Manual vs Automatic Transmissions

Well, I guess I'm not a real man or a real trucker. I've got 1.6 million miles exp., with 1.3 of those in auto shifts and push button auto trucks. I'll take my auto shift or push button auto any day of the week. Oh, and I run those tranny's in rain, sleet, snow, hail, ice, wind, pestilence and the Rockies, year round. Oh, and my truck isn't some neutered fleet spec., 63 mph gutless wonder. I'm running 445 hp, maxed at 78 mph (yes a company truck) on cruise and 80 mph on peddle (just don't tell the boss, he still thinks it's 75/78 not 78/80). On second thought, I guess that does make me a man and a trucker, just one who's not afraid of driving something different, it's all about your learning curve.

 

lol, spoken like a true idiot. In 17 yrs with my company, 14 of those driving autoshifts, I've seen more new hires running screaming from those auto shifts like they're a poisonous snake or their ex-wife because they were afraid to drive them.

Our current old timer threatened to quit, he's been driving 30 yrs, 27 of them in manuals, when the company bought him an autoshift equipped truck. He's still an ornery, crotchety, grouchy, PITA, but at least his shoulder and knee aren't bothering him.

Oh, and I don't work for a mega fleet, I work for a small Mom and Pop with 14 trucks, all autoshifts and 2 push button autos. As for costs, it's the same price to replace the clutch I an autoshift as it is in a manual. In the 4 months we've had these 2 push button auto's, neither one has had a single trans related, maybe that's because instead of throwing those two drivers to the wolves and letting them learn on their own, the owner of the company, and myself (the only other driver who has spent time in one)spent time going over how the trans worked, what to expect, what not to expect, and then the owner spent two days riding with them to help them learn properly.

Oh, and it must have really sucked when you had to give up that spring ride suspension, solid mount seat and finally got that new fangled air conditioning.

 

It's ok that you wear fingerless driving gloves.no need to be so sensitive regarding it.it's what made you reply to me personally isn't it? pushing those buttons or whatever into D or R may put callouses on your hand.does that mean you only wear one fingerless glove? truthfully,that old hurting shoulder, bad knee driver that you reference is you,isn't it? so that means for you to drive a truck at all,it has to be an automatic.it's cool man.it is what it is. do you close your boss man's trailer doors or hire it out due to that bad shoulder? are you wearing those same fingerless gloves if you do close the doors yourself? do they get dirty? back up pair in the truck by the shift button?

as far as calling me an idiot,i did not have to post to convince myself of anything as you had to do.you attempted to justify the fact that you are relegated to an automatic because you don't have enough experience to not drive one.14 years of pushing a button would probably earn you a refesher course on shifting a manual tran truck. you realized during truck driving school that manuals were not for you didn't you? man's got to know his limitations and you learned yours at an early age.

as a matter of fact i have indeed driven spring rides on a solid mount seat and driven across the bottom half to deliver in fla.in a non a/c truck.the throw out bearing was out too.had to start it in gear to get going.backing up was difficult but i got it done.what happens when your push buttons go out? call your boss man? or do you throw your fingerless driving glove covered hands,or push button hand, up into the air and give up?


i'll thank your post because i know you typed it up wearing those fingerless gloves,you multitasker you.well those gloves are anyway.stomp on that big truck and throw it into passing gear driver-

 

This is a funny electronic pissing contest.

 

it is funny isn't it? I got a big laugh out of it.sadly enough,i enter it at a disadvantage as i am electronically/computer illiterate and can't even get a computer to hook up to the internet.

i feel so inadequate all of a sudden-

 

how many different trucks did you go in and read the shift pattern off of the dash or visor to post this? no matter how you spin it,the shifter goes back and forth in what resembles an "h" pattern. gear location is what you are hung up on. you go googleboi.

which truck dash was your favorite? don't get caught looking in the wrong truck.using the research answer might not work on all drivers.

thanks for the quick course on shifting all those gears and transmissions.I'd never have been able to do it w/out your post.you've racked up lots of experience googling in your 2 years of driving it seems.use startpage.com. it doesn't keep a record for your boi in the whitehouse like google does.

 

Sounds like my dad 30 years oo. Retired last spring. 3 months of boredom got to him. Called his old company he signed onto asked to come on bored as company driver. They put him in a 2014 cascadia evo with automatic and Elogs. I get the call he's in heaven no more shoulder pain knee doesn't hurt and he doesn't have to think on logs.

 

I don't have to change gears to prove that I'm a man. I already did that by serving my country. I don't care what I drive and as long as it can get me from point a to point b. Either way of driving I'm still getting paid.

 

Funny how the CB Rambo's have moved from the CB to the internet. Oh well, at least we don't have to hear them. After driving Louisbuilts, Binderbuilts, Freightshakers and chasing the puppy dogs behind for 26 years, I'm on the last trip with my current ride, '06 Classic with 1.1 million miles. A new '14 Cascadia Evolution with the new DT12 auto tranny is waiting at the dealer for me. With yearly avg fuel economy of 5.29 MPG and maintenance costs starting to come faster, time to change. Test drive on the truck was very relaxing and enjoyable; shifting was smooth as silk and operation very simple. I can put my open, filled coffee cup in the cup holder of my old Classic and (road bumps notwithstanding) manual shift up and down without nary a ripple in my coffee, so I know how to shift. But I can can see the definite advantages of the auto in Cross-Bronx traffic. Like anything, its a learning curve and everyone needs to accept change or get left behind. I believe the initial autos had design issues but like everything, with each new offering, the product improves. How many old hands out there are still searching for fax machines at $2 a page or flipping thru the ole Rand McNally? I scan my bol's with my iPhone and send instantly or satellite view a new delivery/pick up customer to already have mental picture of their building layout and location of loading docks before I even put the truck in gear. I'm 44 and I still look forward to learning new things, you just need to have a good attitude and be helpful to other drivers instead of criticizing them. 10-4