Looking for any legitimate advice I can get...

Glad y'all are perfect

 

I much prefer the manual over an automatic. The shifting creates a bond (for lack of a better term) between man and machine that isn't there in an automatic. In my opinion, anyway.

The automatics that I have driven tend to get me driving a little deeper into the "bubble" and not paying as close attention to detail since there isn't that subconsciousness of planning down shifts and up shifts as needed. I guess I just get a little lazy with them.

The only situation I prefer an auto over a manual is in stop and go traffic, but that is not a problem with a manual, either. Find a gear and let 'er roll with just enough speed to keep up with the average speed of traffic...

To the OP... get that restriction gone. It will be effort well spent.

 

People only prefer manuals because they think that defines a trucker. It has a look to the outside world of you can drive a stick. It earns you points with boys at the truck stop. The difference in autos and manuals is in everyone's head. You have to learn how to drive an auto just like you have to learn how drive a manual. Each truck is different. I can drive both, but the autos make life easier on the road.

 

Manuals have been around forever.

Auto's are just getting started.

Lots of jobs to be had driving manuals.

You're severely limiting yourself with autos. Forget being home every night cuz those jobs are manuals.

Anybody can drive a auto. Doesn't take talent or skills to drive an auto.

Throw in elogs. And drivers aren't really learning to be a trucker. They're more of a true steering wheel holder today then years past. And they go trained. Or maybe not. On being a lazy trucker. They can't handle working without electronic logs or driving an auto.

We get new guys hired all the time. That are completely lost without their elog. And no clue how to drive a manual.

Can they drive a truck. SURE. But can they really drive a truck. NOPE.

Throw them on the highway with only R or D and they're gone. Put them in a stick with no qualcomm and they're clueless. And when they get stuck in snow or mud. They walk away. No throwing on chains or waiting for the tow.

They're just flat out done. Not just the job but the entire career.

 

Autos makes life easier on the road, lol I mean, just how much easier can it be on the road.
It is not all about ego either, there will always be, or at least for several years standard trannies on some jobs.
I have a fiend that just a month or so ago, took delivery of his new latest and greatest auto, it does have issues trying to keep up with shifting on the steeper grades, AND now that the road has slicked up has issues that they knew about but have no cure for and neglected to tell him. It seems that once the jakes breaks a wheel loose, they kick off and there is no way to get them back till you are off of the grade.
Whenn he took it back to get it fixed, they told him they knew about the problem and they have been working on a way to overcome it, but haven't got a fix yet. LOVELY.

 

On the Detroit's they got a lower Jake brake setting for winter time. The shop done all autos by going in the computer.

 

He has a cummins, I just know what the dealer told him, but we use them and lower is not a great option, we generally have a switch on them to lower them as we need to, I do not know about the new autos though.

 

I Havnt drove an auto but shop manager told me. I had the last 2016 manual in July of 2017 they were gonna give it to a 10 year guy I told them if they did I wasn't driving an auto. So 10 days later they took it. I packed my stuff & left.

 

When I drove for ups we only had a handful of autos...like one in my barn lol. Something like 100,000 power units. Now that I drive for Coke there is not one single automatic in the state of Florida.
Way more manuals out there still.

 

Why do people hate auto transmissions so much otr? Don't you spend literally most of your time in 10th foot to the floor going down the highway? Not a whole lot of shifting going on....there have been times I wish I had an auto, doing 25 stops in the city gives you plenty of time shifting if that's what y'all want lol.