Automatics And DOT Regs

I just got off the phone with a recruiter for COMCAR and he told me that DOT is going to be passing legislation (or influencing) saying that fleets have to run automatic transmissions? Standards are going away?

Something about standards being too difficult on drivers. Has anyone heard of this or is this just them talking? I find this confusing because I feel the opposite about standard transmissions: they tend to make me more aware of what's going on with the vehicle...(that's just me, though).

I don't know about any current or proposed legislation requiring fleets to become equipped with automatic transmissions, but I do know about the FSCMA's about taking the CDL Exam in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. That rule states:

If the driver takes the Skills Test in a vehicle that has an automatic transmission, then an "E" no manual transmission restriction is placed on their license.

They are probably confusing this with the EPA fuel mileage standards that have only been achieved using an automatic transmission. Hence, requiring them to build trucks with automatic transmissions to meet the fuel economy standards.

I have not heard anything about them requiring everyone to have autos... sounds like a bunch of hot air to get someone to go with their company... something like "you may as well join ours since you're going to have to drive an auto tranny soon anyways, get used to it now and the transition will be easier" but that's just how I would read that.

I think it's a load of crap. Prime is bringing in all new autos this year, but any lease ops who want the manual can order them, they just have to put up more money as a deposit.

I think it's a load of crap. Prime is bringing in all new autos this year, but any lease ops who want the manual can order them, they just have to put up more money as a deposit.

O rly? I had not heard of prime using autos ever... interesting.

I just read an article in one of the books you can get at the truckstops. It is relating to the new higher EPA regs being implemented this year. They interviewed several reps in the truck industry. a rep from eaton fuller made a comment that auto trucks are up 17% in 2015 by the major carriers. They go on to say that manuals will always have a place in the industry. I have driven both and my boss recently asked my opinion of the auto. Personally I hated it. I had to learn to drive all over again it seemed. I was reassigned 2 weeks ago back into a manual and am loving life, lol.

I think it's a load of crap. Prime is bringing in all new autos this year, but any lease ops who want the manual can order them, they just have to put up more money as a deposit.

O rly? I had not heard of prime using autos ever... interesting.

They may have not used automatics before, but rainy mentioned that they are doing so, now. This technically makes your comment obsolete.

All of my instructors found this claim to be somewhat confusing. As one explained "Sure, you could be fine out west and on the flatlands fine in an automatic, but the second you go into areas like, Pittsburgh for example, the transmission can't keep up with the driving conditions."

He thinks it's a silly thing to come from a recruiter.

I just read an article in one of the books you can get at the truckstops. It is relating to the new higher EPA regs being implemented this year. They interviewed several reps in the truck industry. a rep from eaton fuller made a comment that auto trucks are up 17% in 2015 by the major carriers. They go on to say that manuals will always have a place in the industry. I have driven both and my boss recently asked my opinion of the auto. Personally I hated it. I had to learn to drive all over again it seemed. I was reassigned 2 weeks ago back into a manual and am loving life, lol.

Hmmm.... Seems I heard that somewhere before.... LOL

As for the auto, I have only driven one and only for 2 weeks and here are my thoughts on that. The first thing is that the truck that I was driving at the time had really really weak jakes. You could hang it out the window and break wind and have the same effect those jakes did.

With the new trucks there are 2 things that I do not like. The first thing is moving the johnson bar to the dash. When I need it, I need it now, near my hand and not where I have to reach for it. The other thing is putting the shift controls over on the dash. I don't want to have to lean forward to reach the controls while driving.

The truck that I drove with the automatic had an arm that came down next to the driver's seat kinda like where the shift lever would be on a standard. With this I could easily control what the truck was doing. I did not have to look to see if I was pushing the right button to put it into manual mode. It was just pull the shift lever back to the hold position. The ones on the dash you will be taking your eyes off the road to make sure you are pressing the correct button.

You do find that with an automatic transmission that you WILL be using your brakes a lot more than with a standard. The reason being is that you have to get those RPMs down or the transmission will NOT shift to the next lower gear. There was a lot of times that I had plenty of time to stop with a manual transmission but the automatic I had to get on the brakes way too early.

RV as for your question, MA is very difficult to find information. I found the "E" restriction listed on several sites but they were not the official MA site. My suggestion if you have not already done it, is to call the rmv and get it from the horse's mouth.