American Truck Simulator players hired by real-life transportation company Schneider National have impressed their new employers with their noticeable skill compared to other drivers of their same experience level.
Bearing the brunt of a driver shortage, Schneider National entered a partnership with developer SCS Software to add advertisements to appear on in-game billboards in American Truck Simulator, encouraging players to apply in real life. “As one of the leading logistics companies in the US, Schneider National’s reputation and legitimacy are unquestionable,” said SCS Software in early June. “We saw this partnership as a chance to embark on a new journey and conduct experiments that could potentially have a positive impact.”
Per NPR, the shortage is attributed to the fact that older drivers did not return to their roles following the coronavirus crisis in 2020 and 2021, and over 1.2million drivers would be needed to replace retirees. Fortunately, one solution was staring the company in the face — those applicants who got their commercial driver’s license through Schneider National’s training program and were avid American Truck Simulator players turned out to be naturals at the real thing.
“We think that people who like the game, might like the real thing and want to drive with us,” said Kara Leiterman, a media relations manager for Schneider National, in a response to Axios. She added that the idea originated when trainee drivers “showed skills above their experience level” and, when asked about their achievement, they “credited their learning to the video game American Truck Simulator.”
At the present moment, Leiterman admitted it is too early to say if the American Truck Simulator adverts have led to a rise in successful applications since the start of the partnership, however the company is certainly “optimistic”.
In other news, Barbie’s iconic pink Corvette is coming to Forza Horizon 5, “bringing Barbie’s signature flair to [the] gaming platform.”