Automated vs manual transmissions. Which is better?

With how good the automated manual transmissions are now, the only reason to drive manual is preference or heavy haul.
Here's an interesting article. Discuss!

Do Real Truckers Drive Automatic Transmissions? | TruckingTruth Blog

 

I believe both have their pros and cons. Although many of us drive what the companies give us. My company has local trucks that are manual and most of the regional trucks/OTR are automatic.

It's definitely important to know both. I noticed many local companies have manual trucks. In terms of shifting is not a skill I disagree. It takes skill to drive down a mountain at 80K > 137K in some parts of Canada with a manual transmission. I worked shortly for an owner op that shifted just as good as an automatic transmission.

 

That's a scam website that gets most of the information from here and does a copy & paste.
He hijacks other websites and when you click on some information on Google, it directs you to his website.
AIT Truck Driving School is just one example. AIT is owned by Werner, but to get information, you have to visit his website.
He and his buddy that drives for Swift have accounts on here and spend hours taking information and transferring it to that website.

 

I like my automated transmission it's the DT-12. It's a little slow in stop and go traffic but I would not want go back to manual transmission. Driving both is still good skill to have. The manual transmission will probably be special order and more for heavy haul. I could not drive a two stick transmission, unless someone's been driving a long time. That's skill not many drivers have today. The automated transmissions still have to see how the hold up over time. How the computers and the wires and stuff hold up. I can see that being a very expensive repair as they get up to million miles.

 

I prefer manual only because they’re pretty much bullet proof. The automated I’ve driven were not very good.

 

I love automatics. Automatics over manuals every day. Hopefully they'll keep on shifting away from manuals so that in 10 years or so, manuals will only be for specialized trucking like heavy haul or something.

I've been in an automatic for the past 2 years and might have to go back to a manual if I get on with an LTL company sometime in the next month or two. Not looking forward to possibly driving a manual again but it is what it is.

All I can say is that the sooner the industry in America pushes out the manuals in favor of 99% nationwide automatics, the better. I can't wait to never have to worry about driving a manual again. I guarantee the automatic gets better fuel mileage and doesn't beat up the transmission nearly as much as I would in a manual. I don't say that in a proud way or to be sloppy or anything, but I'm just being realistic about my manual skills, and I'm sure I'm not the only driver where that's the case.

 

Oh, so you can’t drive a manual worth a crap so the rest of the industry should be forced to drive an auto that can’t tell loaded from empty, quits working if it pops an air leak, etc...

Makes sense...

Point is, why should you wish EVERYONE be forced to drive an auto? How about you just go about your business driving what you want and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.

By your logic, McDonald’s should be forced out of business because I think they suck and only sell heart attack inducing food. YOU shouldn’t be able to eat there because I don’t like them!

 

I drove automatic running 48 states and Canada pulling liquid hazmat tankers.
Volvo truck, Volvo engine, Volvo automatic transmission. If I wanted to be an 0/0 that's what I would buy. Volvo all the way.
Best driving experience I've ever had.

 

Automatics = lowering the bar

 

Well I'll tell you what Frank. I hope for that as long as I'm driving a truck for the next 30 years or so, that for every driver like me who hates manuals that there is a driver like you who hates automatics. We can even each other out real nice that way.

I will have no problem taking one for the team and taking that sweet, sweet auto while driving through Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, etc. etc. while you get the manual. After all, that's what friends and coworkers are for.