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Automatic trans

Driver71

Driver71

AKA:DBLCLUTCH
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I guess, 90% of the new freightliners have this configuration. Are they doing this so they can put robots in the seat?
 
Driver71 said:
I guess, 90% of the new freightliners have this configuration. Are they doing this so they can put robots in the seat?
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It all has to do with the quality of the new drivers starting out in the industry. Along with it they want entitlement..... they want the newest truck and the best run.

It's all about me......
 
....AND they cannot handle, because they're INEPT, a 9, 10, 12, 13 or more speed manual transmission. These are the goofballs that both Drive and Park with the Bright Eyes.
The other "reason" for automatics is companies claiming "improved Fuel Mileage" which seemingly appears negligible. The ADDED shift sensors (that have and will fail) are somehow overlooked, as well the other "usual anolomies or gremlins" of new equipment.
Then there are the ever wonderful DEF/Regen systems and all problems or "innovations" are of all Truck manufacturers.

YES to the eventual Robots.
 
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Driver71 said:
I guess, 90% of the new freightliners have this configuration. Are they doing this so they can put robots in the seat?
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i don't believe 90% of any make or model has automatics. it's what ever the company is that is ordering them.

to me, when i was teaching, i told my students to LEARN AND TEST on a manual THEN if a job comes up with an automatic, do as you wish.

however, ALL states i do believe have an automatic restriction now. which means if YOU road test on an automatic, your CDL will be "stamped" as such, "automatic only", and one's chances of jobs gets cut down to SLIM to NONE, if only jobs with manuals is available.

to me, manual is always best for a driver from newbie to about 10 years. then as you age, you go automatic to save your knee's from all that shifting. to go automatic out of the schools, to me, one is NOT a driver.
 
Back in the sixties while I was on strike, I drove a dump trailer with a quadplex transmission, now that's fun!
 
Driver71 said:
Back in the sixties while I was on strike, I drove a dump trailer with a quadplex transmission, now that's fun!
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I've heard from MANY VETERAN DRIVERS what wonderful and irritating times that transmission offered.
I have been able to drive some transmissions 6, 8, Reverse 9, 10, super 10, standard 13 and ENJOYED the Super 10 & 13 the most, yet I have seen not a opportunity for that MACK version.
CHEERS!!
 
At the concrete plant where I used to work full time, and now part time, they have the eight, front discharge, concrete trucks, they started with in 2003. They all have automatic transmissions. In 2010, one of the trucks developed a transmission problem. They couldn't fix it. They called the company that made the transmission. Two men showed up in a few days, pulled out a laptop, plugged it, diagnosed the problem, fixed it, and was gone in 60 minutes. That has been the ONLY transmission problem in the company. They still have those eight trucks. Plus five more. One of those last five trucks has a manual transmission. After 14 months, they had to put a clutch in it. They now have 3 more concrete trucks with automatics, plus, one 2016 Peterbuilt with a 14 speed automatic, hauling cement mix, one 2018 Volvo with a 12 speed automatic, hauling rock and sand, plus a old Freightliner/Gmc/White/Volvo dump truck with a automatic, one 2009 Chvey C8500 with a automatic, and three army trucks, two that pull dump trailers, and one is a wrecker. Maybe it's just my imagination, but the automatic transmissions seem to hold up pretty dang good.
 
othertrucker2001 said:
At the concrete plant where I used to work full time, and now part time, they have the eight, front discharge, concrete trucks, they started with in 2003. They all have automatic transmissions. In 2010, one of the trucks developed a transmission problem. They couldn't fix it. They called the company that made the transmission. Two men showed up in a few days, pulled out a laptop, plugged it, diagnosed the problem, fixed it, and was gone in 60 minutes. That has been the ONLY transmission problem in the company. They still have those eight trucks. Plus five more. One of those last five trucks has a manual transmission. After 14 months, they had to put a clutch in it. They now have 3 more concrete trucks with automatics, plus, one 2016 Peterbuilt with a 14 speed automatic, hauling cement mix, one 2018 Volvo with a 12 speed automatic, hauling rock and sand, plus a old Freightliner/Gmc/White/Volvo dump truck with a automatic, one 2009 Chvey C8500 with a automatic, and three army trucks, two that pull dump trailers, and one is a wrecker. Maybe it's just my imagination, but the automatic transmissions seem to hold up pretty dang good.
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that certainly is the "newer generation" of the automatics.

but to me, some jobs may "call for automatics", like city trucks, and maybe vocational trucks.

i find it difficult to believe, that there will be no more manualls. i think they will live on.

also, (to me) any new student that learns IN school on an automatic, AND TESTS on an automatic and gets that restriction, is making his/her job prospects a dim one for thier future.

one HAS to think about the future, and a new job, where there is ONLY manual transmissions.

at the cost of automatics, i simply cannot see these HUGE fleets of say 50 or more trucks, going full automatic, due to the HIGH costs of each unit.

just my 3¢ opinion.
 
pro1driver said:
that certainly is the "newer generation" of the automatics.

but to me, some jobs may "call for automatics", like city trucks, and maybe vocational trucks.

i find it difficult to believe, that there will be no more manualls. i think they will live on.

also, (to me) any new student that learns IN school on an automatic, AND TESTS on an automatic and gets that restriction, is making his/her job prospects a dim one for thier future.

one HAS to think about the future, and a new job, where there is ONLY manual transmissions.

at the cost of automatics, i simply cannot see these HUGE fleets of say 50 or more trucks, going full automatic, due to the HIGH costs of each unit.

just my 3¢ opinion.
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AT's all but eliminate universal joint and clutch problems, and the newbies are tickled pink.
 
Runs like a six legged cheetah and has a AT.
LBtEwfE.jpg
 
othertrucker2001 said:
AT's all but eliminate universal joint and clutch problems, and the newbies are tickled pink.
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being "tickled pink", does not cut down on the accident/incident rates.

i also see it as a delete of knowledge, for the lazy assed newbies, who will most certainly not stay in the business long, or will buy a shiny new rig, with a manual, once they SEE the cost of an automatic.

just my personal feelings on automatics in big rigs, regarding the new drivers.

then most certainly, they will come here (or other websites i am a member of) and nearly DEMAND a new job with ONLY automatics.

they can demand anything, but get this.....:::shit:::
 
pro1driver said:
being "tickled pink", does not cut down on the accident/incident rates.

i also see it as a delete of knowledge, for the lazy assed newbies, who will most certainly not stay in the business long, or will buy a shiny new rig, with a manual, once they SEE the cost of an automatic.

just my personal feelings on automatics in big rigs, regarding the new drivers.

then most certainly, they will come here (or other websites i am a member of) and nearly DEMAND a new job with ONLY automatics.

they can demand anything, but get this.....::::shit::::
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I'm with you on this, but, At's do lower operating expenses thru better fuel mileage and less repair. Nothing will ever stop accidents. And every new driver should learn to drive the manual transmissions, but, the future keeps on coming and we need to adapt.
 
othertrucker2001 said:
the future keeps on coming and we need to adapt.
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well as you know from my continual saga, i am adaptless these days....

however....it's much like when i was in the auto repair business, and CCC carburetors (computer command controlled) and electronic ignitions came into the forefront of diagnostics and repairs. you either bought all the technical books, and tools you needed, or faded away to the unknown zone.
 
pro1driver said:
that certainly is the "newer generation" of the automatics.

but to me, some jobs may "call for automatics", like city trucks, and maybe vocational trucks.

i find it difficult to believe, that there will be no more manualls. i think they will live on.

also, (to me) any new student that learns IN school on an automatic, AND TESTS on an automatic and gets that restriction, is making his/her job prospects a dim one for thier future.

one HAS to think about the future, and a new job, where there is ONLY manual transmissions.

at the cost of automatics, i simply cannot see these HUGE fleets of say 50 or more trucks, going full automatic, due to the HIGH costs of each unit.

just my 3¢ opinion.
Click to expand...
COVENANT is no small company and started last year replacing ALL their trucks with SHINY NEW Automatics mainly because of supposed gains in Fuel Mileage.
Few Companies that I've been seeing doing LOCAL gigs still run Manual.
at the cost of automatics, i simply cannot see these HUGE fleets of say 50 or more trucks, going full automatic, due to the HIGH costs of each unit.
Click to expand...
There's the "advantage" of repeatedly selling their old Manual trucks in the Lease To Own Profit.
- - -
THERE IS ONLY THE FUTURE AND THE PAST.
There is only YESTERDAY & TODAY. There is NO calendar with TOMORROW on it.
- - -
CHEERS!!:15::bgroovy::bananapartyhat::bananag::wavey:
 
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Cerberus_Kelpie said:
COVENANT is no small company and started last year replacing ALL their trucks with SHINY NEW Automatics mainly because of supposed gains in Fuel Mileage.
Few Companies that I've been seeing doing LOCAL gigs still run Manual.

There's the "advantage" of repeatedly selling their old Manual trucks in the Lease To Own Profit.
- - -
THERE IS ONLY THE FUTURE AND THE PAST.
There is only YESTERDAY & TODAY. There is NO calendar with TOMORROW on it.
- - -
CHEERS!!:15::bgroovy::bananapartyhat::bananag::wavey:
Click to expand...
questions, which has not been asked yet,

how much do those automatics cost?

and how long before they actually pay off on that investment?

a good driver can accomplish fuel savings, driving a stick.

then too, there is excessive idling like in traffic jams, and resting periods.

sure, and APU can eliminate "most" idling at rest times, but certainly not in any traffic jam.

some of today's cars have "stop/start" technology. where you are at a stop light, and your foot is on the brake, and the engine shuts off. when you hit the gas pedal, the engine restarts.

i see this as an unnecessary burden on the starter AND the battery, shorting the life of both.

as it is now, i am sure as all heck, truck makers are probably toying with the start/stop tech as well.........

NOT. A. GOOD. IDEA.
 
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