What's it like these days?

I drove all 48 states pulling tankers and the truck was automatic. Had no problems pulling hills or on downgrades. I could pull Black Mountain and it downshifted perfectly. More and more companies are switching to automatics due to much better fuel milage.

 

It seems like they have fixed some of the emissions trouble also. My 2017 Freightliner has automatic parked Regeneration on the DPF. The computers can tell when the DPF is full and raise the engine RPMs to 1200. Inject the fuel into the exhaust and bake the DPF. It only take 20 minutes today.

My truck also has the Optimized Idle System. They had it back in the 90s. The truck will start engine for heat or a/c or battery voltage or engine oil temperature. It's kinda amazing they can do that with the automatic Parked Regeneration. So no APU on truck just let the computers do all the work when sleeping or for 34 hour reset.

 

After 28 years of manual, my company bought all autoshifts... UGGHH.
I still don't "care" for it, but it's more of a stigma.
You can place it in manual to help in downgrades if you trust your gear selection more than the computer.

The biggest issue I have with it is I do lots of yucky winter driving and IMO a manual gives the driver much more control directly to the road and the conditions. It's something you have to experience to understand.

Those sign on bonuses are legit at a lot of places, but they're paid out over a long length of time. Lots of drivers see that and lick their chops thinking CHA-CHING!!