The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling a vehicle, more particularly, the power train of a compacting machine for earth moving operations, comprising a hydraulic travel pump and a hydraulic travel motor. Control is effected according to a specified control profile when a specified driving operation is to be carried out in that an adjustment of the travel pump is carried out which is independent of the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. This makes it possible to retain, on the one hand, the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine in the case of abrupt stops of movement or changes in the direction of movement and, on the other hand, to adapt the rotational speed of the engine in the case of somewhat longer uninterrupted pauses between two changes in the traveling behavior, wherein comparatively large fluctuations in the rotational speed are avoided.