Some beginner tips

Gamepad configuration, parking the trailer right, ignoring the traffic regulations and more!

Use a gamepad

Even though you have to use a mouse to guide through the menus, I highly recommend using a gamepad. I use a wireless Xbox 360 pad for Windows. Since there is no gamepad configuration by default, I'd like to share the layout which in my opinion works best after playing the game for 45 hours:

• Right trigger: Accelerate
  
• Left trigger: Brake
  
• Left stick: Steering
  
• Right stick: Camera control
  
• A: Accept/Enter
  
• B: Turn engine on/off
  
• X: Cruise control
  
• Y: Hook trailer on/off
  
• Clicking left stick: Horn
  
• Clicking right stick: Toggle lights
  
• Right button: Indicator right (automatic transmission) or shift gear up (manual transmission)
  
• Left button: Indicator left (automatic transmission) or shift gear down (manual transmission)
  
• Start: First-Person-View
  
• Back: Next camera
  
• D-Pad up: Upper beam headlights
  
• D-Pad down: Handbrake
  
• D-Pad left: Windscreen wipers
  
• D-Pad right: Next HUD (the one behind the steering wheel)

Traffic regulations detection

This game is a simulation but I'm pretty sure you will get bored of waiting at every red traffic light and keeping the speed beneath the limit after some hours. The game punishes you for some actions but thankfully it's not smart enough to prevent an arcade-like gameplay when you want to have it. Here are some things you can do:

• It only counts as ignoring a red light when you stay on your side of the road. If the other side is clear, cross the line (where the traffic light is on) on the other side and you get away without punishment.

• The speed limit will only be checked by the speed cameras. Keep looking out for signs which indicate them if you don't want to lose money. Otherwise drive as fast as you can/want. The cameras and signs look different in each country. Personally I use a mod to set the maximum speed on an even terrain from 90 to around 130 km/h.

• Drive wherever you want to! Except for the opposite side of the road, where you get fined if you stay too long on it, you can easily occupy two lanes at once or use grass, emergency lanes or sidewalks to overtake or as a shortcut.

• You don't have to use the indicators. The AI traffic doesn't seem to react to it. It's a nice addition to the game none the less.
  
• You get fined for not having your lights on too long. But the only reaction to the more useful high-beam lights are flashing by the oncoming traffic. If that doesn't annoy you, use it all the time!
  
• When you rear-ended on another vehicle and you can't set back without colliding with another vehicle you can safely shove the car in front of you away - only the first time you collide with a car counts as an accident and your truck will not take any damage if you're not shoving it into an obstacle at high speed.

Parking the trailer

Parking the trailer can be quite a challenge, especially when there space is very limited. This might help you:

First you should align the trailer to the parking spot. To do so, simply steer into the opposite direction of where the parking spot appears in the side mirrors.

Then you want to go straight backwards. This time keep steering into the direction where the trailer appears in the mirrors.

Skill progression

No matter if it's about your skills or the ones of your drivers, you should make sure you get access to the best offers on the freight market.

Therefore you should begin by spending points for all six ADR skills, one for Valuable cargo, one for Fragile cargo and two for Delivery on time. This combined with the Long distance skills will unlock all offers and it will prevent your drivers from not finding any offer and returning without cargo.

Eco driving skills are almost useless and the rest can wait in my opinion.

Maximum braking

In the gameplay options you can change the strength of the brakes. Turn it up all the way! At first you will brake harder than you intend to but it will prevent rear-end collisions and roll-overs later on.

Sleep longer, earn money

You can take a rest up to three times in a row (at least I can after every delivery). If you have enough drivers to cover your debt interest, you should use this opportunity to earn more money faster.

[Sneak0r]

This Guide was super helpful back in the days. Now the Steam Controller API is in use and has a lot of more options to use. Maybe you could make an update at some point? ;)

[DasMatze]

At the top of the controls menu there should be one or multiple drop-down-menus to select the input device.

[Solo Scavenger]

There is no option for pad in the control settings and I cannot change the buttons. How do I do that?

[𝔥𝔢𝔵𝔞]

if you go to the settings, you can disable all traffic penalties. so no need for driving on the wrong side of the road

[Tonydarkness]

Didn't know how to park the trailer lol, thanks for the guide. Personally, I use cruise control for every speed limit, I'm fine with speed limits

[Ahuizotl]

Are you sure driving on the shoulder doesn't penalize you? I'm pretty sure I got fined for it in ATS. Could be an ATS exclusive thing, maybe it's only in certain areas. When messing around I've since turned to turning my hazards on while driving on the shoulder just in case and haven't been fined since.

[deadcantdance]

Wonderful Guide, very helpfull!

[MercilessFir]

After update 1.37 red light violation is triggered by having your front tire on the marker without entering the intersection. Also, the speeding violation has a loose trigger.

[EchoingFart17]

The mirror trick for parking is a big help I feel confident getting that extra xp.

[Neario]

"The indicators do seem to have an effect. If you use them before changing lanes, the AI will often hang behind you and let you switch over." this :)