Automatics rule! They make your job easier, especially when you have to go through a small town or a traffic jam. They get better fuel mileage. And they are safer! Because the driver can focus more on the road and devote all his attention to that instead of thinking about shifting and watching rpms etc. All trucking companies should go automatic, the good ones are.
My only issue with automatics is that when I first left Maverick a few weeks ago, I got turned down by 3 local companies because I didn't have any recent "manual transmission experience" and was told that my 3 years at Maverick didn't count for crap. Bunch a crap.
Just curious, but why did you leave Maverick? And another question for all, how does an automatic tranny save on fuel? They take lots of horsepower to turn and they weigh a ton! Please explain.......
It's not really an automatic, instead it is an Automatic Manual Transmission, or "AMT". AMTs are essentially manual transmissions with the addition of computerized air-operated shift/clutch actuators. (The weight isn't very much.) Maverick is currently using the Eaton 10-spd version and will be going with the Detroit 12-spd with the '15 models. AMTs, especially the Detroit DT12 save on fuel by optimizing the gear selection and accel/decel profiles for gear changes. Sure, a very experienced driver can match and perhaps even beat the numbers of an AMT, but on average an AMT fleet will outperform a fleet of manual transmissions. Once you use an AMT in big city rush hour traffic, you're hooked forever: consider yourself warned.
Nope. Wouldn't even give me a road test. Had that happen twice. Was told that it wasn't considered real driving experience.
My wife and I were tired of being over the road so I got a local job where I'm home every night and weekends. Still a great company, just couldn't handle the 3-4 months that I was out. It was a lot of reasons but that was one of the main ones.
