Hear they have Kenworth T-700's now but wondering if they are autoshift as well. May be looking to join them after I get my cdl soon..

 

Why are you wondering if they are autoshift? A lot of companies are going to automatic transmissions. They have better fuel economy and save on wear and tear. Automatics keep a truck in its optimal rpm range. Out of the 9 fixing to be 10 trucks I operate 5 fixing to be 6 are automatics. These trucks get better fuel milage by a significant amount. The best truck fuel image wise is getting almost 2 mpg better than the worst manual and getting 1.2 mpg better than the best manual. I was skiddish at first of manual transmissions and was very anti automatic until I got one. I wouldn't buy anything else. I don't know if you are for or against them but being a rookie I would not base who I worked for off of the transmission the truck had. I honestly wouldn't base it off that even if I had 50 years experience. I would base it off of pay and hometime. You will learn as a rookie pretty much all the companies that will hire you are the same. Suck it up get your experience and then choose what you want to do. You get two years with one company you can get just about any job you want. Those jobs aren't easy to come by. My drivers make $60,000+ a year. I only lost one driver this year and that was because he fell in love with a girl in Nevada so he had to go chase her. The only time we hire is when we buy another truck. So don't worry about the transmission just go get your experience and the. The sky is the limit.

 

Steve, as you first indicated the transmissions are auto shift or automated>NOT automatic. There is a huge difference.

New drivers should go to a carrier that uses manual transmissions so that they learn how to shift gears. Not knowing how to shift gears will severely limit your career options in future years.

 

Yes I am sorry I forgot we are getting really technical in this post. Really there is such a huge difference to the driver on an autoshift vs an automatic transmission. To a driver the transmission works the same the transmission automatically shifts itself in an automatic transmission and the computer shifts the transmission for you in an autoshift. That is such a huge difference. I really don't know what to do with the huge difference between getting out of the eaton fuller 18 speed autoshift or the 10 speed eaton fuller autoshift or the 12 speed volvo I shift into my pickup truck there is just that much difference in all of them to drive I get so confused. But if you want to get technical since this is such a technical post I guess we should. I forgot maybe I thought I was in the new driver section and didnt know I was in the experienced mechanical section.

It will severely limit your career options. That's interesting I should add that question on my applications. I should put it in the employee handbook too. Come on most companies are going to autoshift transmissions. They take away driver error. They take away you grinding the gears. They take away you tearing the rear end out of the truck. They keep the truck in the optimal rpm range which is better for the motor. Two of our trucks that have the autoshift transmission have more miles on them that 3 of the trucks that have manual transmissions. Those two trucks have by far had less mechanical issues than the three with manual transmissions. Both with more miles on them than a fourth truck when it had to have an inframe and new rear ends. We have even talked to the mechanic on the two trucks to see if they needed an inframe. He said they aren't even close both motors are strong and there is no need for them to have one.

But anyways man go with what job suits you. Like I said as someone who runs a small trucking business that would not hinder me hiring you. I have guys that have only driven 10 speeds with a couple of years experience and when they get into one of the 13 speeds they look like they just got into a spaceship. I know not a lot of companies have 13 speeds so I don't worry about it. They get taught to do it. I have one driver that all he has ever driven is automatics for the 4 years he has driven and he is in one of the manual trucks and has had no problem what so ever.

 

Strongly agreed. New drivers has to do as much as mechanical operations. This way not only they learn fast but also can manage small issues if required.

 

WHY? Is this a KNOWN FACT? We all get training on manual trans so why would it hinder your future with other companies? After a few days on a manual it's like a riding a bike. C'mon. It's shifting, not rocket science. Besides, this is why they have refresher courses no??
GMAN where are ya?