Manual vs Automatic Transmissions

I got a cheap cobra 19. Cost me like $40. I need it for shippers/receivers.

 

It may be more clutch wear, but longer life in diffs, axles, tires, drive shaft etc. Even longer life on things like motor mounts. If the shift is less jurky, the engine mounts and the rest of the truck don't get as much jolting.

 

I see you've never driven a 15 speed. Talk about a weird feeling when you top out at the dash. Still nothing to get used to in a day though if you've ran any other manual transmission.

In 2006 I was driving a fairly old (2001) ex-Werner Freightliner Century with a straight 10 speed in it. Not a bad truck just seen it's better days. Then the Boss came up to me and pointed at a brand spanking new Century, and asked if I wanted it. I said hell's yah! Then he told me it had a 12 speed Smart Shift in it. I was disappointed, but gave it a try any way---was tickled to get a truck with 650 miles on it.
Took it out for a week and HATED it with a passion. Hated it so bad, that when I got back I asked for my old truck back....but it was already taken. Only thing left in the yard was a 1995 or 1996 Freightliner FLD 132 with over a million miles on it....ragged looking (but road worthy), interior all tore up, etc.... BUT I TOOK IT ANY WAY.
After my experience with that POS automatic, I would have accepted a gasoline daycab farm truck, so long as it had a clutch.

I also drove a 2009 Volvo with a different Auto (this one was connected to the drivers seat instead of a paddle off the steering wheel like the Smart Shift)---it was just as worthless. So, unless they have made WAY more improvements than the 06' or 09' Autos....I don't ever care to try them out again.

Neither tranny (auto or manual) makes ANYONE a Super Trucker, or a wuss....it all depends on what you like. Personally, I like the control I have with a clutch.

 

Some shippers/receivers refuse to call you when your load is ready so, if no CB you have to keep checking in with them. Most nice shippers will take your umber if you request them to. I also use my CB in bd traffic to get the info.

 

I'm driving a 2005 freightliner Columbia with the 12 speed supershift on it. I love it. You have to learn how to drive it. It's all controlled by the throttle pedal. Once you learn how to control it it's smooth as melted butter to drive. But it does take longer than a week.

 

15 speed seemed more like a rounded off W...of course you could say an h with a trip back up at the end. LOL!

 

You won't always have the right phone # to reach the guard shack or intake personnel. Then you have to get out of your truck and go track them down. Much simpler to just fire up the radio to check in.

A fair number of shippers/receivers have a sign with the radio channel they use posted in a nice, large font when you pull on the property. Beats having to run inside.