Automatic trucks

Far from it. The ones I've driven do everything your not supposed to do when you trying to save fuel. Over rev, shift late, shift early, basically they do everything that kills fuel mileage.

 

This is a debate we had over in Europe about 6 or 7 years ago (this is gona piss you off but it seems Europe is 10 years in front where trucking is concerned i.e Hourly pay, Digital Tachos, Auto shift, to name a few).
There are very few trucks over here now that are not Auto shift. Granted our day to day duties are different, with alot of heavy traffic involved and this is where auto is a godsend. I thought exactly the same when changing from manual to auto but once you adjust your driving style to the idiosyncrasies of auto shifting I guarantee you won't look back. I'm lucky in driving a Scania which has the best of both worlds, i.e. Take off, stop & reverse using a clutch, all gears in between are taken care of by auto. Shame Scania won't do America, you guys are being denied a great truck. Have a good day .

 

That is why your all running COE's

 

This occurs when driver just mats the throttle and goes. Same guys tear up most anything else they drive. I have about 130k in autoshift. Took about 3 hours to figure out how to drive it correctly. Never been in ultrashift but I wouldn't care. If it's a truck you drive it and take their money. Same bunch are the ones whining about everything else at counter and fuel island.

 

Europe is not ahead of the US in anything except going into debt. And we have caught you there as well.
Scania would "do" America if they thought there was a snowballs chance in Hell of making any money. Not bad trucks. Have 2 here in Afghanistan. COEs Cramped. Handle well in tight confines like European roads. This is the USA. We have space to turn, large roads, higher speed limits , bigger dicks and better tastes. Sounds like you have Eaton autoshift. If not some clone of it. Been here for yrs. Some like them some don't. This is America. You can have what you like . Not what the Gov will let you. Tell us about your tax rates over there. Also about the riots because Govs are having to fire deadbeat workers. Don't worm in here with your snide little bash America crap. They don't call you guys 3rd world for nothing.

 

Just like when they first came out............

"If you ain't shiftin', you ain't truckin."

Auto trannys are gonna really handicap drivers, and flood the profession with people who shouldn't be doing it.

 

That's kinda the stance I am taking...a driver should know how to shift if he has to before taking a career in an autoshift

 

I learned on 5x3 and 5x4 Dimaond Reos and Binders. Then onto RoadRangers and anything else they throw at me. If you are a driver and the wages are good and the equipment is safe who cares what kind of tranny it has? This BS about if you're not shifting manually is getting old. They are here and aren't going anywhere. If I offered you $5 a mile and you turned it down because of your professional pride than you are a fool. I drove one for almost 2 yrs hauling specialized over dimensional and had no problems except too wide gap in mountains. Had to slow down more than I would have had to in 13/18. Ok no biggie. Passed most of the shiney guys an hour later sitting there drinking coffee while I was getting my $2.68 mile minimum. And it wasn't my truck. Shut up and drive. Don't be a cherry picker.

 

I didnt say that I preferred shifting in my post, nor that anyone should to be a "professional". What I said was, as a driver, you should be versitile enough to shift. Because if someone offers you $5 a mile, are you going to turn it down because you are too lazy/dont know how to shift?

 

I knew i'd get a bite on this one!
Easy there fella, I am not bashing America, far from it, Its a great country. All I was saying is that changes occur here in the trucking industry that then seem to transfer over to the US a couple of years later.
No need to get so defensive. Your right, tax rates are pretty abysmal here. And as far as I'm aware you have your own problems regarding unemployment. And 3rd world? Really? I didn't hear that mentioned a couple of years back when bailing out the banks to save yours and our economy.