You bring up some good points here. I also don't like the idea of big trucks with automatic transmissions for a couple of reasons. While I'm no mechanic, I figure that over the long haul and AT will be more expensive to repair than a manual, since most of the time a manual involves replacing clutch plates and maybe linkages, whereas automatic transmissions are more complex will cost more money. From an instructors perspective, the AT's will make our jobs easier because it will flatten the overall learning curve during the training process. From a safety and operational standpoint, I think the AT's take away a degree of control when it comes to the ability of the driver to change how much traction the drive tires get in certain situations like slick roads and icy docks, it's possible they may prove out to be statistically more dangerous to operate in the long run. From an emotional standpoint, I think that proficiency at operating a manual transmission is a key thing that puts a professional driver at a much higher level of driving than a person with only an operator's license.