Automatic Transmission VS Stick

About 3 years ago all the old supertruckers said i was crazy when I said in a few years, Swift, Schneider, EVERY company of any size is going to be switching to all automatic fleets, well it's happening now and this trend will only accelerate. In 10 years it will be very rare to see a manual truck anywhere - they will be as rare as seeing a manual car is now.

Self driving trucks and cars are on the horizon, do you think the robot software driving the truck needs a manual transmission? Lol.

 

Yep, they get better fuel mileage. Only one's that will still use standard in about 10 years will be the guys that run heavy haul IMO... I am guess in about 25 to 30 years will be hardly any humans actually driving

 

I like my auto and my left knee doesn't miss the manual. Put it in manual mode and practice with it a bit.

 

I have the Eaton fuller automatic have had it for alittle over 4 yrs is it flawless no but with a stick how many times have we daydreamed slightly and not downshifted or held a gear slightly to long . I like the auto but as long as it comes with a clutch for winter if u get stuck u can still rock yourself out. maintenance wise 710K and I've replaced the shifter motor once during last 300K miles that's it as I look for wood to knock on lol

 

I just my first auto-shift or automatic. I'm really impressed. It work good. The auto Jake is something to get use to when you have the cruise set. Because if the goes 6mph over set speed it will come on automatically. It's also a lot higher RPMs then I'm uses to. When going down hill I always used low RPMs. The auto-shift is programmed for 1,500-2,200 RPMs for maximum braking power. It will downshift to keep the RPMs in that rang. That's something to watch out for in snow. Just have to turn cruise and Jake's off like we are supposed to. I have the Detroit 12 speed auto-shift.

 

Also protects drivelines.... You see a lot of drivers hitting the throttle so hard the that the entire truck is leaning and jumping with each shift. Then they brake again for the light 100 yards ahead.

 

I have an 18spd in one truck and a MDrive in a 13' Mack. Their are defiantly pros and cons to each. I must say I like the MDrive. Most of the complaints regarding the low RPM shifts are related to how the new engines are supposed to be driven and not how you want to drive them (operator error even when it's auto LOL). The new engines all have low end power curves. Our MDrive came with super singles on it, I'm not a fan of those at all.

 

My days of shifting are over. After years of shifting I don't miss it one bit. Really I think the truck pulls hills better and definitely goes down hills better in the auto.

 

I-shift will be better for the wheel holders and nightmare for the professional drivers.... Also I-shift mean less actions for the drivers and more accidents because drowsy drivers !!! Also means more money for maintenance, short transmission life, no driving freedom and worst fuel economy for the guys who knows what I am talking about. Good Luck

 

Been driving a Volvo I-shift for the past 3 months. MUCH better than a POS Eaton AMT I was driving before that.