U.S. Xpress going to manual transmissions in all trucks?

Lower maintenance costs than a manual ? I have a manual with 1.1 million miles and I just change the fluid every 250k miles. Thats been my maintainance. Automatics can be costly when they have problems plus downtime.

 

The recruiter at US Express agrees with you.

 

So WHY then are companies switching to them? They switch to them cause they cost more money? Ha funny. They switch to them cause they get better gas mileage and are IN FACT less expensive to maintain. Maybe an automatic from way back in the year 2000 or something cost more, but the modern ones don't.

You think companies are gonna be switching to a truck that costs more money to maintain? Nope. They are switching to automatics cause they can literally save MILLIONS of dollars on fuel and costs.

 

I always heard that automatics are a pain in the mountains. But that was years ago that I heard that. How are they now days? I've never driven one myself. But I think our company is starting to get them
in. Thought about requesting one. Since I drive in the city a lot of the time.

 

I hate autos. Can't say they are bad going up mountains, but I hate the lack of control going down-- even if it just FEELS like less control. I drove one for a few weeks during training and twice I got a very uneasy feeling while descending, even if it only lasted a second or two.

Autos SUCK when it comes to backing! You gotta give them fuel and use your brake at the same time. Very difficult to ease back into a bay. At least that's the way they've been. Drivers I've talked to with newer ones say that is a thing of the past however.

I enjoy shifting and the control I have. I don't care how good autos ever get, to me that is not how a truck is supposed to be driven, so I'll never like an auto. Unless I get old and decrepit and my clutch leg goes out LOL

Arnold has been getting a bunch of autos lately, and since they are still in bed with USX it doesn't surprise me. They tried to force one down my throat for a reseat. I refused it. Gonna have to leave before that crap happens again.

 

I'd be willing to challenge any driver to a MPG test using the same spec'd drive-train with my 10 speed manual. I know how to correctly use the proper gear to start in, progressive shift and when to pick my shift points. I also gross out at 143,000 lbs. occasionally, and I'd love to see how an automatic handles that.

Plus, I've watched guys jerk all over the place while maneuvering with them as well. Watch a driver with an automatic hit an uphill dock with an incline. That's kind of funny.

They're switching to them because too many drivers can't correctly shift a manual, pick the right gear, tear up clutches and blow U-joints apart. That's why it's cheaper to own them.

 

If you know how to drive an automatic they are superior in every way except backing. Automatics will make you better at backing though youll learn how to do it without all the starting and stopping. still a pain bumping the dock though til you get the 2 foot technique down. Ive driven all types of manuals 5 speed up to 18 speed, and I never make as good of fuel milage as I can in an automatic. usually average .5 mpg or better in an auto. Personally Ill use either but autos are not as bad as everyone makes them out to be, even in the mountains, especially going up a mountain.

 

dunno, i've driven both. as long as the pay is decent and treated allright by the company, i'd drive either. gotta admit though, my old i-shift was pretty sweet when stuck in Dallas rush our traffic.

 

The three biggest truck driver vloggers on youtube are: TruckerJosh, JadeandJon and JonVallroth. And all THREE of them use automatics and talk about how much better they are than manuals in fuel mileage and in every other way too.

This is an age of self driving cars that can drive from New York City to Los Angeles on their own with no human input. And you think technology can't make a truck shift better than a human ha! Companies are investing millions of dollars into them FOR A REASON.