Schneider Likely to Shift Fleet to Automatic Transmissions

[terrylamar]

Not wanting to hijack the thread here, but "STINKYFINGER"!!

That handle is so CRUDE!! so GROSS!! so DISGUSTING!!!

What bothers me the most is that I didn't think of it FIRST!!
:moose:

Dingle Berry is still available!

[Useless]

Dingle Berry is still available!

ROFLMAO!! STILL ROFLMFAO!!!

[Sizzle]

Malakai86 & Shahan:

You guys are too funny. Ha! The clutch less transmissions had handles on the right side of the driver's seats. On one side of the handle was a button for neutral on the left side of the handle was a button to utilize to either put it in forward or reverse.

Since they "froze up" quite often people came up with the theory of putting it in gear to go forwards, hitting the neutral button and then continue on to the backwards position. Sometimes it worked sometimes it did not. There were a zillion theories on how to get them into gear. Most of the time they didn't work. I really hated driving the automatics while bobtailing in the ice, snow and generally crappy weather back east and in Canada in the winter time.

The transmission we all decided that we preferred had a Fontaine box located on the right of the driver's seat. You had many choices of what to select. You just selected a button and pushed it and presto magic you got what you wanted. Those seemed to work well. The handles on the right side of the driver's seat did not. Malakai86-you apparently, have a lot more experience regarding particular transmissions than I do perhaps you know what transmission that was?!?

Cute comment: Does this imply that your manual transmission can go in forward and reverse at the exact same time? OOH you are too funny!!!

[Malaki86]

USXpress uses the same tranny in both the Freightliner & Volvo's - not sure what they have in the Peterbilts.

If it's a full auto (all should be there now) there is no clutch, sem-auto had the clutch.

The Freightliner's shifter was a 'duckbill' on the steering column. You selected R,N,D, L and Manual - To manually shift manually, you pushed down on the paddle, pull up to upshift.

The Volvo's shifter was a box beside the drivers seat, with the same buttons as the switches on the Freightliner. The only exception was there was an upshift & downshift button.

Don't quote me, but I think they run the Eaton-Fuller auto's - could be Meritor, it's one of the 2.

As far as the funny comment, Thank You - I do my best :wink:

[Deus]

I can see how Schneider would think of it as a safety feature. When I first started driving it did seem like a lot going on. Not only did you have to worry about operating the vehicle safely, you also had to worry about shifting the darn thing. I think it all amounts to keeping new drivers paying more attention to driving than shifting. It really isn't an issue though once you know how to shift.

Well Schneiders president is also pushing big time for bringing in a crap ton more immigrant drivers to....I think its more of a tool for getting buts in seats quicker and easier than it is about safety....sounds good to say its a safety thing...but I dont think thats the real underlying idea for switching the whole fleet

[Deus]

Well Schneiders president is also pushing big time for bringing in a crap ton more immigrant drivers to....I think its more of a tool for getting buts in seats quicker and easier than it is about safety....sounds good to say its a safety thing...but I dont think thats the real underlying idea for switching the whole fleet

I agree, I think the #1 reason is hiring people that can't learn how to shift, though I bet they are all ready hiring a fair amount of people that may never figure out how to shift properly, and this will at least cut down on some accidents.

[ken_o]

sizzle were these volvos outfitted with their I-shift line of transmissions?

[stinkyfinger]

Well Schneiders president is also pushing big time for bringing in a crap ton more immigrant drivers to....I think its more of a tool for getting buts in seats quicker and easier than it is about safety....sounds good to say its a safety thing...but I dont think thats the real underlying idea for switching the whole fleet

How is he doing that? Any specific articles,links, or anything? That would be very interesting to find out more .

[feederfred]

All things considered I'd really rather "shift for myself"...(I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself..) OR you can have my Super 10 when you pry it from my cold dead hands....

[BanditsCousin]

All things considered I'd really rather "shift for myself"...(I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself..) OR you can have my Super 10 when you pry it from my cold dead hands....

Ditto, except pencil me in for a 13spd instead of the pooper 10 8)

[jansiemoo]

I can see how Schneider would think of it as a safety feature. When I first started driving it did seem like a lot going on. Not only did you have to worry about operating the vehicle safely, you also had to worry about shifting the darn thing. I think it all amounts to keeping new drivers paying more attention to driving than shifting. It really isn't an issue though once you know how to shift.

I went to Schneider's training, and I fully rock at understanding the size and movement of my truck, but learning how to shift.....that took every ounce of concentration I had. I didn't hit a curb until the last two days of class- I was freaking out that I still couldn't shift.

I know I'm gonna get some comments on this....but I'd be on the road already in an automatic, but that doesn't make me a bad driver.