Why I love automatics

Alot is in gearing. I don't go much above 62 most of the time, because then I start creeping over 1400 rpm. The fuel usage from 1450 to 1500 to go 67 mph is dramatic.
Sometimes no choice.

You have to drive intelligently though.

The way of the roll you must learn.

 

Check the rpm.

 

I don't get paid a fuel mileage bonus, so I don't worry about it.
One less headache for me.

 

The wind kills my fuel mileage, it’s anywheres from 63 to 81 gallons for the same trip depending on that wind.

 

The truth is the lousy drivers help your bonus. Make them think and shift, they may not get as high as they get now.

Btw, mid 7s hauling 40-45,000 lbs. Of course being a pre-emission 12.7 doesn't hurt.

 

Not only is he right but that little fact applies to all vehicles not just trucks, bee known since they started making stupid automatics. I will never buy another automatic vehicle of any sort nothing but a headache.

 

But these aren't automatics. They are automated manuals. Gearboxes, not juiceboxes.

 

Yea that's the truth, how do we fix that cross wind anyway?

 

You still have a computer making the decisions and it can't see the hill coming on the other side of this little crik and just let the speedometer wind up a ways and roll up the other side. Killing the cruise helps fuel mileage out a lot too.

 

I'd mostly disagree there. As has been pointed out, on Freightliners, at least with the DD15/DT12 setup, the computer uses GPS for fuel savings. (The drivers manual discusses this feature at length. ) It works from stored records of road elevation profiles, and is fairly effective.

It will coast, and it will also get a run up for hills. Not nearly as much as a human might, but it's definitely there. Heck, I had a few Swift Overspeed violations due to that feature.

The efficiency of an automated manual is heavily dependant on programming and driver skill/experience (with that tranny).