Because somebody with a learner permit is being taught and under the supervision of somebody that knows what their doing. A lot easier to schedule the road test and prove you can drive a manual. If your doing that anyways why move to a state like FL and get lower pay? I don't doubt the further from NYC the happier you are, that place is a cesspool that sucks the life out of people.
Florida does not have a distinction on the permit between auto or manual, however they started to put the auto only restriction if you tested out with an auto last year.
NO state has the distinction on a permit, because you've only taken the written test. They don't care what kind of transmission is in the vehicle you are learning in, because you are supposed to have a licensed driver sitting next to you coaching you. The restriction is ONLY going to be there if you take the skills test in an automatic. Since you aren't demonstrating that you can properly shift the gears, you get restricted to a vehicle that does the shifting for you. If you don't want that restriction, take the test in a manual transmission truck.
Your school really took you to the cleaners on that one....no proper school is going to do that to a student driver. That is really bad news for you. I would go back to the school and demand to be tested in a manual. No one else is going to give you a truck to test in, so you have to go back to the school.
Maybe the schools are making a little extra side money this way? Another fee to "rent" a manual truck to go test again? I've said for years schools should teach and CDL license road tests should be done in a stick shift. You are not a complete driver until you are at least halfway adept with a stick..knowing I will catch a lot of flak from some of you in saying this. This is a fed rule I completely agree with..which is rare lol.
Averritt and Maverick are both auto fleets, now. But, I doubt seriously they would take on a new driver without going through their 'student' ranks.