Companies With Automatics

I went to school with a couple, the wife brand new to trucking, the hubby a self proclaimed "super trucker" with a whooping 8 months with US Xpress. She graduated with flying colors, he broke a shift fork and was graduated to get him off their equipment. He was a horrible driver, every day I had to ride with him I got off the truck phsycally ill. His wife on the other hand, drove beautifully. Since school he has been fired while she was offered the chance to stay on without him.....and believe it or not she took that opportunity.

My point is I do agree learning to shift should come as part of any drivers learning curve. The autos are nice but sooner or later every driver ends up in a manual. Having seen first hand a "super trucker" fall flat on his ___ I would strongly urge any driver to learn the gears before getting into the comfort of an auto.

Whatever you decide good luck!

 

Lots of women drive for US X. Not saying that to mean anything...just a general observation that Im observing.

Also....I don think anyone has mentioned this. If you train and test on a automatic for your CDL....your CDL will be marked at automatic only, that will be the only truck you can drive legally.

 

I know that's how it is in California.

 

I just heard that in school also here in Nevada......

 

I remember when I was first learning to drive 4+ years ago...I kept wishing that I had an automatic it would be so much easier..~laughing~... I think there were autos but not very many and good ole Prime would never had autos...~lol~..., now 4+ years later I am SO HAPPY that I learned to drive a stick - 10 speed, super 10 and 13..have not had the opportunity to try my hand at a 18...maybe one day....

 

Okay, thank you for that. I was wondering if it was something like that. I am guessing that 18's are basically used for large wide and/or heavy loads..?

 

Sure they do.. just slide it into manual and choose your gear. Hubby has been a "real truck driver" for over 20 years with a manual tranny. Now we are driving for a company with auto-shifts and he loves it. People claim they have no power, but I will just keep on smiling and waving as we pass the "real truckers" by on the uphill climb with 45,000 in the box.....

That is not true. To obtain a Class A CDL, it has to be a combination vehicle with air brakes... thats a Federal Regulation. It does not matter if it is manual or auto shift. I, myself, tested out on an auto-shift (yes, I can drive a manual as well) and I have no restrictions whatsoever on my license.