Freightliner
Page 29
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
I was 11-years-old when I first watched Convoy, and I decided there and then that I wanted to drive an American truck for a living. A decade later I’d passed my HGV test and even bought myself a pair of cowboy boots, but I never managed to realise my dream and get behind the wheel of an American truck until 2003 – and what a letdown it was!
The truck that burst the bubble was a 1995 Freightliner. I admit it looked fantastic and the Cummins engine sounded great, but that’s all the positive stuff out of the way!
The cab was cramped and noisy, visibility was diabolical and the gear change was a joke. As for the spine-jarring ride, I’m sure Boudica’s chariot would have been considerably more comfortable.
The whole experience was like stepping back in time by at least 50 years. All of a sudden I realised how lucky I was to be driving European trucks. I’ve still got the boots though.
Will Shiers (managing editor of Commercial Motor)