Automatic trucks

myself, I focus on pay & time off

 

you willing to bet on that assumption? and where Is Your supporting evidence..?
Again, Automatics are nothing new... they have been around for years!

Of course I cant imagine why Swift or JB hunt or any other major Training Company would want automatics.. especially when you look at their Turnover Rates.

I Remember when they first Debuted those super ugly prototype trucks that looked like they had a jet ####pit in the early 2000s saying everyone will be driving these in 10 years due to fuel prices... Not a one was sold.

 

you don't think automatics would be more prone to having drivers stay with them and improve their turnover rates? im sure their is a lot of drivers that leave because they don't like shifting the gears.

im not against manual, I think its pretty helpful in certain situations like downgrades and stuff, but their is technology involved with the auto to deal with those situation plus engine break. for me, the majority of my driving i wouldn't want the extra hassle. im sure their is those who do like it because they feel more engaged in driving instead of just a wheel holder, people that like doing it the old fashion way, but for the same pay ill take an auto. pretty much the same gas mileage.

I am finishing school next week with a manual, and I have no problem doing it, so I can always go back to manual whichever way the industry goes (my vote would be to autos, safer)

 

The megas like Automatics because the rookies they hire learn on them and cannot go to other carriers which run manuals. Automatic transmissions are a driver retention tool for the bottomfeeder carrier.

Oh they put a lot of mind control sweet frosting all over it like

'better fuel economy'
'better driver focus'
'wonderful in stop and go traffic'

Let's talk about fuel economy- most of the time it is a mega rookie trucker who is trying to pass me on the onramp so much so that they will cross over teh white line to hammer down and get past my old 3/4 million mile truck. I work my truck up through the gears gently and albeit shes old and slow on the take off, these guys can't wait to pass the old girl up. They settle down to their max 62 speed and a few minutes later we rumble by at 75.

Driver focus? Wow so glad they invented the automatic because for 90 years truck drivers have been bloodying up the highways primarily focusing on their shifting instead of safely focusing on the driving....

Stop and go traffic? It is only slow because somebody was looking at their phone and crashed out. Oh you mean the big cities at rush hour? Not my fault you don't know how to trip plan to get through there in the off hours, so yeah maybe an automatic is for you.

 

Manuals without a doubt would help the average rookie to pay better attention I would think automatics make it too care free.

The better in city statement I think is because of all the stop lights. Not having to up and down shift over and over again. Again nothing bad about that but it's just such less of a hassle.

 

Yeah we hear you mate unfortunately the trucking industry is in a catch 22 situation there is a huge shortage of skilled drivers however the "authorities " don't recognize truck driving as "skilled" we're viewed liked unskilled laborers which is a load of hogwash. They could allow companies to bring in skilled workers from overseas but then people would whine that they're taking American jobs so its a no win situation. So there rushing through all these unskilled office workers who could barely drive a 4 wheeler let alone an 18 wheeler so companies are forced to get auto shifts the other side of the coin is that in the long run it will cut down on maintenance costs cause bad drivers can't destroy an auto shift as easy as a manual.

 

Skillfull is shifting 13 times,by 65 mph?
Sounds pretty dumb.
Work smarter..not harder.

 

Automatic is alot better and takes away alot of stress, especially for new drivers. I've been driving with stick and now automatic and I love it. Get used to the future guys and don't get stuck in the old days. Trucking is much more than shifting gears

 

I love how Drivers with Cdls still warm from the Printer get their First Automatic Truck And Come on here Preaching how Its Gods gift to the Trucking Industry With only Anecdotal Evidence to support it.. Then Post Few Weeks Later.. "Why Is my Gear Indicator flashing the letter F?"

Oh Lord... Now I Understand Old Timers... Now I Understand....

Ill say it Again... They have Had Automatics in Semis since The late 50s They had automatics for 40 ton Tanks even before that.. They were Putting Gas Turbines in trucks as early as the 40s, so im sure Fitting an Auto box wouldn't have been too hard.

..... Im Really Starting to think that people are allergic to facts...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_Transmission

http://www.allisontransmission.com/company/history-heritage

 

Who was claiming that automatic trucks were a new invention?. You have to admit that despite them being used in many truck and haulage applications, they are relatively recent to OTR tractors

It's not so much the transmissions being new as it is the OTR segment of the industry being slow to adopt the technology.