New driver has a unique question.

Ok yeah that's what I thought. Last time I checked (about six months ago) they required 2 or 3 years experience. Their pay isn't that bad considering their trucks are ungoverned and they run the western states which are pretty much wide open except for mountains and California. Still, I got into trucking to make money, so they wouldn't be the right outfit for me.

But oh my word they have some gorgeous equipment. I wouldn't mind driving for them someday when I'm rich and don't care about the paycheck as much (ha!).

 

I can't help with the transmissions because companies are switching to automatics, mainly for better fuel economy. Some flatbed outfits still order 13's and 18's because they're practical for that type of work in some cases, such as heavy loads or deliveries to off-road sites such as construction, oil fields, etc. You might find something on Craigslist with some companies that run older equipment.
Since you plan to live in the truck and see the country, look at trucks set up for driver comfort.
Here's some that hire new cdl grads, even if the websites have "experience required."
Dynamic Transit
James H. Clark & Son
Freymiller
Navajo Express
Danny Herman Trucking
Britton Transport
Melton Truck Lines
Paul Transportation
Pride Transport
Butler Transport
Schuster

 

~~~~~Paul Transportation^^^~~~~~~~~~~Melton Truck Lines^^^~~~~


~~~~~Navajo Express^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Freymiller^^^~~~~~~~~~~~


~~~~~Dynamic Transit^^^~~~~~~~~~~Britton Transport^^^~~~~~

 

He wants to drive a real hood, not plastic @Chinatown

 

Do they still build metal trucks?

 

Who knows, The only plastic on my 379 is the rooftop on the sleeper. And it’s a 94.

 

It's been a while since I drove an 18 speed sadly, but the ones I drove would have been Roadrangers, and they were set up with the bottom set of gears for off road only, deep crawl gears. So you never even went to low range unless you were in steep or rough terrain.
I would assume that different gear splits could be ordered for different applications, and I didn't know that about the Mack transmissions, so I learned something new today!

 

Yes the new 389 peterbilt still shares the same all metal body with metal riveted hood just as the previous 379 and 359.

 

How bout very similar in appearance aluminum cab, hood, and grill surround. Far from the same.