tired of automatic trucks

Who told you that??? What do you do on long grades? Just let it free wheel?? Try that in mountains in auto and see what happens. In Fl it may be fine. Steep terrain you better get into manual mode and have it in a gear that will keep you from running away.

 

That's no different than driving a manual and making sure it's in the right gear.

 

Guess you didn't hear my sarcasm. I drove both and it doesn't matter if I get a manual or auto

 

Where is mds out of? We have a trucking company around southeast mo called mds that hauls dry bans but they are petes with coffin sleepers. Some are the 387s but most are a older Pete with a coffin sleeper. The trucks are black with a gold stripe I think. At least here, if you want on at that company.. You have to apply through a temp agency

 

That is a skill in either one. Don't do it and wind up on runaway truck ramp if you're lucky and bottom of gulch if not. And just because you are in a manual you can't downshift any better once you have gone over what a gear will take. The Volvo will always let you go down one and then downshift itself as long as you don't hit the brakes. With #3 jakes and auto down shift you can get off freeway and it will go right down to light and you just lightly apply brakes to stop. I came from an 18 and never thought I would want another auto as I had driven some yrs before. But I've got 14 months and about 84,000 miles in Volvo and am a big believer in theirs. Long haul I might want the 18 again. But there's no money OTR like tanker money I've seen and be home every night.

 

I'll surely agree with you about the tanker money and being home every night. If we didn't have a 14 hour clock or a 70 hour limit I'd be making some real good money.