zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Trucks
/
This Lada Niva "Big Rig" Would Totally Solve The Trucker Shortage
This Lada Niva "Big Rig" Would Totally Solve The Trucker Shortage-October 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:13:05

The and are going through a right now because driving a big rig is neither easy nor as well-paid as it should be, but I think the answer to that trucker shortage is somewhere close to Eastern Europe. A in Russian Karelia built a big rig using a Legend as a base, and it’s obvious that this is what we need to solve the trucker shortage.

Really, how many people wouldn’t sign up to drive and get paid, like, yesterday? Or, you know, we could just pay truckers better and improve their working conditions. Never mind that! Just look at this Legend:

I’m only half-kidding when I say that importing a fleet of these Ladas would convince a mess of people to give trucking a shot, or at least it might not require as much training as a full-on Commercial Driver’s License (CDL.) Maybe.

The Niva Legend tractor trailer concept was built by and it’s the first of 30 similar builds, according to . Gruzdev took a commercial Lada Niva Legend pickup, put a flat bed on it and added a fifth-wheel hitch. Then he tuned the four-cylinder engine to 1.8-liters, so that it makes 100 horsepower.

Gruzdev also beefed up the drivetrain by adding limited-slip differentials on both axles, and increased the wheelbase from 112 to 143 inches, per . Gruzdev added air brakes to stop the whole thing, safely-ish. I guess it should be safe because it’s reportedly being certified for “small scale production.”

It’s almost a shame to cover up its rear fenders with the trailer, but this Lada has a job to do. The trailer that’s attached to the Legend is 36 feet long, and has a payload capacity of 1.5 tons, according to .

Gruzdev has customized many different models from Lada, including a similar as an with air suspension for ease-of-use. And a Lada Granta with a bed and built-in crane. Yeah, I’m pretty sure that between the Legend semi and the Granta, the U.S. could put a dent in that shipping backlog.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Trucks
This Lada Niva
This Lada Niva "Big Rig" Would Totally Solve The Trucker Shortage
The and are going through a right now because driving a big rig is neither easy nor as well-paid as it should be, but I think the answer to that trucker shortage is somewhere close to Eastern Europe. A in Russian Karelia built a big rig using a Legend as...
Oct 23, 2026
Geely's New Massive Methanol/EV Semi Truck Only Looks A Little Like An Alien
Geely's New Massive Methanol/EV Semi Truck Only Looks A Little Like An Alien
Geely’s commercial vehicle arm, Farizon Auto, showed an interesting new concept truck in Shanghai called the Homtruck that only looks somewhat like an H.R. Giger alien, though still significantly more like such an alien than most semi trucks, including upcoming EV trucks. There’s lots of fascinating ideas shown in...
Oct 23, 2026
Outdoorsy Wants Drivers To Tow Its Rental Campers With Electric Trucks
Outdoorsy Wants Drivers To Tow Its Rental Campers With Electric Trucks
Austin-based rental company is planning to build a fully-electric fleet of trucks to tow its rental trailers, and it’s approached with an order for 1,000 EVs. This is just another recent showing interest in fully-electric vehicles, which can only bode well for these machines. Unless they end up being...
Oct 23, 2026
The Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart Is The Perfect Pickup
The Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart Is The Perfect Pickup
Mitsubishi Ralliart has returned, bringing its signature “” to the market in with the best pickup I’ve seen in a while, the . Mitsubishi also applied the branding to the Pajero Sport. When an iconic badge reappears with a mild reskin of an SUV and a pickup, usually I’d...
Oct 23, 2026
You Can Buy This Preserved 1993 Toyota Pickup With 94 Miles
You Can Buy This Preserved 1993 Toyota Pickup With 94 Miles
Lighting up your screen with its Forest Green Metallic hue . This 1993 Toyota Deluxe Pickup has all of 94 miles, 80 of which from its first owner. This perfectly preserved truck is ready for a new home. Be careful, just staring at it can put a damper on...
Oct 23, 2026
The 2023 Ford Ranger: This Is It
The 2023 Ford Ranger: This Is It
Kicked off in 1982, the Ranger has long been a staple of American farming and rural life. It was originally a compact pickup to compete with Chevrolet’s S10, and grew over the years as Americans and their perceived needs grew. The current/outgoing Ranger was actually launched internationally in 2011,...
Oct 23, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved