Are You "tainted" If You Drive An Automatic?

I was told today that if all your experience is driving automatic transmission trucks that manual transmission trucking companies will not hire you. Has anyone experienced this or heard of this?

Ya know, I highly doubt that. Because everyone had to learn how to shift to get their CDL in the first place. Once you know how to do it you don't forget. It might take you an hour to get the feel for it again but it's not like you've never done it. So I very much doubt that's a concern.

But I'll tell ya what. A quick call to the recruiters from a few of the major companies would tell you if that's something they consider. But I don't think it's a concern.

As my instructor explained it in class, if you take your tests in an automatic then you can only drive an automatic, but if you take your tests in a standard, then you can drive either. This was for New Mexico and as explained by my instructor, I don't have any other facts to confirm or deny it but I took my tests in a standard to be on the safe side.

Phil

I was told today that if all your experience is driving automatic transmission trucks that manual transmission trucking companies will not hire you. Has anyone experienced this or heard of this?

They could still hire you, but you would have to go through their training program as if you were a fresh rookie. If they don't run their very own training program then they won't touch you.

I had a guy in my class that was in this position back when I was in school. He had years of experience but only with an automatic. So he had to go through the same training as I did.

Like Brett said. Your test was in a manual. Driving and automatic does not cut you out of the game. Most of your Fedx trucks are automatic and drivers go to other companies all the time from there. Well, maybe not many, it's a good company to work for. But as Daniel said, you will have to go through their training program. It is like riding a bike. It comes back to you. Driving a truck is not just shifting. It's much much more.

Good Luck. Don't sweat it!

First off, what a night on the road, left Mansfield PA from an oil well site and had to get the tanker back to the Chem company to refill. this storm would,nt let up, 14hrs of fog, rain and wind blowing side ways across the road and mist, drissle that never let up with the truck outside temp showing 30 degrees!! I went round and round for over 2 years with a class A CDL with an L restriction (no air Brakes) ,,,, some states, Indianna I think already have an automatic only restriction, if that's what was used for the test. the Feds have it in the pipe line that next July that there will be a national automatic only, AND a Fifth wheel restriction if you take the test with an automatic AND OR a Pintal hook