Going Back To Work But With Who?

Oops, sign on bonuses range from $2000 to $10,000. My bad.

The last Freightliner I drove at Crete was the most dependable tractor I've had so far, but it rode rough like a tank, even after changing all the shocks twice.

The KW T680s I've been assigned ride much smoother, but I really dislike the way the cabinets are laid out, in addition to their odd sizes.

The FL turn tighter than a KW, yet the wheelbase measurements have been within 12" of each other. The Detroit engines have been more dependable for me than the Cummins products. The Cummins jake brakes incorporated with the Paccar products are superior for holding back capacity by far.

Each brand has it's own pros and cons. I've never had one "ultimate tractor" that had no drawbacks from my viewpoint.

One company runs Kenworths. I’ve only driven Frightliners, so can somebody tell me if the KW is superior?

In addition to what Pack Rat said it also depends on how the company specs their trucks.

For instance our 2019 KWs can not get out of their own way, you have to start in 1st gear with basically any weight while the Freightliners can start in 3rd most of the time. The KWs also have no overhead storage other than 1 tiny compartment that doesnt even hold a phone while the FLs have full overhead aircraft style compartments. The seats our KW and Volvos also suck compared to the FL.

At least the 2022 KW I drove is a lot better.

Interesting. The ride on the KW is silky smooth, comfortable to drive all day, the seats are the best in the industry for me. I have a broken back in two places. For whatever reason, the turning radius does seem bigger, particularly as you are swinging back under it backing. Jake in the Cummins strong and predictable.

The thing about the overhead storage is that it's stashed in several places. Both the cabinet stacks have huge deep bins up top. It's just not a cabinet. There's two odd shaped front cabs that go really deep and then the usual front overhead shelves. But in general the design favors open spaces. Also tons of head room and larger bunk area for over 6 footers.

There's always a trade off, strengths and weaknesses plus each model is different and how the company specs it and programs it, but my 2020 has been good to me, good enough fit that I'd be hard put to stay if they put me in a different truck. I've driven all of our fleet.