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We had clutchless auto for years and still do,the allison auto trans was out in the 70's,when you have 40 years of driving,tarping unloading,chaining and strapping and go to an auto,it is one heck of a difference,your arthritus hurts less in your knees and your right hand and shoulder from all the years out here don't go dumb or ache as much,you will appreciate the automatics like some of us do. It leaves you with more energy at the end of 600 0r 700 plus miles a day,especially in places like the cross bronks expressway or chicago in rush hour.

 

Capt Ron,I drive for hartt trans out of bangor me. I run midwest every week like to mil.wi area and back to me.

 

I just realized you live near houston tx,I lived in deer park tx from 78 to 83 and drove for Ray Bellew and Sons on almeda genoa rd in houston tx.,just about the best people I ever worked for,Still visit them if I get by there. They took care of me like their own.I really miss those folks but left there due to split up from wife and divorce later,but kids and grandkids are in maine. My new wife and I visited them about a year ago. Ray and kenny are great people,sad day when I got there,I talked to Gary about a few months before I visited,then when I got there was told Gary had got killed by a deer he had shot,he straddled it to pick up its head and it lunged up and cut his groin area and got a major artery,they both died in the woods,I almost died when I asked where Gary was and i was told what happened to him. Ray Bellew was like another dad to me and kenny a brother,like I said great real folks to work for,if you get by there,tell the whole gang I said hi,there is an oil painting in rays office that I painted of garys peterbuilt when I fell off a trailer and broke my hand,it took a year to draw and paint it,but everyone there told me I never could have it,after what happened to gary,they wanted to keep it there on the wall.I met garys wife and 16 yr old son,he looked just like gary when he was young,and was an a student in school. Wife is as pretty as she ever was,nice ,nice girl. sorry for the rample but this all got me thinking,take care out there and best of luck.

 

We did flatbed work,heavy equipment hauling,oilfield pipe to rigs in so tx, pump jacks from houston to ca.,all kinds of concrete bridge beams up to 110 feet long,weighed about 160,000,on a pole trailer spread apart with a jeep behind the tractor,I really enjoyed the time spent doing that,6 to 10 of us in a motel at night,we had many a good time there.

 

kreilkamp out of WI and NJ also has autoshifts, WH, EPES,PTL, more and more fleets are adding them. A good idea might be to look for companies that you are interested in and call and find out about autos.

 

P.A.M has alot of automatic trucks... us express and i heard jb hunt is gettting some too but ill believe that when i see it