Why did all mega carriers stop using manual transmissions?

The buttons aren't hard to reach, they're just in a dumb order. A logical order, just dumb.

They did spend a lot of time with veteran drivers on the redesign, they just didn't understand what the drivers meant. The drivers asked for that big front shelf the Century class had. We got a shelf, its just not big enough to put anything in. The cabinets in back are bigger and more robust, but you can't actually store more stuff because there's no effective way to build shelving, so you waste half the space.

 

Why did they all stop using spring ride suspensions, they were easier and cheaper to fix?
Why did they stop using "armstrong" steering, it was cheaper and easier to fix?
Why did they stop using solid mount drivers seats, again cheaper and easier to fix?
Why did they all install a/c in trucks, less moving parts and better fuel mileage without it.

 

I fail to see how autos cause less fatigue.

Mine gets on my nerves really bad.

 

Ok, try driving a manual with a pinched nerve in your left side hip/leg in rush hour stop and go Atlanta traffic. Then try doing the same task in an automatic and tell me which one causes less fatigue.

 

Everything is multiplexed now days. You can easily reorder the switches however you like. They are all just connected with jumper wires. For the most part anyway.

 

Are you saying that if I unplug and swap switches, the functionality moves with the switch?

 

Yes. There may be limitations. I know on kenworth if you want to move them from one side of the steering wheel to the other it requires reprogramming. But just recording in the same group is no issue. I did this way back when on a 2014 freightliner.

 

The new tech in years past was to make a drivers life easier and more comfortable. Tech today is designed mainly for one reason, to go autonomous.

Companies are waiting for the day that they can throw a greasy t-shirt on the seat and have the same thing. They have their fingers crossed. Wait a minute, what happened to the seat….

 

Rush hour traffic in Atlanta is going to cause a whole lot of fatigue regardless of transmission.