Automatic trans

[Stimpy]

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.

Don't give them any ideas.... lol

 

[Double Nickle]

Don't give them any ideas.... lol

Lol. Our Volva will hold you on a hill and not let you roll back, sitting still.

 

[20_yrs_2_go]

They are getting better at Auto transmissions the new 12 speeds are achieving better fuel mileage then manuel trans but if I we're still heavy or oversized hauling I would never sit over a automatic transmission

 

[Double Nickle]

They are getting better at Auto transmissions the new 12 speeds are achieving better fuel mileage then manuel trans but if I we're still heavy or oversized hauling I would never sit over a automatic transmission

Our Pete has a 14 speed AT. We pull cement mix. Gross out at 80000. Our Volvo 12 speed AT pulls rock and sand. Loaded, the Pete runs away from the Volvo so quickly, its embarrassing.

 

[20_yrs_2_go]

Our Pete has a 14 speed AT. We pull cement mix. Gross out at 80000. Our Volvo 12 speed AT pulls rock and sand. Loaded, the Pete runs away from the Volvo so quickly, its embarrassing.

Yeah it's impressive what they did adding 2 gears to a ten speed trans but still wouldn't pull loads up and down mountains that are grossing over 70k
I've seen too many junk yard results

 

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

I've been rather surprised by automatic performances in 10 wheel Day Cabs as well Sleepers especially when taking off from a stop.
It SHIFTS much quicker than a Human as well SKIPPING GEARS which is not very easily done, when at all to such degree, by Humans. It's of course much easier to skip gears when Bobtailing in a Manual to effectively resemble a 5 or 6 speed depending upon 9, 10, 13+.

On the 12 speeds, Many Times Unit will start in 4th gear then jump to 8th or 9th depending on Load Weight finally getting to Top Gear.
The ONE THING I despise is the "coasting" where the system "kicks out of gear" even with Cruise On, so you SPEED UP on slight downgrades which to me is UNSAFE so I just keep feathering the throttle to disengage "coasting".

Other negatives or as I call Nanny Crap:
>>Forward "Proximity Alert" where the 'puter SLOWS the truck down and/or locks the Brakes to avoid some situation System perceives as Dangerous to Unit or Unsafe.
>>Lane Deviation Alert offers LOUD ANNOYING and sometimes scary ALERT when crossing either Solid or Dashed Lines (as well in Construction Zones where Lines USED TO EXIST). No way to eliminate or reduce volume of "ALERT" (apart from clipping wires at speaker which is usually results in Termination).

I still agonize over a autoshift cause "I wanna shift WHEN I WANNA shift" like pulling a Grade (example: I-77N from NC), so I'm glad there are still Manual Trucks available.

THANKS MATES!!
CHEERS!!

 

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

Yeah it's impressive what they did adding 2 gears to a ten speed trans but still wouldn't pull loads up and down mountains that are grossing over 70k
I've seen too many junk yard results

I've never pulled a 70k mountain but I have in properly fitted trucks, pulled over 70k UP and DOWN Mountains, like Sante Fe, New Mexico going South on I-25 with just over 40,000 Pounds of freight in a 53' Dry Van hooked to a 2007 Freightshaker Autoshift.
I travelled EASILY up and down Mountains usually on I-10, I-20, I-30, I-35, I-40, I-57, I-59, I-64, I-70, I-77, I-78, I-80, I-81, I-90, I-94. I-8 and I-15 in California as well too many times on I-95 from Richmond to Mass. turns.
TOO MANY 2 Lane Roads to recall.

Celadon has Automatics just like Covenant and I'm sure like U.S. Xpress and many other Freight Companies AND they all haul 40,000 Pound Loads UP and OVER Mountains Like in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, California, as well the East Coast.
Going DOWN Mountains doesn't take much power apart from BRAKING as well SCREAMING depending of course on from what "junk yard" you got your Truck.

Results vary yet most "junk Yard" Trucks can easily traverse Hills and Dales and enjoy the Glens in between.

For the last OTR company, I drove 3 Freight Liner Trucks with Autoshift and one truck about 4 years. I worked there 5.8 years. To me they were "JUNK" yet they flew!

CHEERS!!

 

[20_yrs_2_go]

I've never pulled a 70k mountain but I have in properly fitted trucks, pulled over 70k UP and DOWN Mountains, like Sante Fe, New Mexico going South on I-25 with just over 40,000 Pounds of freight in a 53' Dry Van hooked to a 2007 Freightshaker Autoshift.
I travelled EASILY up and down Mountains usually on I-10, I-20, I-30, I-35, I-40, I-57, I-59, I-64, I-70, I-77, I-78, I-80, I-81, I-90, I-94. I-8 and I-15 in California as well too many times on I-95 from Richmond to Mass. turns.
TOO MANY 2 Lane Roads to recall.

Celadon has Automatics just like Covenant and I'm sure like U.S. Xpress and many other Freight Companies AND they all haul 40,000 Pound Loads UP and OVER Mountains Like in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, California, as well the East Coast.
Going DOWN Mountains doesn't take much power apart from BRAKING as well SCREAMING depending of course on from what "junk yard" you got your Truck.

Results vary yet most "junk Yard" Trucks can easily traverse Hills and Dales and enjoy the Glens in between.

For the last OTR company, I drove 3 Freight Liner Trucks with Autoshift and one truck about 4 years. I worked there 5.8 years. To me they were "JUNK" yet they flew!

CHEERS!!

Nope
I'm talking trailers that weigh 70,000
AKA permit loads

 

[xeastend]

I do line haul for a Northeast LTL carrier. We have a mixed fleet. The Freightliner auto's are decent. I can choose between 3 modes. Economy (default) performance and manual. Lack of a shifter makes for more room for my stuff between the seats. Daycab. And the missing 3rd pedal gives me more leg room on my 30 min break. Now if the company would turn up the power......