Auto vs. Manual Transmission......

The backhoe is faster than the shovel.

An automated manual is not faster than a standard at getting a truck up to speed.

I didn’t think Mack’s point was that hard to miss.

 

I don’t log a thirty minute break when in an automatic. How can I justify needing a break when I am 10x more rested than when using a manual? I just put an explanation on my Elog that it wasn’t necessary. If I run an automatic for one day, I usually don’t have to sleep for a week, I am that much more efficient and rested.

 

What's up with so many thinking "good trucking" means getting up to 65 mph 4 seconds faster than the next guy? The point of autos is to save fuel. You don't save fuel when you're competing in the stock 1/4 mile race from every stop.

Post 10, User 1, Topic A: "Why are you in such a hurry and racing through truck stops to save a few seconds".

Post 12, User 1, Topic B: "Why do you want to drive a truck that takes a few seconds longer to get up to highway speed?"

 

Oh pleeeeze!

 

Yes sir. Volvo really has their stuff together with the I Shift. Like you said, very smooth and the shift points are spot-on. I pull fuel over the North Georgia mountains in a Volvo day cab. It's not the strongest truck I've ever driven, but definitely the easiest and most driver friendly.

 

WOW, another trip over the Mountains of Colorado in my M-Drive Mack, and I lived to tell about it. Not sure how this happened, I mean, supposedly the truck was going to tear down the mountain at an uncontrolled pace and slam into multiple families killing everyone and destroying the nearby feed store.

And yet, there I was, pulling a flatbed loaded with blue stone, 77,800 lbs gross, I climbed the hill west of Denver with grace and dignity, not huffing, puffing and random multiple shifts. I went down the other side with my transmission held in 9th gear, my engine brakes on high, and I never touched the brake pedal. Impossible, I know, god help me, I swear that's what happened, my brakes were still cool, the load was safe, and the sedans full of families, well I didn't harm a hair on their heads.

Then, to top it off, I went up and over a second mountain, this time though a looooooong tunnel, and down an even steeper, longer hill. Again, my transmission held in 9th gear, my engine brake on high, I used my brake pedal once, I held my speed at 37 mph (the speed limit is 35, but I'm a bit of a rebel) and made it safely to the 65 mph limit near the bottom. Never once did anyone have to fear that I was one electrical gremlin away from disaster, the feed store was safe, I never harmed a hair on anyone.

Then, OMG, it gets better, you won't believe this, but, but I went up a third hill, and down a 3rd grade, this one even longer yet. Again, I came down the other side, my engine brake on high, my transmission held in 9th gear, 43 mph, again, I didn't hit the feed store, I didn't harm anyone (well, except for the suicidal bird), my brakes were adjusted and cool, in fact I never even used my foot brakes. BLASPHEMY, how can this be, it's magic, it's sorcery, it's wizardry, I tell you it's bordering on mass hysteria.

And yet, it happened, and I lived to tell about it, come to think of it, aside from that lone suicidal bird, nothing was harmed. How, how can this be?

 

Run you bobtail to bobtail. You might be very surprised.

 

Lawd.....it's a miracle!

 

I own a a 13spd but would love to have a i-shift.. The I-shift/m-drive is the best auto ever made period..

I drove a dt12 for a little while and hated it.. not even in the same league as a ishift.. I think the dd15 sucks to btw.. sorry freightliner fan boys.

I hear good things about the newer Eaton autos with the x15 but I still have a bad taste in my mouth from their earlier attempts..


And for the comments of being slow at start off, I can run the speed limit so I don’t need to race other trucks at red lights,I just beep bop through town at the speed limit and then drive right by them want to be drag racer fleet trucks when we get out of town and the speed limit raises...always in a hurry to get nowhere lol

 

When I was a DJ in Nashville a guy called me from a truck stop. This was 1974. He said I just fueled and I. Hitting the road. Play me something good and I'll get on the CB and tell others truckers. So I played a 3 record set.
Space Trucking
Highway Star
Radar Love