["Overloaded" said: ]The autoshifts are going to be one the worst things to happen to the industry. They are making it that much easier to put any idiot off the street into a truck and call him a truck driver. Personally, I think we ought to go back to 5x4s, it separates the men from the boys.
The companies are already putting anyone they can in the trucks. More power to them for putting automatics in. At least the driver won't have to hunt for gears and can keep both hands on the wheel when driving.
I drove for a company part time that was ordering meritor 12 spds as they replaced older trucks. I started out in 1975, so I am an old school type of guy, but I was tickled to death each time I got to use one of the autos.
The company I drive for now tested a new truck for a week with the Eaton auto. I drove it every day for six days, on narrow two lane roads, busy city interstates, and very hilly crooked roads. Just about any type of road you could think of, I was on it pulling a tank.
I loved the transmission. If you understand it, and use the manual shift mode, they will do most anything a standard will do.
The plus was at the end of the day. I felt refreshed instead of worn out from the hundreds of gears I change a day because of hills and the starting and stopping I usually do.
I do like the Meritor better, as it will skip shift, you can progressive shift better with it, and you have closer gear ratios.
If an automatic will keep a driver fresher and less distracted, meaning safer, then I say go for it.
In coast to coast operations the manual will still be king, but in city and mountain driving autos are worth their weight in gold.
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