Stick shift

New CDL holder here. I interviewed and road tested with Estes, XPO and PepsiCo recently, they didn’t care about my restriction. Did they ask about it? YES - when I mentioned the restriction, they all said basically the same thing; “we can work around that since we’re phasing out our older / manual equipment”

 

I didn’t think it was at all similar to driving a manual transmission car. In theory yes, but when I tried when I began CDL school- it’s what made me opt for Automatic instead. As someone who NEVER drove a combo vehicle before, I wasn’t getting bogged down with learning how to double clutch and shift properly without grinding gears and / or stalling etc. I was concerned about safety and getting my license first. Did I try? Yes.

I did do my backup maneuvers well in the manual, but never actually drove it on the road.

Learning to properly shift a manual semi should and could be another 2 week course / another 2 grand on top of the 5-6 weeks / 5 grand it already was. In fact, I did inquire about it after I graduated and the school manager said it’s 2500 bucks and another 2 weeks - that’s nearly half the cost of the full course.

 

Well technically Mack never put transmission in...it’s came with what customers spec’d (lol)
But imho years ago peddling freight...,my R w/a 300 Maxi and 5 speed was the absolutely perfect set up

 

Gas engines are not the same shifting as diesel. But it's a start.
It will take some time to become a proficient gear jammer. You
have a learn how a diesel engine revs and the trans gears mesh. Do some reseach on when to shift(rpm) sweet spots. It's just going to take miles. No one just jumps in and floats/DC a truck. That's too much cash for that class. Look some where else to get a few miles in with a manual. Good luck

 

I’m yes they do and will for a long while

 

Why? My CDL school was $2400 total. They taught on a 10-speed Eaton Fuller. My first driving job offered tuition reimbursement so once I made it to the six month mark, it ended up costing me nothing.

 

Maybe.. but moving 40 plus tons of coal made it a slow, irritating day.. lol