In my 20+ yrs in the business, I’ve always felt that the most stressful part of operating a live truck is not raising the mast or setting up the signal or troubleshooting problems minutes before air. No, the most stressful part is driving it. With most live trucks I’ve worked with -actually with EVERY live truck I’ve ever worked with, it always feels like the thing is going to lose control and tip over, especially on a freeway. It just feels different holding that steering wheel, it feels like the steering wheel doesn’t have as much control over the axle and tires of the vehicle as well is it does in a car or an SUV.

I know it has to do with the top-heavy physical characteristics of the truck and the hardware that’s packed into it, but I’m just wondering if there’s a way to design live trucks so that the driver has better control over the steering. Perhaps a bigger steering wheel? Some other type of design modification of the steering wheel or the steering mechanism? Also, I wonder if drivers of 18-wheelers and city busses have the same feeling when they’re driving their big rigs?

If anyone out there knows anything about automotive engineering, please discuss….