Automatics & Practical miles

[BBJones]

Howdy, been driving for 20 years now and I'm startin to get old, the constant clutching has started to thrash my left hip.
I need a list of companies that have automatics in their fleet and that pay practical miles.
If you know, please let me know. Thanks

[Uturn2001]

Last I knew Paschall Truck Lines (PTL) has all auto's and when I was there about 5 years ago or so they were paying practical miles then. Not sure if they have changed that or not, but a simple phone call would answer that for you.

[dobry4u]

I have a friend that drives for Pam Dedicated and he drives an automatic. 2008 Freightliner

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

Howdy, been driving for 20 years now and I'm startin to get old, the constant clutching has started to thrash my left hip.
I need a list of companies that have automatics in their fleet and that pay practical miles.
If you know, please let me know. Thanks

Huh ?...Why are you constantly clutching ?

[Malaki86]

Heh - true

[MARINEDAD]

Interstate dist has autos and pays practical. You won't get a lot a miles as a solo. Maybe 2000 a week

[Jackrabbit379]

Huh ?...Why are you constantly clutching ?

Maybe he's a clutcher.

[P A Frederick]

If your double clutching like an idiot, then an automatic would help you. If you float the gears like a normal person does, and auto isn't going to help you one bit. All the "autos" in trucks now (which are really auto-shift, not fully automatic) have clutches. You still have to depress the clutch to stop or take off. As far as the clutch goes, there is no difference in the autos or the manuals out there (other than you obviously can't double clutch to shift, which, why would you want to anyway?).

[MARINEDAD]

That is not true. There are Trucks that have full autos no clutches.

[Uturn2001]

Marinedad is essentially correct. There are trucks with drive trains that are fully automatic. They still have a clutch and still are manual transmissions at heart but they do not use a clutch pedal. The clutch operation is handled like the shifting through the computer via servos.

The freedomline by Meritor (I think) and the Ultrashift by Eaton are two "clutchless" lines of trans.

[MARINEDAD]

Thanks for a better explanation UTurn

[Blind Driver]

Many big trucks have the pink fluid

[Hoyt602]

I work with a small company and we just recently purchased a used truck with the ultrashift. Having never driven an auto I had my reservations. It takes a little getting used to. The ultra has a little lag time between selecting D or R. If you are stopped on a hill you might think you have to keep on foot on the brake while you apply the accelerator, my buddy does this. I found if you depress the accelerator fully really quick after releasing the brake pedal, then come off the fuel it will engage and you will not roll back. I found that I love the auto now as it makes the drive much more enjoyable. Although I have found myself reaching for the shifter now and then when depressing the brake knobs. Another thing that suprised me was the dealer said that the trans fluid only had to be changed every 500k. I couldn't believe that but I guess it's true. We are buying two more trucks coming up and one or both will have the ultra (without the clutch). One note would be that it helps to manually select gears on a descent as you could wear the brakes out waiting for the transmission to downshift low enough to slow the truck. It tends to want to freewheel down the hill. Just my experiences.

[MARINEDAD]

I hear ya Hoyt. I found myself grabbing for that shifter and trying to push clutch pedal.

[Jackrabbit379]

I found myself grabbing for that shifter and trying to push clutch pedal.

I do that in my pickup quite often.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

I work with a small company and we just recently purchased a used truck with the ultrashift. Having never driven an auto I had my reservations. It takes a little getting used to. The ultra has a little lag time between selecting D or R. If you are stopped on a hill you might think you have to keep on foot on the brake while you apply the accelerator, my buddy does this. I found if you depress the accelerator fully really quick after releasing the brake pedal, then come off the fuel it will engage and you will not roll back. I found that I love the auto now as it makes the drive much more enjoyable. Although I have found myself reaching for the shifter now and then when depressing the brake knobs. Another thing that suprised me was the dealer said that the trans fluid only had to be changed every 500k. I couldn't believe that but I guess it's true. We are buying two more trucks coming up and one or both will have the ultra (without the clutch). One note would be that it helps to manually select gears on a descent as you could wear the brakes out waiting for the transmission to downshift low enough to slow the truck. It tends to want to freewheel down the hill. Just my experiences.

Well I hope that salesman was pulling your knob about the changing of the hydrualic flud...Lol OMG!...If you're wondering why I'm LOL I suggest you hop under your rig and look for the ATF drain pan and fluid filter...And if this was truly a hydrualicly driven trans you would have a TORQUE CONVERTOR not a CLUTCH at the FLY WHEEL at back of your motor ...and you would not have a typical gear-box with an auto.

[Hoyt602]

Actually as I understand them, they are the same as a regular transmission so that is why the fluid in there doesn't need to be changed like ATF would be in a regular auto. As the mechanic said, it's the same as a regular 10 speed. It just has a "monkey" on top changing the gears. Sort of an easy way to explain it. ATF would never last that long (500k).

[Phreddo]

I drive a 2003 Century with the SmartShift. it seems to work well enough, has a clutch pedal. When i'm empty or bobtail i tend to switch to manual cuz it tends to wait til 1600 or so to shift, and that's a pain at 45 in 9th.

One neat little thing i've discovered is that i can come to a stop, pop it in neutral, and just leave it. it won't engage until i hit the clutch OR until the truck starts rolling enough for the gear to catch. So for the very little we use the clutch in there, i'm trying to even cut back on that.

However, if you are a floater, driving an auto-shift really isn't much different except for the timing, basically.