0 to 60. Automatics vs Manual

That's true but the real figures are closer to 95 percent the car fault.
But like I said, the auto shift is slow. Pay attention . Biggest problem ij see now is guys merging from an exit or rest area. Don't come out at a substantial slower rate of speed ,specially if the flow can't get over. I can't count the times I had to brake hard cause a slow merger shut me down when I couldn't get over.

 

I always used the gear to move the truck with zero throttle to start off. Which ever gear that was depended on the load. I would guess it wouldn't matter if the transmission was auto or standard if the acceleration was smooth. I would bet the standard would be smoother since gear selection is up to you.

 

I think the 95% is closer to the percentage of deaths in the four wheel vehicle in a collision with a big rig. Physics at work. It's north of 90%.

IIRC the University of Michigan reviewed close to 10,000 accidents between big rigs and four wheelers. 81% were the fault of four wheelers and about 30% we're the fault of the CDL driver, the overlap was due to incidents where both were at fault.

When I am pinned in the merge lane and have cars merging I try to slow down early. If I can be moving slower than the car early, they understand I am letting them get ahead. Slowing early means I can maintain more momentum than if I run up and then slam on the brakes. It helps, but it certainly isn't perfect. Four wheelers can do some crazy, risky things if they think they will be delayed getting to their destination by 0.7 seconds by a pesky truck.

 

Yea, that's old school. I did t hat also. Get her moving in Low low then progressive shift and skip as nessary. I got 1mill 300k on the original SST14 spicer tyranny and around or a little over 940k on the original clutch.
I floated it all the time.
I hauled gas back when we didn't have vapor recovery too.

 

No, it's about convenience. For those of us who run legal logs, they save so much time on paperwork. I just switched over last week and love it. I save at least 10-15 minutes a day over loose-leaf paper logs. And I don't have to worry about keeping regs and time left straight in my head. It's all done right there in the computer for me.

 

Personal experience is that a d11 Volvo with the 12 speed auto will beat a dd13 powered manual 10 speed freightliner up to 50mph, freightliner will catch up by 60 and be walking away by 70mph. This is both grossing about 83.5k, level ground, same trailers etc.

We occasionally have "mini races" leaving the quarries, just to see if the newer models pull better etc. nothing crazy or illegal

 

Yes I understand. But the end result is not to make it easier on the driver, it's so the co. Can control the driver. All this new tech stuff on the trucks is there to control the driver.
If I go over 2k on the tachometer on a down grade for no more than 50 seconds I'm ok. Usually the engine brake will hold 68 or 70 nicely. Out west requires more skill but it's easy. That allowed me not to have to drag my brakes or go down the grade with four ways on below the speed backing every body up. But if I go over the 50 second limit the truck rats me out and sends a message to fleet. Now I'm out here 40 years, I know how to roll hills and not get stuff hot. You new guys don't know this stuff yet. The truck schools don't teach it and chances are the driver trainer you had doesn't have much seat time either.
With the eld, Production is cut a bit down. That 15 minutes of log book work you save gets burnt off on one of the clocks. Waitin for fuel or a parking spot or whatever.
But I like it. It makes life easier now. I love my auto shift and I can't run without my cruse controll. The forward lookin radar is great to, specially in traffic. Drive your 10. Then park your 10 It's all on dispatch now if your late. Less work. No hard running. anymore.its a piece of cake.
The best part is when you arrive at your con and their not ready.
That ELD makes it really easy to get paid detention time. no haggling or #####in. I sat so man y hours, now you guys need to make a new delivery apt. I get a kick out of that #### now.
Only problem I have with the new technology is it always needs work or an upgrade or an adjustment

 

Too late, my panties are spring-loaded to the bunched position.

 

Sounds uncomfortable. I'd run that by SAFETY.

 

In my time working at Western Express they were transitioning from 10 speeds to automatics. I can tell you from having drag raced friends of mine in the back lot of their property down the line of trailers, that bobtailing, the automatic wins every time going 0-30. The reason for this is that you can put the truck into a manual shifting mode where you choose on the steering wheel when to up and down shift. By doing this you can fly through your first couple gears, or even skip one on your way from 2-4-5-6-7. Another thing is that you will never miss a gear or have to wait for it to fall into place before you can hit the gas, with an automatic your gas pedal can be completely down to the floor and it will still let you shift.

From stoplights if I had a truck in the other lane, loaded or unloaded, I always pulled ahead early and used that momentum to build a bigger lead until the governor maxxed out and I had to fall in line behind drivers from a better company. Now I drive a 13 speed, it takes more thinking than driving an automatic, I cant say I prefer either an auto or manual either, they both have their place. I think if I was cruising interstates with a box I'd buy an automatic, and if I was driving on dirt roads and into fields like I am now, I'll take a manual with high/low reverse and a low gear below first.