Automatics?

Which trucks have the best automatic transmissions? Which companies do their cdl training in automatic trucks?

I have no first hand knowledge, I only drove 1 mack with an auto. It was an 09 and was horrible. Friends are driving new cascadia’s with 12 speed auto’s and they are not crazy about them. My girlfriend has a 19 KW T680 with an auto and likes it. Friends driving late model volvo’s like their I shift.

All the major carriers with schools have or are in the process of converting to auto’s. IF you test in an auto you will have a restriction on your license you can only drive an auto. Just keep that in mind.

Swift is training with automatics.

G

Which trucks have the best automatics is a very subjective question. To further complicate that their are different types of automatics.

Many driver's who think they are driving an automatic, are actually driving an automated manual. They are different.

Many of the large carriers have started moving away from manual transmissions. I know in Primes fleet most of the trucks are auto, but there are still some older trucks with manuals who's driver's are also trainers.

I drive a 2019 cascadia with the 12 speed autoshift.

I really despise this one because of how it's set by my company. It's a complete slug and has no power whatsoever on a hill. It downshifts too late and upshifts too soon and tends to not be set to run in its sweet spot. Fuel economy is much worse than my old 2016 manual. They also have our manual mode disabled which I think is completely assinine.

For those reasons, I really really miss my old manual.

Now if this same truck had appropriate settings as recommended by freightliner? It would be a wonderful truck.

I drive a mix of volvo (2013-2017), Freightliner (2018) and Kenworth (2017) and the volvo is definitely the smoothest especially backing up. The Kenworths we have seem to get very jumpy when you're trying to back and it gets much worse if you're trying to back at a sharp angle. One thing I dislike about the freightliners we have is how frequently it goes into coast mode when I'm using cruise control. I wouldn't base my decision of a company on what brand of trucks they have. That can change quickly and many fleets have a mix anyways.

First trainer had a 16 International second trainer has a 19 Freightliner both automatic. Neither one seem to know how to do their job like shift right or be in an appropriate gear for the situation. I am always looking at rpms like are you going to do something. My trainer likes his 19 Freightliner but has only driven an automatic so maybe I am biased towards manual.

First trainer had a 16 International second trainer has a 19 Freightliner both automatic. Neither one seem to know how to do their job like shift right or be in an appropriate gear for the situation. I am always looking at rpms like are you going to do something. My trainer likes his 19 Freightliner but has only driven an automatic so maybe I am biased towards manual.

You should be able to downshift or upshift manually.

I drive a 2019 cascadia with the 12 speed autoshift.

I really despise this one because of how it's set by my company. It's a complete slug and has no power whatsoever on a hill. It downshifts too late and upshifts too soon and tends to not be set to run in its sweet spot. Fuel economy is much worse than my old 2016 manual. They also have our manual mode disabled which I think is completely assinine.

For those reasons, I really really miss my old manual.

Now if this same truck had appropriate settings as recommended by freightliner? It would be a wonderful truck.

I never had a single "Over RPM" warning in my manual. Now in my auto, it's almost a daily occurrence. Even in cruise control, if I go up a hill it will downshift and bing, over RPM. Don't even get me started about pulling out of a driveway or off an exit ramp of the interstate. They've got these trucks set up to be turds for sure.