Did freightliner intentionally set out to make a crappy automatic transmission?

If you said what brand tranny it has , no matter if it is a freightliner or pete, can have similar parameters reprogramed. Freightliner has neither detroit auto, eaton ultrashit, or allison. Petes have either allison or ultrashit. My bid truck (2017 volvo cummins with ultrashit small step) shifts up from 9th to 10th after 54 mph on flat which puts me at 980 rpm. Lugging as hell.

 

It's not about the Driver.They could give a "Rats As. about drivers nowadays,it's about Fuel mileage and Saving money, (so your Boss) can get a $8000 Cash bonus and a Trophy for "Getting it done ,cheaply" whole he/she is deciding where they desire to go for lunch today.

 

I'm sorry, I'm having trouble seeing the benefit of these automatics. Isn't the point of an automatic not to have the driver override it's decisions? Aren't it's decisions supposed to be better for fuel economy?

I've heard they stink in the mountains too (pulling Canadian weights). Drivers have to go into manual mode to hold a gear so it doesn't try to upshift while going downhill.

Why not just properly train the driver to use the manual?

 

I agree 100% with op and have the same headaches with my truck. I'm going to quit my job soon so I don't have a nervous breakdown. The worst for me is taking a turn the truck shifting into to high a gear and being turned into a setting duck while the truck tries to find a better gear.

 

Let's review. We are talking about the same Prime that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to put Trailer Tails on all of their units, then hires drivers that are too lazy and stupid to deploy them.
Just checking.

 

I dont think its "hiring drivers that are too lazy or stupid"

This is a case of mind-games and I suspect, moving goal posts.

Think about it. If the driver is given a "fuel incentive", but then the same fuel incentive is yanked due to issues beyond drivers control, or driver pay formula is some convoluted that zeroes out incentives due to un-related driving issues, then why should a driver care?

Most of these money saving gimmics are devised in some cubicle, without taking into account the final implementation in th field.

What if the driver has to "step on it" due to delay issues, and that screws the fuel econ? Then gets blamed for poor fuel econ?

 

They haven't designed an automatic yet that can read the road ahead and know that there is a corner or a hill coming up. In those instances driver input can be beneficial.

 

I have a 2016 Freightliner with the 12 speed auto. It's without a doubt the smoothest shifting automatic truck I've ever had the pleasure to drive. I absolutely LOVE it. I don't know what your issue might be, but maybe you have the jake engaged? That's what it sounds like to me.

If not there may be some real trouble with yours, as I can leave a water bottle on a ledge in the sleeper and it won't fall until I take a sharp turn. It's really buttery smooth.