Automatic trucks

Discussion in 'Trucking Jobs' started by krisjack, Jan 18, 2008.

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  1. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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  3. chief

    chief Heavy Load Member

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    a "skill" is generally something that requires years of book learning, a lot of on the job training, and maybe a little natural talent. this just doesn't include taking 10 minutes to learn how to move a stick back and forth based on engine RPMs.
     
  4. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    That may be why trucking has hit bottom. No one thinks it is a skill. Any crack head can do it????:biggrin_2556:
     
  5. chief

    chief Heavy Load Member

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    no, not a crack head. preferably a fat, grizzled, sloppy, bearded, tatooed, chain smoking, foul mouthed, uneducated, filthy, stinking, white trash redneck litterbug. driving a truck is what you do when you've pretty much just given up.
     
  6. Working Class Patriot

    Working Class Patriot Road Train Member

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    I'm afraid that I don't fit the criteria you mentioned above. Does that mean I shouldn't be driving a truck???:biggrin_25523:
     
  7. chief

    chief Heavy Load Member

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    "I'm afraid that I don't fit the criteria you mentioned above."

    I don't either. you don't have to be a fat, grizzled, sloppy, bearded, tatooed, chain smoking, foul mouthed, uneducated, filthy, stinking, white trash redneck litterbug to drive a truck - but it helps.
     
  8. MorrisGray

    MorrisGray Light Load Member

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    I can ride a dirt bike and climb hills and pop wheelies. I can ride a street bike, go 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and scrub pegs on curves. Is that a skill? I can't drive a truck that good so is that still okay? I hope so cause I start with USF Glen Moore on Monday!
     
  9. Working Class Patriot

    Working Class Patriot Road Train Member

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    Ok, how about adding that to be a "Skilled" driver ya need to be an cantankerous SOB as well:biggrin_2559::biggrin_25523:
     
  10. Disturbed Canuck

    Disturbed Canuck Light Load Member

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    I would say being an O/O is definitely more of a skill. Being a business owner is a skill. Being able to coordinate the needs of your business and doing it effectively is a skill. Of course that is. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

    The reason I use the electrician/plumber examples is because those are indeed multi faceted tasks that require more than just training to be able to undertake. An owner operator would in my opinion fit in to the same category. Managing a business is not shifting gears, it's much more multi-faceted than that and in some regards has nothing at all to do with how you drive your rig.

    Being able to drive a truck however is not what I would call a skill though it pushes the boundaries of whatever a skill may be defined as for sure. It is some what multi-faceted but only in a liberalized interpretation of what that means. It's multi-faceted in regards to having to take several things into account (know where your trailer is, make sure you're driving safely, make sure other motorists are safe in spite of what they do near your rig, etc...) but it can easily be compared to many unskilled jobs that require simple training.

    It is not quite a skill but no, being a driver doesn't in and of itself compare in the least to being an owner operator. I don't see where you would have interpreted my having said that.

    Chief is right, it's not a skill to drive a rig, it it a task that one can learn to do. Whether they do it well or not...that's another story. Does that mean it's ok to not perform this complex task well? of course not, what a ridiculous assertion. Perhaps people like me don't think it's a skill but people like me don't also think just anyone can learn to do it.

    That's my biggest problem with the auto shift. It may make things more pleasant Chief, but I don't see it as a convenience issue for the driver. I see an auto shift as a marked attempt by companies to pave the way for cheaper and more badly trained labour driving rigs everywhere. The problem I have with it is that if this is correct (Who knows, companies could just be following a general trend) than safety on our roads will decrease both for 4 wheelers and rig drivers as well. Accident rates will increase and so will insurance premiums.

    But what the hay. Why worry about increased insurance premiums that are sustainable? If you're saving $15 million in labour and only paying $10 million more in insurance premiums...well do the math. That's what concerns me.

    Cheers
     
  11. agrippa

    agrippa Bobtail Member

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    I'm wondering have I to hold the clutch pushed in during the red light or I can go to neutral waiting. That is the way they recommended to me in driving school but that pedal was pretty hard.

    Detroit Diesel vows the new AGS Transmissions they do are "true 2-pedal automated transmission created to make driving easier" so will be no more clutch at such trucks after some years. :biggrin_1square11:
     
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