i have 1 week left of school , today a guy aprotched us at the training yard
and he said that he want to quit his school that he is going to now and restart all over again because the school that he goes to only has trucks that are automatic and not manual shift..what i can't understand is, why are schools training people with them, ?? i think when they go to drive full time they are going to have a big suprise in store for them what do you people think??

 

I don't get it either. IMHO a student especially should be trained on a manual since they are still the most used in the industry. Granted more an more companies are going with the auto shifts, but on the whole it is still a small percentage.

 

I think I agree with you. Been out here 10 years, and I've never seen an automatic. I understand a lot of people are running them now, in order to make it easier to get steering wheel holders to sit in the driver's seat, but a lot of people aren't running them. If you can't drive a real tranny, your options are going to be severely limited.

 

I agree 200% on learning to drive a manual tranny. Not only training in it, but spending at least one year driving one. That way your options aren't as limited. Myself, I started in a manual, drove an auto for awhile, back to manual and now have another automatic. My company will have to drag me kicking and screaming from this truck, especially since almost all of the other trucks in our fleet is a Super-10.

 

In California if you take your skills and road test with an automatic you get a restricted license that says "Automatic only".

I had a hard enough time getting a job with a fully endorsed license, I sure wouldn't have wanted to be limited to only companies that had only autos. Lots of companies have some of each so a restricted license would still screw you over.

 

SNI offered me a new autotrans truck. I told them to keep it. I'll keep my 10 spd.
Guess I'll keep running this tractor til it dies and if all they have left is autotrans, I'll have to look for another company. :lol:

 

Why?

 

Welcome to reading & comprehension 101, because he doesn't want an auto trans ? :roll:

 

Sooooooo......decades ago when they added power steering, that ment it wasn't real trucking? Auto's will be the norm in another 5-10yrs, as they are easier to operate and more fuel efficent. The truck doens't make the driver. The driver makes a real driver. Anyone that drives a truck for a living is a truck driver. I don't care if you have been driving 3 weeks or 30 years, a pete or a freightliner. It's a job and something to be proud you do. I have seen drivers with 6 mths exp that behaved and acted more professional then a driver with 20yrs exp. Personally I would learn all I can standard, auto's etc.. Knowledge is power in any business.

 

:? I think the people that want to drive automatics are somewhat shiftless.