What Is The Logic Of Going From Clutches To Automatic Transmissions?

Isn't it still prudent to go to a CDL school that teaches to shift the old-fashioned way?

Some companies may still have rigs that shift old school.

How will computerized shifting handle steep downgrades so the truck doesn't quickly accelerate out of control and brakes are not overused?

It seems to me the old-fashioned manual gives the driver the best absolute control.

You're definitely better off learning in a manual, if for no other reason than because I've noticed that companies seem to cycle back and forth whether they use manuals or automatics. They'll go a couple of years where they bring in a whole herd of new trucks with automatics, then for one reason or another (maintenance, performance, driver feedback, what have you) they'll become disenchanted with them and replace them all with manuals. A couple years later, they'll do it all over again. If you don't know how to shift well, you're going to have a rough time if the company you drive for replaces your automatic with a manual.

I learned in a stick & now drive an auto. Every 50k miles when the truck's getting a b-service I use a loaner that's a stick. Once I'm in the highway it doesn't matter one way or the other as the Cruise Control is set. It has a "manual mode" so you can select which gear you want to use when descending a steep grade or bumping a dock. All I gotta do is push a button on the Jake & it switches to manual. Pulling towards me raises the gear, pushing away lowers. Easy Peasy.

My FM puts out weekly MPG reports of the top 10 trucks on his fleet. Our fuel bonuses are progressive...so say getting 8.8 mpg might be 2.5 CPM bonus...this weeks top driver on my fleet got a 7.5 CPM bonus and was over 10mpg.

And therein lies the "logic" for trucking companies.

8.8MPG + 100 Gallon Tank = 880 miles. 10MPG = 1,000 miles Avg solo - 3,000 miles per week. Fuel saved per week @ 10 mpg - 41 gallons. Avg diesel cost saved - $2.53 X 41 = $103.73 Trucking company has 1,000 trucks - fuel $ saved per week - $103,730, per YEAR $5,393,960.

That's just fuel alone.

Sounds logical to me...

Rick

I'm happy I have a manual. Until I get into bumper to bumper traffic. Or until it doesn't shift like it's supposed to. Or until I'm in a tight area with people waiting and the clutch break doesn't break.

Either way, I'll be happy when Demon Turd is traded in for an autoshifter.