Hi everyone, I uploaded an update to Steam today.

The cost of a workshop visit has been increased to $500. This is intended to roughly represent the deductible costs incurred when settling car insurance.

I've adjusted the bonus rewards for long-distance journeys. The goal is to offset the loss of attractiveness of long-distance jobs compared to short-distance jobs. This loss arises because the base reward is only paid once per job. As a result, all jobs, regardless of how long or short, should now earn roughly the same nominal reward per mile. Differences resulting from the cargo type will continue to result in different rewards. So please don't get confused.

The fuel prices have been updated. I've also reduced the rank-based fuel savings, which you earn in-game through skill points, to 3%/rank (2%/rank without a trailer). With a maximum of 6 ranks, this results in a maximum savings of 18%. I think this savings potential is more realistic than the originally estimated 35%.

I tried to determine realistic values for maintenance and insurance costs, or rather, for the operating costs that arise in addition to fuel costs. These costs reduce the profit of employed drivers, leaving only a small portion of the profit for the company, averaging about 50 to 55 cents per mile, plus the profit from the base pay. If I've calculated the numbers correctly, there could well be some jobs that end up with a loss.

Based on the expected profits from employed drivers, I also reassessed the productivity potential of truck garages. This is now significantly reduced, since, as previously described, the profits of employed drivers are significantly reduced. The fact that, as an employer in the game, you don't receive a salary, pay taxes, or pay insurance doesn't reflect reality. Therefore, you generate more profit for your company than your employees. I don't have a solution for this yet.

I hope you enjoy the changes.

Change log:
* minimum workshop costs increased from $250 to $500
* long-distance bonus payments revised to compensate for the loss of attractiveness of long distance-jobs
* fuel prices updated
* rank-based fuel savings reduced to 3%/rank; 2%/rank without trailer
* maintenance and insurance costs for hired drivers adjusted to realistic values
* truck garage productivity adjusted to the expected profitability of hired drivers
* preparations made for the new Missouri DLC
* synchronization with ATS version 1.54; previous version 1.1 forked for ATS version 1.53

< previous version v1.1(1.53)