In American Truck Simulator (ATS), you can't just hit a "Reset Skills" button if you mess up. Unless you're using mods or save-editing, your choices are permanent until you grind enough levels to fix them.
While the level cap is 150 (which is huge), the game is won or lost in the first 20 levels. If you allocate points purely for roleplay, you'll be grinding for pennies. If you allocate for XP stacking, you can hit six-figure incomes fast.
Here is the most efficient path to maxing out, cutting out the noise.
Part 1: The Skills (and Which Ones Actually Matter)
Don't look at these skills equally. They fall into three tiers: The Multipliers, The Unlocks, and The Trap.
Tier A: The Multipliers (XP & Money)
- Long Distance: This is your bread and butter. It doesn't just let you drive further; it acts as a base multiplier for everything else. A 1,000-mile job inherently pays better per mile than a 50-mile job.
- Just-in-Time (JiT): The hidden gem. Rank 1 gives you "Important" deliveries. Rank 2 gives you "Urgent" deliveries. The jump to Rank 2 is arguably the most critical upgrade in the early game because "Urgent" jobs carry a massive XP bonus.
Tier B: The Job Unlocks
- High-Value & Fragile: These are similar. Level 1 unlocks the cargo type (yachts, glass, electronics). Higher levels just boost the bonus. You want these unlocked ASAP so these jobs actually populate your freight market.
- HazMat (ADR): These are six independent toggles. You don't "level up" HazMat; you just pick a license (Explosives, Flammable, etc.). These are great for stacking bonuses later.
Tier C: The Trap
- Eco-Driving: Do not touch this. In a video game economy, saving 5% on fuel is meaningless compared to earning 20% more on a delivery. It offers zero new job unlocks and zero XP bonuses. Max this only when you have literally nothing else to buy.
Part 2: The First 10 Points (The Golden Path)
Since you can't respec, your first 10 levels dictate your pace. Do not dump all your points into one tree immediately. You want coverage first, then specialization.
Points 1–4: Unlock the Board
Put one point into each of the following:
- Long Distance (Unlocks 400-mile jobs)
- High-Value Cargo (Unlocks machinery/expensive loads)
- Fragile Cargo (Unlocks glass/electronics)
- Just-In-Time (Unlocks "Important" windows)
Why? You are expanding the pool of jobs the game generates for you. You can't haul a high-value load if the game literally won't spawn it because you lack the skill.
Point 5: The "Urgent" Spike
- Put your 2nd point into Just-In-Time.
This unlocks "Urgent" deliveries. This provides a roughly 30% XP bonus on those runs. Getting this early is the biggest XP hack in the game.
Points 6–10: The Stack
Now we start stacking bonuses.
- Get Long Distance to Rank 2 or 3. This opens up the map.
- Get High-Value and Fragile to Rank 2.
- Pick a HazMat Class. I recommend Class 3 (Flammable) as it's the most common, or Class 4 (often stacks with Fragile/High Value).
Part 3: Mid-Game Stacking Strategy
Once you hit Level 15-20, stop worrying about unlocking new things and start worrying about Combo Jobs. XP in ATS isn't additive; it compounds. You are looking for the "Unicorn" loads that combine multiple tags.
- The Perfect Run: An Urgent, Fragile, High-Value shipment going Long Distance.
If you have skills in all four areas, you get paid bonuses in all four categories for the same miles driven.
- Prioritize High-Value/Fragile to Rank 3: This maximizes the multiplier.
- Cap Long Distance (Optional): Some players stop Long Distance at Rank 3 or 4. Rank 6 lets you drive for hundreds of miles, but those drives take 2+ hours of real time. If you prefer shorter sessions, you don't need to max Long Distance immediately.
- HazMat: Start picking off the remaining licenses.
Summary on XP Math
You don't need to memorize the formula, just remember this rule: Distance + Difficulty = XP.
- Base XP: 1 XP per km (approx, as ATS operates on miles).
Bonuses:
- Urgent Delivery: ~30%
- Fragile/High Value: ~20-30% depending on level.
- HazMat: ~20%
If you haul a box of dry goods 500 miles, you get base XP. If you haul Dynamite (HazMat) that is Fragile and Urgent for 500 miles, you are effectively leveling up twice as fast as the dry goods driver.
Quick Leveling Roadmap (The TL;DR)
- Level 0-10: Unlock one of everything; rush JiT Rank 2.
- Level 10-30: Max out Fragile/High Value; push Long Distance to your preferred playstyle limit.
- Level 30+: Fill out HazMat; finally put points into Eco-Driving.
The Bottom Line
Don’t stress too much about "ruining" your build. While you can't hit an undo button, you will eventually earn enough points to max out every single skill tree. This strategy isn't about being perfect; it’s about getting out of the "broke rookie" phase as fast as possible.
Follow the early build to secure your cash flow, but once you hit Level 30 and have a fully upgraded rig in the garage, the pressure is off. At that point, stop looking at the XP charts, turn on the radio, and just enjoy the drive. America awaits.
Stay tuned to racinggames.gg: The Home of Virtual Motorsports.