While specs and charging times are always important, the true test of any new heavy-duty vehicle like the Tesla Semi is how well it's received by professionals who spend their days behind the wheel.
For the Tesla Semi, the verdict from a veteran driver at the major US trucking company SAIA is resounding.
“I hope I retire in this truck”.
In a new video showing SAIA’s real-world testing, a senior driver’s real, enthusiastic praise gives us a good view of just exactly what real truckers think of Tesla’s Semi.
A Demanding Day in the Life
This is no simple highway cruise, nor is it transporting empty containers down minor slopes. The driver, who volunteered for the role, works for SAIA, a nationwide Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) carrier with a fleet of over 7,000 trucks. He puts the Tesla Semi through its paces on demanding city routes, handling pickup and delivery with 10 to 15 stops daily.
This is real-world, strenuous work that tests a truck’s durability, maneuverability, and ease of use.
The Electric Advantage
After spending his days in the Semi, Tom Sterba had a list of specific praises for the Semi’s design and performance.
One of the biggest things was, of course, related to the actual performance of the truck. Electric motors are infinitely smoother than ICE engines - and often far more powerful at various tasks, including towing. Tom’s praises began with the Semi’s performance - and the fact that it could smoothly start at a light, and continue accelerating, all without lagging behind traffic.
That’s especially important in the LTL environment, where these big semi trucks are fighting to get through heavy inner-city traffic to deliver goods to their final destinations.
Of course, alongside that performance, you also need maneuverability, and this was honestly one of the most surprising things. The Tesla Semi absolutely excels in city operations, and offers some absolutely jaw-dropping maneuverability - along with a turning radius better than traditional two-axis trucks.
Semi trucks are big beasts - many feet long, many feet wide, and a massive turn radius that’s better measured in yards than feet, but the Tesla Semi is different. Its turning circle is far tighter, and due to that increased maneuverability, it is far easier to drive - whether you’re taking a turn in a busy city intersection, or backing up your trailer into a tight loading dock.
It also wouldn’t be Tesla without a nod to all the tech. At first, Tom was surprised, and he said it took him a bit to get used to the fact that he didn’t have just one display, but two. However, he quickly fell in love, especially with the Semi’s built-in navigation, alongside its impressive camera clarity.
Ultimately, the experience, for SAIA’s drivers, has been transformative. Tom stated that he preferred the Tesla Semi over gas trucks - and he wants this to be the vehicle he finishes his career in.
The Bigger Picture
This glowing review comes as part of a larger, more serious evaluation by SAIA as a whole. The company is intentionally running its two Tesla Semis hard - so they can better understand its capabilities and limitations. This real-world testing has provided valuable data to both SAIA and Tesla, showing the truck has an effective range of over 500 miles, and can be charged from 5% to 80% in approximately 45 minutes.
Alongside that, SAIA has noted that its drivers are charging just weekly during their LTL operations. The Semi doesn’t need to be charged up constantly, nor does it need regular maintenance check-overs to review hard-wearing engine parts - they simply aren’t there.
That’s a big advantage, especially as LTL accounts for approximately 5-15% of the US trucking industry’s revenues per year. While Tesla continues to move from its pilot phase to high-volume production, this enthusiastic endorsement from a real trucker is one of the strongest validations of the capabilities of the Tesla Semi to date.
It proves that beyond the specs, the Semi delivers a superior and preferable experience for the professionals who are actually behind the wheel every day.
Check out the whole video below:
