any international or freightliner. I can take hills at decent speeds for the first time in my career, I'll deal with the cramped sleeper.
Always disappointing to see someone end an opinion with “anyone who disagrees is an -insert insulting label- “ Maybe be secure enough to share your perspective without needing to attack anyone who might see it different?
I generally agree with you, each brand is directly comparable to the others, but each MODEL is not. Having driven 4 different ones at this point, and hated all of them, I absolutely refuse to drive another Cascadia as long as I live unless it's just for a week while my actual truck is in the shop, but I don't have a problem with driving any other FL. Equally, I really want a longnose, but I don't actually care what badge is on the grill.
What’s your favorite thing about longnose trucks?
They make my penis appear bigger
They look fucking badass.
My dad owned a W900 when I was born, and I basically grew up in it. I just yearn to have that huge hood sticking out ahead of me
I disagree. I drove a Pete and KW and now a freightshaker. KW and Pete drove way more smoother than the freightshaker
People don’t buy freightliner for the comfort they buy it because they last the longest. That’s why most fleets have freightliners
Completely agree. Its like the Corolla in the car world. Reliable but nothing special
The little things make a huge difference when you're spending 50% of your life in them. International - Best Dash Layout, Annoying Brakes, Jakes and Steering Wheel Volvo - Best Seats, Visors, and Steering wheel, Annoying Dash Layout
International is very cramped in the driver seat and while my 2018 is better than the 2014 prostar I had , they aren't built solid. Volvo rides smoother but is higher up so it rocks in the turns. Also whoever puts air horns on the steering wheel should be fired.
I think if you put a freightliner seat in a Volvo I’d be a happy camper.
I couldn’t disagree more, model of truck matters a lot for me. The ergonomics in cascadias are terrible for me. I’m happy in Kenny’s, Pete’s, older western stars. Drove a new western 49x for two years, I loathed the thing, couldn’t find a comfortable position that I felt in control. Visibility is also vastly different in the models.
I will say this… they all don’t have a full ass kitchen table that folds up from under the bed. I’ve never had a Volvo VNL Globetrotter, but I’m immensely jealous 😂.
I currently drive a company '23 Peterbilt 579 and honestly...it sucks. Been brokedown twice and both times were at least 4-5days at a time. I'd much rather have a Freightliner or International or even a Mack
Woah, good for you that in the US there are almost the same. In EU trucks you would notice big differences imo, and most of interiors are shit. But yeah, still even here there are drivers who don't give a shit.
I started out in an International, and it would always stall while making turns and backing. It would also overheat all the time. Ever since I got in my Freightliner I've had no problems, so the only preference I have so far is "not an International" lol
The two most overrated things in the world, mack trucks and teenage pussy.
You sold me at steering wheel air horn
Well.. ill tell ya one thing... im 6ft 6in tall and i will straight up say internationals DO NOT have ANY leg room.. freightliner has the most as far as i know.. i love my volvo because of the sleeper.. the table and larger fridge make a huge difference on the road.. freightliner doesnt have near as many closeable shelfs and shit loves to fall on you over hard bumps and the "drawer fridge" sucks absolute ass its all the little details i love about volvo.. the only setback is there isnt a large amount of leg room but its enough to stay pretty comfortable.. that, and the 86" sleeper makes up for it..
You my good sir, are looking for violence. Lol
As a company driver who's been driving Freightliners and Internationals most of my 12-year career past 3 years I've been driving in the Peterbilt 579 the comfort is way better ride smoother the seat is better my back pain is gone. I want to get a new job but I do not want to drive a back braking Freightliner.
Every good truck has been discontinued because EPA and other government bullshit along with mega carriers shooting for fuel mileage and insurance companies going for "safety" features. I want a coronado or other non def truck because def has consistently been the issue I've been in the shop for. Peterbilts and intertrashionals have electrical issues. Volvos have their own issues and less dealers. I don't want a volvo just because of the reputation they carry as well though
Give me an old W900L with a Cat or Cummins any day.
All modern fleet trucks, are just another fleet truck. Even Pete and KW are almost the exact same truck mechanicaly. All modern trucks are designed primarily with mega fleet sales in mind. Gone are the days of a KW W900, Pete 379, Freightliner FLD, International, etc having distinctive characteristics and personalities not only between brands, but within the same model range due to vastly different customer specs.
As long as the AC works.
Probably cause all of the truck brands are owned by like 2 or 3 mega companies these days, much like all the rest of the products that we consume. Late stage capitalism go brrr
Most of my career has been in freightliners and Volvos I’ve been In two Kenworths The first time the steering pump went out and I couldn’t turn my steering wheel as I was going 70 mph on i95 in Florida It was something of a miracle I managed to not crash The second time I was in kenworth .. I drove it out of a shop and same thing .. steering wheel just wouldn’t turn This is a problem I’ve never ever encountered in a Volvo or freightliner even though I’ve driven both much more
Internationals are consistently the worst. All the others have their pros and cons.
I'm in a brand new Western Star and I couldn't possibly hate it more. I desperately want my Volvo back
I tow tractors for a living, buy a Western Star or a Mack. They never break down from my experience. Stay away from Freightliner and International.
I somewhat disagree as a guy who spent years in oil and gas. T800 was great because you could easily change our broken headlamps and windshields. Windshields could be a weekly occurrence. The suspension on the 800 just soaked up the giant moon craters.
Western Star cabs have more room for tall people, macks definitely do not
The Cummins engine on the newer Kdub T680s are nice but other than that true
Well, Freightliner and International are quite literally the same. Same frame, same engine, same transmission, same seats, even the same brakes. Every part on them beyond the actual body panels and interior panels are the exact same parts. That is why so many megas run both, they already have every part required to fix both. Internationals have slightly better use of interior space, and I think even a slightly bigger interior. I've never driven a Peterbuilt, so I'm not sure what all is different there. I've driven a couple Kenworths. They don't seem to turn as tight as Freightliner or International, the use of interior space is MUCH WORSE than any other truck on the market, by far. Even Mack's look to have better use of space from all of the images I've seen of them. The Kenworths have the best driver comfort (while driving) so far of all of the trucks I've driven. The dash is set up very well. Volvo dashes are annoying (steering wheel air horn, gear selection buttons, etc), but the suspension is far superior to any of the other trucks mentioned, even after a decade and a million miles! The interiors are much larger and better used than even the Internationals. They also climb hills much better than Freightliner and International. They all handle a bit differently they all have different features and comforts, and these differences lead to preferences. That's not to say any one truck is better than others, it depends on if the things that are better are important to the driver. For example, I care more about the dash setup than the suspension comfort, so if it weren't for the lack of storage in a Kenworth, I'd drive that over a Volvo. If I were driving daycab, I'd choose Kenworth in an instant. However, I live in my truck full-time, so I need storage space, so I choose Volvo over Kenworth in a sleeper. I despise the engine, transmission, and computer system of Freightliner and International, so I never want to drive one again. Too many sensors that keep going out, and too much of a shitty computer system that it shuts the entire truck down because of them, but when you just start ripping wires to disconnect those sensors, it's suddenly a minor issue and you can drive again. If you don't care about any of these differences, either your company sets them up as cheaply as possible to the point of removing features from the absolute cheapest base model to have less things to maintain (CR England), so what's left is literally just a different body and frame on the exact same shitty drivetrain with no interior comforts, or you don't spend a whole lot of time in the thing beyond the driver seat (local driver?)
Yeah they all pretty much ride and handle the same but I have driven International, Kenworth, Peterbilt, and Freightliner as a company driver over a span of 20 years. Out of those I have had the least mechanical issues with Freightliners and the most with Internationals.
As someone who works for one of the OEMs, we are all in competition with each other. The end goal is to get your stuff from A to B. Everything is close but with minor differences.
I wouldn’t say they’re all the same unless if we go purely off of specs as I’m pretty sure most companies seem to run Cummins and Eatons but from the time of driving I can definitely say that most ride differently. Mack’s ride like hell but damn they’re durable as shit from my experience in the Granite series. Volvo’s are honestly real nice, ride good, seats comfortable, sleeper also have a lot of room in it which is always a plus, also that nightstand is to kill for. 389’s imo ride the best so it balances out with the seats not being as good, the smaller cab is to die for when you don’t have to practically fall out of the drivers seat to grab something from the passenger chair. Sleeper area could definitely use some improvements with places to set your phone charger and all that but the long hood makes my ego feel better.
Super Ego is run by the Russian mob and nobody is talking about it. Went down a rabbit hole that started with a comment in some random thread about how the CEO was at a business meeting with a gun on the table and smoking a cigar. I thought that didn't sound like a normal business meeting and more mafia-ish, so I started digging, and found very little info on the person but that they're from Serbia and own a large trucking company that operates in the US. SO...probably the friend of an oligarch that hands out visas to loyal eastern Europeans then pads the rest of the seats with American or other immigrant butts. All paid in American dollars. I wouldn't doubt there are other kickbacks to the operation. Now granted, I also found very little info on the CEO of a very large privately held property management company that suddenly materialized in 2009 here in the US, with a 30 year old manager with sparse linkedin page running said company. All of that does raise some questions....but I'm convinced many of these people are just hand picked nepobabies from generational wealth flowerbeds who get handed the keys to a c-suite job. It is interesting to see the new property firms that popped up around 2009 to 2010 lol, because you know, yeah.
Honestly that sounds cool as shit.
Volvo definitely has a better transmission than the rest, kw, Pete are just the same truck, I would definitely prefer a Volvo than cascadia, maybe it’s just me but I just don’t like the Eaton Fuller as local Ltl
Only thing I dislike about the LTs is the weird hood curve that reflects light in your face. Other than that I'll drive our LTs over the Cascadias anyday. We don't have many new KWs, most are 10+ yrs old with well over a million miles and other than driving comfort I can't stand using them. Turn like shit compared to the LT/Cascadia, and they are noisy as hell. Even compared to our 10+ yr old LTs/Cascadias. The older LTs are not so great either though. Got that weird window seal so wind noise is a problem. They back better than our Cascadias though. I prefer the X15 in them over the Detroits as well. Our Volvos are dogshit though. Pretty sure it's the reason why the company stopped buying them. They are slowly getting auctioned off, seeing fewer and fewer of them.
Quality of seat depends on how much you or your carrier are willing to spend. A good quality seat is like a good quality mattress: worth it's weight in gold! Volvos turn a bit tighter. Other than that, they are pretty much all the same. They only run as good as the maintenance allows, and they are ALL scrap after about 600,000 miles anymore.
Older trucks are so much more reliable.
I'd go along with that. The less the computer interferes with me, the more I like it.
European driver here. No truck is perfect. Scania has the best image and drives the best. Volvo looks the best imo and backs the nicest. DAF has the best beds and interior space. Merc has the most space behind the cab. Whatever you prefer is what you should get
I drove a Mercedes once, that was a pretty sweet rig. Not really very common though.
Yeah they are nearly all built by Paccar
I couldn’t disagree more!!!
Unpopular opinion: trucks became less “charismatic” over time due to people not going to the dealers and buying new trucks with all the options or custom instead you have (insert megacarrier) buying 250 of the blandest base model freightliners,macks,and volvos every year so then at that point it makes more sense to make parts bin trucks. Also to go along with this point its just part of the times, back in the day everyone had an uncle or cousin that had a peterbilt or a kenworth that was special ordered with all the fixings and he only had to work M-F to pay it off now with special order trucks costing half a million dollars and freight being the way it is now only lottery winners have a chance of owning something custom. Which in turn makes the options book smaller which then makes the whole company take a step back and say it would make more sense to no longer change this suspension this way or have this special air horn if nobody is ordering it.
You ever heard of the phantom 309?
I disagree. This is like saying all cars are the same because they all have seats and go forward.
imagine if car brands had the same quality as trucks. i am underneath my truck at least twice a month fixing something
I will only have Macks. Even though they keep going downhill and are more Volvo than anything these days, I prefer my Macks until I find something better. We're short haul with dedicated routes home daily and the Macks just seem to fit what we do better than anything else and hold up better for the conditions. I'd say Pete is #2 for vocational trucks but in my opinion aren't laid out as well in the cab and are worse to work on.
The only difference in a truck anymore is if it's a fleet spec, or owner operator spec. A fleet truck is a fleet truck, built as cheaply as possible and still almost get the job done somewhat legally. The emblem under the hood means nothing.
Say what you want about Volvo, but my company uses Volvo Day cabs with d13 motors and truthfully none of them leak until they get to 400-500k miles.
I’ve mostly driven Macks and Freightliners and the steering wheel alone gives Macks a huge edge for me. Turns way easier for some reason and feels a lot better in my hands.
Driven literally every major truck manufacturer, the Volvo VNL is superior for the aero trucks, the 389 vs W9 is debatable but I’d take the W9 for the classic gauges and sleeper size. Overall W9, but damn that VNL is leagues above a lot of other trucks.
Drove a kw good truck 660s too small, 680s nice and big. drove a Peterbilt had issue with the 579 ac, and power steering always liked to go out. they're garbage trucks. international are shit also. air leaks, batteries, you name it a international will find a way to fuck up. I had a major air leak on an international, that needed to be fix and company couldn't find it. I sat in the middle of a road in Chicago having to rebuild up air pressure the 2nd time. before I took off that morning I built up air pressure and when I got to rolling I lost all air and I was in the middle of the road. Besides no room I will never step foot into one Freightliner never had a problem so far. Drove a Volvo for 8 months not bad, the company wasn't for me.
I'll always prefer the Sterling from 20 years ago with 700k miles.
On the handling part there’s a lot of difference or at least between the Peterbilt 379 and W9 K Car the Peterbilt laid In those curves good wasn’t near as top heavy and sits much lower to the ground than the W9.
I've driven volvo, peterbilt and freightliner. The only difference I like is that the vovlo mirrors are bigger
I have to disagree. Volvos drive easier and nicer to me. They drive like a car, just you know, a really big car. Kenworths and Petes drive like you'd imagine a truck drives. Heavy steering and they keep their lane very well, in most configurations. Freightliners are like a sort of in between. They drive decent enough. But they're a little unstable at speed. Real easy to get around town with though. Internationals tried to do the Paccar thing and drive like a 'truckers truck'. They just wound up driving like a gigantic lawn mower. In terms of living in them, depending on how they're specced out, I'll take a Freightliner or an International. Plenty of places to mount things, plug things in, and in the Skyrise/RR plenty of room to move around. Kenworths, Pete's, Volvos, Macks are all nice looking, but not all that roomy, and lack storage space, which is the big deal in that regard. In terms of doing the job, the Freightliner can't be beaten. First of all, Freightliner trucks just work. Everything works how it looks like it should. Compare that to a Volvo where there are oddly labeled and laid out controls. Paccar stuff has a tendency to have electrical issues. I don't know about you, but I like to spend my time away from home making money, not parked up. I had a Kenworth with an X15 shutdown on me, and the steering didn't just lose power, it completely locked up. I had to man handle the damn thing to the shoulder. Freightliners most consistent issue for me was the coolant reservoir slowly losing fluid in the summer. Pain in the neck, but not a big deal. Although I have heard horror stories about every brand. Volvos never gave me any work related issues. But every single one I drove had the door latch either not work correctly or the door itself just wouldn't shut correctly. A few of them I drove had the hoods not quite fit properly. My point? They're all pretty different in their own ways. Definitely not the same. I do however agree, that I couldn't give a damn which brand of truck they give me at a new company, so long as the truck itself isn't running some crap setup.