Automatic Trucks, How Do You Like Them?

I haven't quite mastered driving trucks yet and am really beginning to get annoyed with myself whenever I grind a gear. Some days I drive like I have been doing this for ten years. Other days it's like I just started yesterday. I am curious as to how those of you that drive automatics like them. It seems like automatics would cut down on a lot of stress, especially when going through bumper to bumper traffic. Worrying about rpms, speed, how far to push on the clutch, and how heavy the load is really takes away from concentration on the road for me. The changing shifting points, and the dreaded climbing up hills is so frustrating.

I drive an automatic now. While there is less stress the only difference is the truck shifts for you.

It's the weight of the load that causes you to be slow on a hill. Not the shifting. Automatics have the same issue. They are slow on a hill due to the weight.

I drove standards for a bunch of years and then automatics (auto-shift, actually) with US Xpress. I loved the automatics. You can still switch to manual mode and select gears the way you would with a standard but of course you have the luxury of letting the transmission do the work most of the time.

Experienced drivers always freak out about the idea the first time but once they drive them for a little while they usually love em.

I drive an automatic now. While there is less stress the only difference is the truck shifts for you.

It's the weight of the load that causes you to be slow on a hill. Not the shifting. Automatics have the same issue. They are slow on a hill due to the weight.

Well do you like it? I talked to a guy who had been driving for 40 yrs the last 12 with an automatic and he said he would never go back to driving a stick. I understand the weight slows you down,and speeds you up on hills, but the shifting from ten, to nine, to eight,to seven, to the dreaded sixth burns me up. And then shifting back up. I have a great appreciation for all you longtime truckers. I couldn't imagine not having cruise control. If they could only install self cancelled turn signal, hahaha. Sometimes I am worse than my grandma with that darn signal. Persian, love the meme.

I haven't quite mastered driving trucks yet and am really beginning to get annoyed with myself whenever I grind a gear. Some days I drive like I have been doing this for ten years. Other days it's like I just started yesterday. I am curious as to how those of you that drive automatics like them. It seems like automatics would cut down on a lot of stress, especially when going through bumper to bumper traffic. Worrying about rpms, speed, how far to push on the clutch, and how heavy the load is really takes away from concentration on the road for me. The changing shifting points, and the dreaded climbing up hills is so frustrating.

Swift seems to be moving to an "all" automatic fleet as they purchase new trucks. I started driving one back in July. I must admit at first I was not a fan, perhaps my ego got in the way, not sure. Since I am a dedicated driver on the Walmart account, I spend a good bit of my time in heavy traffic, so it did not take me very long to change my tune. Although it took some getting used to it (what to do with my left foot, etc.), I am of the same thought as several other posts, I would not go back. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy shifting, but at the end of a long day I seem to be far less fatigued with the automatic.

I haven't quite mastered driving trucks yet and am really beginning to get annoyed with myself whenever I grind a gear. Some days I drive like I have been doing this for ten years. Other days it's like I just started yesterday. I am curious as to how those of you that drive automatics like them. It seems like automatics would cut down on a lot of stress, especially when going through bumper to bumper traffic. Worrying about rpms, speed, how far to push on the clutch, and how heavy the load is really takes away from concentration on the road for me. The changing shifting points, and the dreaded climbing up hills is so frustrating.

Swift seems to be moving to an "all" automatic fleet as they purchase new trucks. I started driving one back in July. I must admit at first I was not a fan, perhaps my ego got in the way, not sure. Since I am a dedicated driver on the Walmart account, I spend a good bit of my time in heavy traffic, so it did not take me very long to change my tune. Although it took some getting used to it (what to do with my left foot, etc.), I am of the same thought as several other posts, I would not go back. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy shifting, but at the end of a long day I seem to be far less fatigued with the automatic.

I almost went to Swift for my training, but I felt I needed more on the job training so I am at Prime. Sometimes I think I would have been better off with the shorter training cause being stuck in a truck for four months with someone is challenging. But anyway way, is the pay at Swift about average to other major carriers? I also chose Prime because after 6 months I can by out my tuition for $1600, if I am not happy with my situation. My trainer says he doesn't think Prime will be getting automatics anytime soon. But when I get back to the terminal I sure will be asking.

I haven't quite mastered driving trucks yet and am really beginning to get annoyed with myself whenever I grind a gear. Some days I drive like I have been doing this for ten years. Other days it's like I just started yesterday. I am curious as to how those of you that drive automatics like them. It seems like automatics would cut down on a lot of stress, especially when going through bumper to bumper traffic. Worrying about rpms, speed, how far to push on the clutch, and how heavy the load is really takes away from concentration on the road for me. The changing shifting points, and the dreaded climbing up hills is so frustrating.

Swift seems to be moving to an "all" automatic fleet as they purchase new trucks. I started driving one back in July. I must admit at first I was not a fan, perhaps my ego got in the way, not sure. Since I am a dedicated driver on the Walmart account, I spend a good bit of my time in heavy traffic, so it did not take me very long to change my tune. Although it took some getting used to it (what to do with my left foot, etc.), I am of the same thought as several other posts, I would not go back. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy shifting, but at the end of a long day I seem to be far less fatigued with the automatic.

I almost went to Swift for my training, but I felt I needed more on the job training so I am at Prime. Sometimes I think I would have been better off with the shorter training cause being stuck in a truck for four months with someone is challenging. But anyway way, is the pay at Swift about average to other major carriers? I also chose Prime because after 6 months I can by out my tuition for $1600, if I am not happy with my situation. My trainer says he doesn't think Prime will be getting automatics anytime soon. But when I get back to the terminal I sure will be asking.

Sent you a PM (private message) on this...G

When I first got my automatic, I didn't care for it very much, but then I got into my first traffic jam with it. It started growing on me real fast at that point. Now that I'm used to it, I like it a lot.

As I look through trucker magazines at truckstops I notice a lot of trucking companies are pointing out they are ordering new trucks and emphasizing automatics. I guess driver comfort is the at top of trucking companies to lure in newer drivers.