The complete guide · 6 min read
The Complete Guide to American Truck Simulator Server Hosting
From the first boot to a smooth weekly convoy: how the ATS dedicated server thinks, how to feed it packages from your game, what to put in server_config.sii, and how to keep your company rolling through game updates.
By Matthew Griffin, Owner, Gaming DeluxePublished · Updated
In this guide
- How ATS Multiplayer Works Today
- First Boot: Feeding the Server Your Packages
- Session Settings That Matter Most
- Steam Token, Search ID and Ports
- Running a Virtual Trucking Company
- Patch Days and New States
- Fixing Common Problems
- What to Compare Before You Rent an ATS Server
- American Truck Simulator Server Glossary
- American Truck Simulator Server Help
How ATS Multiplayer Works Today
American Truck Simulator launched on 2 February 2016 as a single player game, and for years the only way to haul with friends was a community mod. SCS Software changed that on 13 July 2021 with update 1.41, which brought Convoy, a built-in multiplayer mode for up to 8 players. The cap has stayed at 8 ever since.
Out of the box, a Convoy lives on whoever pressed Host. Their PC runs the world, and when they quit, the session closes for everyone. The dedicated server, released on 8 December 2022, splits that job off: a separate program runs the session on its own, with no game window and no player attached, so drivers can drop in and out on their own schedule.
That is the whole point of renting one. Our server sits in a data centre with the official SCS server software, waiting for your crew at any hour, and it keeps the time of day, weather and traffic going whether one driver is online or eight.
First Boot: Feeding the Server Your Packages
A brand new ATS server stops on its first start with a complaint that it cannot find the server packages. Nothing is broken: the server simply has no idea yet which states, DLC or mods your session should use. Only your game can tell it, by exporting two files. server_packages.sii lists the map, DLC and mod setup, and server_packages.dat carries the internal map data that goes with it.
- Quit ATS, open config.cfg in Documents, American Truck Simulator, and change the console line to uset g_console "1".
- Launch the game, enable the mods you want in the Mod Manager, and load into your profile so the map is in memory.
- Press the tilde key to open the console and type export_server_packages.
- Collect the two new files from the same Documents folder.
- Stop the server in our panel, open the File Manager, go to Saves and upload both files.
- Start the server and watch the log for the search ID.
Session Settings That Matter Most
The same first start also writes server_config.sii. It is a plain text file, and the panel's Configuration Files button opens it in the browser. Most crews only touch a handful of its lines.
| Line | Use it to |
|---|---|
| lobby_name | Name the session in the Convoy browser (63 characters at most) |
| description | Add a one-line pitch, also 63 characters at most |
| welcome_message | Greet drivers as they arrive (up to 127 characters) |
| password | Lock the session to your crew (up to 63 characters) |
| max_players | Set the seat count, never above 8 |
| server_logon_token | Hold the Steam token that keeps the server ID fixed |
| traffic | Switch AI traffic on or off |
| player_damage | Decide if trucks can damage each other |
| force_speed_limiter | Make every driver use the limiter |
| hide_in_company | Hide other trucks inside company yards |
| moderator_list | List moderators by Steam ID |
The remaining lines tune busier sessions: max_vehicles_total and the two AI vehicle limits control traffic density, hide_colliding clears vehicles that would overlap after a teleport, in_menu_ghosting protects a paused driver, service_no_collision calms fuel stops, and timezones takes a value from 0 to 2.
Steam Token, Search ID and Ports
Left alone, the server signs in to Steam anonymously and receives a throwaway ID every time it starts, so a saved search stops working after a restart. A game server logon token fixes that. SCS's documentation says to create it on Steam's game server management page with the game's App ID, which for American Truck Simulator is 270880. Using the dedicated server's own ID, 2239530, is a common mistake.
- Stop the server, paste the token into server_logon_token and start it again.
- The log prints a search ID on every start; drivers can type it into the Convoy browser to find you.
- SCS sets virtual ports 100 and 101 and physical ports 27015 and 27016 by default; its documentation notes that the virtual ports need no port forwarding.
Running a Virtual Trucking Company
A virtual trucking company (VTC) usually wants order on the road: fixed dispatch times, a speed limit that holds, and no pile-ups at the depot. ATS gives you the tools in the config rather than in an admin menu. Force the speed limiter, keep player damage off, and enable service_no_collision so a crowded truck stop does not turn into a demolition derby.
Moderators keep events moving. Because the server has no interface, you promote nobody while it runs; instead you list moderators in server_config.sii by Steam ID, starting with a count line and then one numbered entry per person. When a listed driver joins, they become a moderator automatically and can set the clock with /set_time or clear the sky with /set_rain_factor 0.
For a convoy event, agree on the DLC list a week before. Every driver must own the states your packages include, and someone with a full DLC set can export packages that others cannot use. Exporting from a profile with only the states everyone owns avoids that.
Patch Days and New States
SCS updates ATS several times a year and adds states between updates. 1.61 arrived on 15 September 2026, South Dakota followed on 24 September, and the 1.62 open beta started on 20 October. When a full update lands, drivers update through Steam, and the server must follow: press Steam Update in the panel, then export packages from the updated game.
New state DLC does not need a server update at all, only a new export from a game that has the DLC switched on, followed by an upload. Mods are the usual trouble after a patch, so disable any that their authors have not updated yet before you export.
Fixing Common Problems
| What you see | Likely fix |
|---|---|
| Server stops at boot with a packages error | Upload server_packages.sii and .dat to Saves |
| A driver gets a DLC or mod mismatch | They are missing a state or mod in your packages |
| Session missing from the Convoy browser | Search for the ID printed in the server log |
| Search ID changes every restart | Add a logon token made with App ID 270880 |
| Nobody can join after an SCS update | Run Steam Update and export new packages |
When something goes wrong, server.log.txt is the first stop, and server.crash.txt appears after a crash. Open them in the Log Viewer or send them to our support team.
What to Compare Before You Rent an ATS Server
The seat count is fixed, so judge a host on everything else.
- Eight seats, honestlyConvoy never takes more than 8. Larger slot plans add nothing.
- US coverageFor American crews, several US cities matter more than one big region.
- Browser file accessYou will upload packages often, so a quick file manager saves time.
- Config in the browserserver_config.sii should be editable without downloading it.
- Memory choicesMap mods need room; check you can raise RAM without moving server.
- Real setup helpGuides for exporting packages and tokens make day one easy.
American Truck Simulator Server Glossary
- Convoy
- The built-in ATS multiplayer mode for up to 8 players, added in update 1.41.
- Dedicated server
- SCS's standalone program that hosts a Convoy session with no player as host.
- Server packages
- server_packages.sii and .dat, exported from your game, describing map, DLC and mods.
- server_config.sii
- The text file with lobby name, password, token, ports, rules and moderators.
- Logon token
- A Steam game server token, made with App ID 270880, that keeps the server ID stable.
- Search ID
- The code printed at start-up that drivers type to find your session.
- VTC
- Virtual trucking company: a group that runs scheduled jobs and events together.
- mods_optioning
- A config switch that keeps optional mods optional for joining drivers.
American Truck Simulator Server Help
SCS Software's own reference and our step-by-step articles.
How this guide was made: researched from SCS Software's Modding Wiki, its American Truck Simulator release and dedicated server posts on Steam and the Steam store page, plus our own knowledge base, drafted with AI assistance, checked against our live order form for every plan, price and location, and reviewed by Matthew Griffin before publishing. Something out of date? Tell us.
Sources, checked October 23, 2026:
- American Truck Simulator on Steam (developer, release date, platforms, multiplayer)
- SCS Software Modding Wiki, Dedicated Server (8 player limit, ATS server App ID 2239530, packages, config, ports, tokens, moderators)
- SCS Software, "Convoy: Dedicated Servers Support" (Steam, 8 December 2022)
- SCS Software, "American Truck Simulator: 1.41 Release" (Steam, 13 July 2021)
- SCS Software, "American Truck Simulator: 1.61 Update Release" (Steam, 15 September 2026)
- SCS Software, "South Dakota DLC Release" (Steam, 24 September 2026)
- SCS Software, "American Truck Simulator: 1.62 Update Open Beta" (Steam, 20 October 2026)
- Gaming Deluxe knowledge base: ATS server setup, console, packages, Steam token and mods
- Gaming Deluxe order form, American Truck Simulator