Who says deliveries are only for trucks? In today's blog, we're taking a closer look at how Quick Jobs and the Freight Market will work in our upcoming Road Trip module for American Truck Simulator. Let's check it out! Before we continue, we’ve also put together a video version of this blog for you to enjoy. You can check it out below!
Players familiar with American Truck Simulator will already know Quick Jobs and the Freight Market from their trucking careers. Road Trip builds on these systems with its own approach to courier work, customer reviews, and progression.
Just like with trucks, you won't need to have your own vehicle to take on a Quick Job. A suitable vehicle will be provided for you by the company offering the job, allowing you to jump straight into work as a courier driver. Fuel, repairs and any other expenses you encounter will be covered by the company, just as they are with traditional Quick Jobs in American Truck Simulator. So what kind of jobs can you expect? Drivers can be tasked with delivering small packages and documents, as well as transferring vehicles between car dealerships. The jobs available to you can also vary depending on the type of vehicle involved, so a pickup truck may receive different contracts compared to a sports car or a classic vehicle. However, completing the journey is only one part of the job. After each delivery, the customer will review your performance across three areas; Time Management, Vehicle Appearance, and Cargo Handling.
These reviews are specific to the delivery you have completed. Damaging valuable documents, for example, may lead to very different feedback compared to successfully delivering delicate plant seedlings without any issues. Our goal is to make each job feel a little more personal, with a customer waiting at the other end to judge how well you handled their delivery.
Some customers may also place a higher priority on one of these three areas. You'll be able to see this before accepting the job, and meeting their expectations will be more demanding. However, taking on that extra risk can also result in a better financial reward.
Time Management also works a little differently from simply beating a deadline. Customers expect you at a particular time, which means arriving too early can be just as unwelcome as arriving late. Each completed delivery is also given a star rating, which contributes towards your overall Courier Rating. Your Courier Rating determines the types of jobs available to you, the maximum distance of the routes you can take on, and how much you can earn. Maintaining a higher rating will unlock more challenging work, such as fragile or valuable cargo and jobs with tighter delivery windows, while also providing a bonus to the offered payout.
Drivers who consistently achieve five-star deliveries can also build a Perfect Delivery Streak, which will reward drivers with additional money bonus.
Already saved up enough money to purchase your own vehicle? Then you'll have access to even more job opportunities! Players of American Truck Simulator will already be familiar with the Freight Market, and Road Trip introduces its own equivalent, known as the Dispatch Market.
The Dispatch Market works in a similar way to Quick Jobs, but instead of using a borrowed vehicle, you'll complete the job using a vehicle from your own garage. As you're supplying your own vehicle, these jobs will also offer a slightly higher payout, as you'll be responsible for your own expenses, including repairs and fuel. The same Courier Rating, customer reviews, and performance criteria apply here too. Naturally, some jobs will differ from those found in Quick Jobs, such as car jockey work, after all, asking you to give away your own car would be a little unfair.
Any money you earn from these jobs goes directly into your existing ATS profile, which is shared between your trucking career and Road Trip. There is no separate XP system for this mode, instead, progression is earned by your Courier Rating, customer reviews, and your ability to maintain a Perfect Delivery Streak. For the initial release of Road Trip, jobs will focus on getting yourself and the delivery safely from point A to point B, with more possibilities we hope to explore in the future.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about how jobs will work in Road Trip. We’re looking forward to seeing how you build up your Courier Rating, tackle different types of deliveries, and make the most of these new opportunities on the roads of American Truck Simulator.
If you’re excited to get behind the wheel when Road Trip arrives, be sure to add the Ford Car Pack and RAM & Dodge Car Pack to your Steam Wishlist! Until next time, keep an eye on our official channels for more news and previews from Road Trip. We’ll see you on the road!