AUTONEWS

SimRacing: Truck driver keeps driving virtually while stuck in traffic

Truck drivers need a way to unwind, too - it's just unfortunate that most of them have to spend their nights stuck in the same vehicle they spend their workdays in. But one driver has found what might just be the ultimate solution: just replace the passenger seat with a $6,000 sim racing rig. You can even get in a few laps while you're stuck in traffic.

That's exactly what Reddit user ZanaZamora has done. You can see it all in the clip below (via Highlight Reel), but the driver, at a standstill behind backed-up road traffic, simply hops over to the passenger seat to start a racing lap on a full-fat sim rig.

"Been waiting to get stuck in traffic ever since installing this rig just to make this video lol," ZanaZamora says in the post. "Road was shut down due to an accident, said we could u turn across the median, I said one minute I need to do something REAL QUICK."

A long-haul truck driver shows on Reddit just how far gaming in a truck can go: instead of a simple console in his cab, he has installed a complete SimRacing station. The setup, which costs around $6,000, may seem a little over the top, but it could be entirely justified in the monotonous day-to-day life of a trucker.

It is not uncommon for long-haul truck drivers to make themselves comfortable in the cab of their truck with a TV and a console. Reddit user u/ZanaZamora, however, has taken the idea of gaming in a truck to the extreme. Instead of a conventional gaming setup, he has built a full SimRacing rig into the cab of his truck.

According to the Redditor’s own account, he dug deep into his pockets for the tech. The SimRacing setup alone – including force-feedback base, steering wheel, pedals, chassis and seat – cost around $1,600. On top of that comes additional equipment for flight simulations. The driver estimates around $1,100 for the flight stick, throttle and rudder pedals. The trucker is also by no means going for a budget option when it comes to the PC. 

According to his own statement, his system includes a build with a 14th-generation Intel Core i9 and a GeForce RTX 5080. The PC alone reportedly cost him around $2,800. On top of that come an ultrawide monitor and a Meta Quest 3, at around $300 each. According to his own calculations, the total setup comes to around $6,000. At first glance, that kind of custom build may seem excessive. From the perspective of a long-haul driver, however, the effort is quite understandable.

Anyone who is on the road for days at a time spends many hours alone and does not always have many meaningful ways to fill that time. Unlike a movie or a few videos on a phone, SimRacing is something you can really work at and steadily improve in. According to the Redditor, even a half-hour break is enough to drive a few clean laps, work on braking points, or simply clear your head for a moment. Life as a long-distance truck driver involves a great deal of routine and a certain monotony. In that context, a hobby that combines concentration and ambition can justify a $6,000 investment. By his own account, the Redditor has even taken part in an iRacing series in recent months and worked his way up to 151st place worldwide in the GT4 series.