Future thrends = Automatics?

We may all have our opinions on what transmission is right or what people should learn on and what skills a driver should have. Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world and new drivers will probably never develop the skills that drivers of 2 or 3 decades ago had. Auto shifts are here to stay. They have their place, just like 9 and 10 speed manuals have their place. I have a 13 speed manual. I have liked that type of tranny for many years. I would have no problem though with a 9 speed depending on my average gross and territory I was running. Heck, most of the time I just shift the 13 like a 9 anyway. If I am heavy, I go thru the splits.

I would much rather that new drivers would learn better maneuvering, trip planning, handling traffic and weather conditions. The fine art of shifting a 18 is hardly as important. I have seen drivers that know the fine "art" of shifting laying upside down in a ditch during a snow storm. I have had students that could out maneuver drivers with a few years under their belt, even though the student wasn't quite a master at shifting yet.

Who cares what other companies are buying or what truck schools are using for training. When things get tough, those students won't stick around anyway. The good students will always be able to adjust. I really could care less what a company decides to buy. If they want auto shifts... so what. It's their money to spend and no one is being grabbed kicking and screaming to drive for them.

 

Excellent!!! My point as well !!! Good post.

 

I won't say anything makes you more or less of a trucker, but I do think it's a bad idea to learn on an automatic. That's my opinion. I see it just like starting out with a job where you never back trailers. That doesn't mean guys who currently don't back are less a trucker than those who do, but just like shifting, it's something I believe new drivers need to know. Same thing with never sliding tandems, never swapping trailers and so on. That's fine as long as you're in that truck doing that job...but what happens when something changes? Say you've only driven an automatic, your truck breaks down and all they have left to put you in is a manual- would you be able to safely drive it? I'm gonna say probably not.

I'd be interested to see what kind of mileage an auto tranny can get. I was getting 7.25 in an FLD 120 with an ungoverned detroit 500 and super 10 on a dedicated run from southcentral Kentucky to northwestern Indiana and back everyday running 72 in Ky and 67 in IN hauling 37k. I know most trucks don't do that well, but even when I was running 48 and Canada my old T2000 w/550 cat and regular 10 speed governed at 75 was getting 6.5.

If an auto does much better than that, it'd be hard to crticize it. However, if improving mileage means cutting your nuts off when you're trying to climb those grades (especially out west), then no thanks...or if improving mileage means do it because drivers don't know when or how to correctly shift a truck, then again, no thanks.

I believe in 'working smarter not harder', but at the same time I believe in teaching folks the right way the first time instead of just dumbing everything down enough that a trained chimpanzee can do it. That's what happens when you have these companies that take students out for 3 weeks, cut them loose on their own and 6 months or a year later turn them into trainers. I don't mean to offend anyone with that, you may have done just that and be an awesome driver, but let's be honest, you'd be the exception not the rule. And that's not just in trucking either, a lot of industries have this idea that we'll do an intensive training period and our people will be ready to lead as soon as they're finished with it. Nothing, and I repeat nothing is a viable substitute for good old fashioned practice and experience.

Sorry, I got off on a couple tangents there LOL.

 

I agree 100%

 

http://www.landlinemag.com/Archives/2009/feb09/Bottom_Line/shifting_on_fly.htm

 

I agree with the bulk of the article, but I hate journalistic liberties like that last sentence. "time better spent out learning safety". Time is relative! The time learning to shift just added to the entire amount of time learning to drive. Learning safety doesn't happen until you're out on the road. And, that would simply have started earlier! Since you're also getting a sense of the vehicle size and capability while learning to shift, it's actually safer to have spent more time in the yard.

Sorry but I think the writer was good to switch careers if they ever drove at all.

 

You should read the whole article its pretty good!!!!
We only post the first part and a link

 

I went back. It's pretty informative. I supported the auto tranny's, I just don't like unfounded conclusions!

 

Well my problem is where dose it end. Whats next? A computer that tells u how to back up. Or USDOT required Black boxes that record your logs. Before you know it "Truck Drivers" will be a thing of the past. they will all be replaced by streering wheel holders.

 

I was shocked these rigs don't have that. Nicer cars have had this for years. Oh it's coming. I think even you would appreciate the extra visibility if it were there.