why you do not want a automatic.

With megas replacing trucks every couple years. It won't take long that the used trucks most the Indies are using are all old mega trucks....autos

 

Hey!! I didnt want them to know.

 

Now I'm lost Boston Tanker wants Boston Tankers Girl to get her CDL so they can team, but he's in bed with Winston99, I think it's time for me to back outta here, just a bit to kinky for me!

 

It's 2015. We aren't to question these things anymore. We support the three of you in whichever weird kinky things you do in a tanker in Boston

 

When he said he was running a "smooth bore" I really did think he was talking about the trailer?

 

I find it funny how some are saying the megas are going all auto when us express was all auto then went back to manuals. Schneider for the most part had autos then went back to manuals.

A local company in Jacksonville who has had macks with the m-drive autos for the past 5+ years are testing 2 Peterbilt 579s with a 10 speed manual in it since they may be switching back to manuals.


I run local and from my experience the autos are horrible for local work. The Eaton autos are anyway. I spoke to a few guys I worked with at eagle and two of their new trucks are the 12 speed Mercedes auto and they hate those more than the Eaton 10 auto.

Autos might be good for otr, but local, where your shifting a lot and are encountering different traffic and terrain every few minutes, I'd say manuals are the way to go.

We may end up going all auto in the next few decades since Europe has nothing but autos, but I know with hard heads like me, I won't give up my manual until there just isn't one available anymore. I don't have to worry about our company going to autos.

For me its not about a manhood or pride thing with a manual. It's about the EXPERIENCE of driving a truck and being a truck driver. I smile when I go through the gears myself, because I missed it so much. I enjoy the experience of shifting the gears and having control over the vehicle.

Don't tell me you can have control over an auto when its in manual mode, because there were many times at eagle where id put it in manual mode and when I wanted to shift, it would just beep at me and not do anything. I can accelerate much faster in a manual vs an auto, as I've beat many guys getting up to speed since I can start out in a higher gear than they can.


Like what you like, but I'll stick with a manual for the experience of driving my truck.

 

This mentality/attitude is why we are having this discussion, and why we are seeing many carriers transition to autos. Overall fuel economy is largely based in how one gets up to speed from a stop, especially where urban areas and lot's of in-town work is done.
I doubt you're getting up to speed faster is due to the gear you can begin in, but more likely you're burning more fuel through the mid/upper gear cycles ... but you're getting to 65 MPH about 7-10 seconds sooner then a patient driver with good technique. That may make you feel better, but the bean counters back in the office hate it.

Don't get me wrong. I hate getting behind "Mr. fuel economizer of the month contestants" on an on ramp to a busy interstate, but that's the world we live in today. I generally try and drive between that guy, and the guy who has zero regard for fuel economy. I'm not competing with the best MPG guys, but I'm also not way down on the bottom of the list near the worst offenders.

 

If I was otr I'd be more conscious about fuel economy. Running local like I do, fuel economy isn't high on the list of priorities

 

racing from stoplight to stoplight is?

 

Well, when you're 17 it is, lol.