what is better MANUAL VS AUTOMATIC?

Well, 3-4% better fuel economy (or whatever they claim) is still technically "better". But put a fresh driver in an auto who only understands "hammer down!" for every minute the truck is running isn't going to get better fuel economy than a seasoned driver using the jakes and coasting through lights and limiting boost while accelerating in a manual.

Good fuel economy with the same motor, whether auto or manual, is going to come down to driver skill more than anything else. Period. And I don't know why megas don't understand this (I don't doubt their numbers are even telling them this but they don't want to admit it).

@Steel Tiger : I have never driven anything "manual" before this career (beyond around the block a couple times) and have used an automated Paccar Pete 579 a couple times. I just don't like it. There is no feedback to me as the driver. I caught myself going way faster and relying on the brakes in the auto, and this was bobtail no less (moving units to and from Pete dealer).

Automatic cars I can understand. Go pedal, stop pedal. Easy peasey. But with a truck I want to be able to control every aspect about how the vehicle moves and the weight I'm tugging behind. I just drove this past week empty on sheer ice on the highway, the first time I've ever done it, and if the truck all of a sudden decided to shift when I wasn't expecting it, I probably would have lost the drives into a skid.

Sure, give me enough time to "get used to it" and I'd be ABLE to drive it, but why would I want to when I can get more control with the equipment I already know how to use and enjoy getting behind the wheel every day (and look forward getting back to on weekends)?

 

You are lucky. Those unexpected machine behaviors like that shift you spoke of. On ice no less. I have always had our auto in manual without fail. OTHER FFE's went into the ditch and other trucks too but we are conservative and careful on ice and generally get through. Which is why I get upside when Fleets in the infinite wisdom take away some of the most important tools availible to a Auto.

I will say one other thing, the fleets may think they know how to configure a truck. They do not. If you want a truck set up right fleet wide, have a senior driver do it. Or have me go through the few hundred configuration variables and you will have a truck that is capable of being on a tight leash or rein on ice all the way to running free in good weather.

I don't know about you all, but remember some sections of the highway with grooves and ruts in them? You learned to hands off the wheel and let her run as she wills. That way you extend the life of your front end and don't tear something loose or flip it fighting the ruts. I don't know what sort of Fleet People are assigned to these configurations but they are not drivers, that is for sure. Either that or they are being told to take away everything possible leaving the poor driver a block on wheels in which to either die, get hurt or kill people when that auto goes to top gear on ice and the whole thing takes off on a mountain ice downgrade.

 

I have

Not my fault that those new trucks equipped with smart advantage 2 appeared at our terminal I'm based from.

 

Real men drive manuals! Real men also don't use power steering, a/c, heat or air brakes!

 

Yes,the reasons companies are going to them,is better fuel mileage(not much) but over 1000 trucks every day,it ADDS up,less chance of a rookie missing gears,wrecking,burning up clutches,hashing gears etc.Plus gear shifting and backing in are the two biggest hurdles to learn.

 

When I go down a slippery grade,power diverter on,10th gear lock in and have to babysit the rpms with light stab braking.Like you said in auto(when it starts upshifting to keep the rpms Low,a Lot of speed comes along with that.Was freaked out the first slick 6% grade i descended WTF!

 

Are you one of those guys that think 4 wheel drive is better on ice too? Used to know people like that, when they lost it power to all wheels is the last thing they needed.

 

Negative,just have to do something in these autos to keep them held back.Power to all wheels is All wheel drive.4 wheel is one front one back.

 

No,If its ice its chains and 25mph.I realize nothing works well on ice,except parking it.

 

It will have been disabled when the truck was locked in economy mode per company specification.


It's their truck, they can do what they like with it. If it becomes a problem I know where the door is.