CDL Restricted to Automatic Transmission

The question is not your ability to shift an manual transmission, It's the ability to read.

 

Im smiling about it and ready to take on it.

 

Don't forget to double clutch.

 

What can go wrong. Yall find them or grind them. Once a driver is always a driver. Its just a matter miles and personal pride. Some fellas are afraid of a few snowflakes others drive in it 4 months a year. Comes with the job. Anyone can be a top hand with effort. Sounds like we've a few here.

 

The only way to learn is to confront your fears head on. I once had a fear of height. I overcame that by rock climbing and become quite good at it.

Afraid of driving in slick conditions? Learn by driving in an icy parking lot and work up to the highway.

Afraid of learning a manual transmission? Confront that fear and get on with your career. Most trainees that got in my truck fresh from school had a total of 10 hours behind the wheel. Three days of white knuckle grinding later they had tripled their BTW hours and started to make some smooth shifts. By the end of the first week grinding was getting rare. By the time they got off the truck, ready to test out, shifting was second nature.

I'm a half million mile newbie, and still learning the finer points of shifting. I know I can get in any truck and figure it out. Every truck is different. You just need to learn proper foreplay to get it to go in smoothly.

 

Peace to all of you brothers and sisters here!
It is 11/2017 and the majority of the carriers that keep up with technology and striving to keep new drivers in seats have a percentage of their stock as Automatics, except the old school small companies....
Personally, I think the trucks, pre DEF with Glyder kits are really cool and seem to be more problem free, but I think the Govt doesn't like them cause they (the Govt) cant make any $$$ off of them...
But I like Autos, it's a preference, thats all, doesn't make you better trucker or not whether manual or automatic, to be truthful... (And I am 48, and a 2nd generation trucker who grew up since 15 years old/ I was 1st trained in my pop's 77 Mac Cab over..) With a bad left knee, I prefer auto Volvos or Freightliners..)
Just Preference, that's all...
Hey and at 7mpg to 8 mpg, I love the fuel savings!!!!!
It's just logic...
Peace and blessings!

 

That is me. It just happened that I learned on an automatic (that's all that was available), and from then on just drove autos. Auto vs manual just wasn't important at the time, and so just ended up never learning.

So now my first manual transmission experience is going to be in an 18-wheeler.