why does everyone seem to dislike auto trans

Are you driving tankers ?(like we see in your picture?)

 

I love my automatic!

 

Yes. That was the Pete 379 I ran with until the owner bought a couple of new Macks with the mDrive.

 

In that case my next question is which software did they install in your M-drive?

Do you have baffles in the tanks?

I haul tankers with what you would call the Freedom auto and i can tell you that software is 80% off the job.(there is a special liquid program)
20% is changing your driving style.

 

I have no idea about the software. I didn't know they could be programed for specific applications. Anyway, I haul spring water, which is food grade, so it's a smooth bore.

 

What i would do is ask at the Mack dealer what software is running on the M-drive.
They should have a "liquids version".
How do i know? The M drive is really an I shift from Volvo and i know the program exists.

About driving style,it took me some time to adjust to the auto.
Most important is not to floor it.

In fact (every auto has a different sweet spot) you might find that in the low gears you allmost don't give any throttle,just enough to get going.
The higher you go in the gears,the more you push the peddle down.
This last part is something you could try by experiment,i cannot say for shure as i haven't driven a Mack.(have driven I shift)

 

Thanks for the info! I'll try some of it my next work day.

 

It is easier, but there is one important fact to consider. If you can drive a manual well, you can then drive anything. If you only know how to drive an autoshift you will be VERY limited in your employment choices. Most companies do not use autoshifts.

 

I had the opportunity to speak at length w/a us express driver that had both the automatic and the super singles.He was DRT(dead right there per neal boortz) and blocking a fuel lane due to his truck not starting.This was at the kangaroo in ringgold,ga.,VERY CLOSE to the us express main terminal.Bizarre that they would not be able to send somkeone to assist him until later.Anyway,I spent an hour plus attempting to jump that truck off,had dropped my trl to help,i was getting PO'd(it was july and it was hot) as he kept wanting to jump off the truck some strange way that he was told to since it was an automatic(HUH?) and i finally ignored him and hooked it up the only way that I know works and after five minutes,truck started. how about that.he was able to cancel his distress call which still had not produced help which was located about 5 minutes away.


anyway,short story long, the us express driver was telling me that us express was phasing out the super single scene and the automatics due to the expense and the trouble derived from both.

MORAL- if companies like us express are trending away from autos and super singles,why be relegated to only being able to drive,er,pilot an auto truck? YES the driver was very thankful/appreciative yet i still ponder the sheit that big companies indoctrinate into newbie drivers as shared w/me by that particular driver.YEP i am biased as i am basically self taught in driving as i was just put into a big truck w/a ga.class 5,grandfathered into my CDL,and probably have bad habits as veiwed from a driving school grad.I do carry an air line,jumper cables,and a large tool box so i can help myself and of course other drivers.I continue to "pass it on" and help when i can,something that a new driver should be indoctrinated with while keeping an open mind that just because your big company says it is so,doesn't make it exactly so-

 

I think I'm a decent manual driver. During training through the App. Mountains during a very dark midnight while my trainer sleeps with no warning teaches some things about life and yourself...

With that, I would much rather drive an auto especially after the formal months of your training.