Key Takeaways
- Take a €400,000 bank loan immediately and buy your own truck. Quick jobs (driving company trucks) pay €2-5/km; your own truck pays €15-25/km.
- Start in Luxembourg or Rotterdam. Central location, high-paying cargo, short routes to build experience quickly.
- Skip the garage upgrade until you have €180,000 saved. The ROI on your first garage (with 3 hired drivers) pays for itself in 40 hours of gameplay.
- Disable 'Traffic Offenses' in settings for your first 20 hours. The fine system is brutal and you need to learn the roads without going bankrupt from speeding tickets.
The First Decision: Quick Jobs vs Own Truck
| Option | Income/km | Startup Cost | Flexibility |
| -------- | ----------- | ------------- | ------------ |
| Quick Jobs | €2-5 | €0 | Drive whatever is available |
| Own Truck (base) | €15-20 | €100,000+ | Choose your cargo, routes |
| Own Truck (upgraded) | €20-30 | €200,000+ | Maximum profit per km |
Take the loan. The €400,000 bank loan has a €7,000 daily payment. A base truck earns €20,000-30,000 per day if you drive 1,000+ km. You'll pay off the loan in 2-3 weeks of in-game time while earning more than Quick Jobs from day one.
Best Starting City
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg | Center of Europe, all countries within 1,000km |
| Rotterdam | Netherlands | Major port, highest cargo variety |
| Berlin | Germany | Central, good road network |
| Milan | Italy | Good for Mediterranean routes |
Pick Luxembourg. It's geographically central, has a garage for €180,000, and routes to France, Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands are all <500km — short, profitable, easy.
Your First Truck
Best Beginner Truck Build
| Component | Recommendation | Cost | Why |
| ----------- | --------------- | ------ | ----- |
| Truck | Volvo FH16 (used) | €95,000 | Most powerful engine in class, great visibility |
| Engine | 540 HP | €20,000 | Enough for 25t cargo on any terrain |
| Transmission | 12-speed | €10,000 | Best fuel efficiency at highway speeds |
| Cabin | Sleeper | Included | Required for long-distance jobs (>1,000km) |
| Chassis | 4×2 | Included | Standard, handles 99% of cargo types |
If you want to save money: the base Volvo FH16 without upgrades is €95,000. Upgrade the engine later.
Driving Basics
Speed Limits
| Road Type | Speed Limit | Fine Threshold |
| ----------- | ------------ | ---------------- |
| Highway (most countries) | 80 km/h (trucks) | 85+ |
| Highway (UK) | 60 mph (97 km/h) | 65+ mph |
Cruise control (press C) is your best friend. Set it to 80 km/h on highways and never get a speeding ticket.
Parking
Always choose 'Safe Parking' (skip parking mini-game) for your first 20 deliveries. The parking mini-game is genuinely difficult with keyboard controls. Once you're comfortable driving, start attempting 'Easy Parking' to earn the bonus XP.
First Week Plan
| 1 | Take €400K loan → buy Volvo FH16 → do 3 short hauls | Learn basic driving, parking, GPS usage |
| 2 | 5 medium hauls (300-500km) | Build capital, learn highway driving |
| 3 | Level up Long Distance skill to 2 | Unlock 500km+ jobs (higher pay) |
| 4 | Level up High Value Cargo to 2 | Higher-paying cargo types |
| 5 | First long haul (800+ km) | Test endurance |
| 6 | Save €180,000 for first garage | Don't buy it yet — build capital first |
| 7 | Buy garage in Luxembourg, hire first driver | Start passive income |
Skill Point Priority
| ---------- | ------- | -------- | ----- |
| 1 | Long Distance | 2 | Unlocks longer (higher paying) jobs |
| 2 | High Value Cargo | 2 | Fragile/medical cargo pays more |
| 3 | Just-In-Time | 2 | Important deliveries give bonus |
| 4 | Long Distance | 4 | Cross-Europe hauls |
| 5 | High Value Cargo | 4 | ADR (hazardous) cargo |
| 6 | Eco Driving | Max | Save fuel = more profit |
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Not taking the loan. The loan system exists for a reason. Quick Jobs keep you poor forever.
2. Buying a cheap truck. The €95,000 Volvo is the cheapest truck worth buying. Cheaper trucks lack power for heavy cargo.
3. Ignoring rest stops. Fatigue accumulates in real-time. Pull over and sleep before the yawn animation starts — driving tired adds input delay.
4. Rushing parking. Take the easy parking option. The extra 45 XP from skilled parking isn't worth 10 minutes of frustration.
5. Not using cruise control. Speeding tickets add up. Set cruise to the speed limit and focus on the road.