All jb hunt company trucks changing over to automatic transmissions

All their new trucks will be auto going forward. They can't get enough drivers so they are actually training newbies right out of CDL school. They slip seat so unless you gave a decent slip seat partner you will be grabbing the first truck available daily. I've seen guys pull through the gate with 2 flat tires on the tractor and no mud flap on the trailer and head on out. Seems like nobody gives a hoot there, management on down to the yard dogs. Sad.

 

I've been running dedicated for them as a contractor for the last 3 months. They keep saying they're not going to need us next week, but then they book us on Friday for the next week.

 

Yea, it's a real trip there. Left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. I'll be there Monday morning helping them out. Should be fun.

 

Was a little stressed for time the first time I had the automatic. I turned the key just like you said, nothing happened. I call road service, told them it was my first time in an automatic so I asked them what was I doing wrong, I cannot get this thing to turn on.

They were not sure either. Told me to cut power off completely for fifteen minutes then give them a call back if it still would not start. So that is what I did, even waited sixteen minutes just to be sure despite getting later and later.

Still would not turn on so I called back. Different roadservice guy but after explaining the situation to him he told me the same thing, shut off power again and wait another fifteen minutes, I hung up on the fellow and did not bother calling back again.

 

The freightliner will learn how much weight you're pulling and will adjust shift points and gears accordingly. If you get unloaded or drop a trailer without turning the engine off, it has to relearn the new weight. It doesn't take a long time. A couple of good accelerations from a dead stop bobtail and it's taking off in 5th gear. Empty trailer, 4th gear.

People who complain about an automatic either have a bad system or don't know how to use it. I did my time behind a standard and the auto is so much nicer. I can concentrate more on driving the truck rather than just shifting it.