both e f automated manuals have clutches with the newer version taking the task of depressing it to start and stop out of your hands if you want to ride the clutch i guess youll have to get the standard auto shift. anyone who thinks a new driver schould be in a manual, needs to consider this from a saftey perspective, it is and always will be safer to focus on whats aroud you not worrying about this shift and that one downshifting etc..& so forth.
iv only driven the reg version of the autoshift 4 years ago and still miss it
i would definetly like to try the newer ultrashift

allison autos are great Ive driven dumptrucks with them and one big volvo vaccum truck... pulling units use allisons and they weigh about 100,000pounds so they hold up pretty good to tote them around.

Thank you for your comments and suggestion. Yes, I would love to drive a manual but getting use to the 53' first is my main criteria.

As far as the company goes, I'll be using the help of my dad and uncle who have combined experiance of over 50years. No way I would jump onto to be an O/O. :wink:

Yep, traffic jams are a pain in the $$$. Mr. Ken says the best "Damm wish I had an autoshift" sums up my terror.

SAFETY yes, thats was the whole point I was looking for. Being a newbie and had never driven a clutch vehicle on top manual-stick-shift sums up all.

I would love to buy an automatic transmission. But I'm still open to all fellow drivers suggestions. Keep'em rolling please.

Regards to ALL.

Yup.
I heard the Eaton Fuller 18's with clutch are quite nice.
I still say you should be very well used to driving a stick before you take an auto.

You said you've already hauled in Pop's manual, so you probably have a pretty good idea on how to shift. Most drivers eventually learn to float the gears (shift without using the clutch), so unless your in a traffic jam or something where your stopping and starting often, a manual isn't really that much extra work. I mean how hard is it to move a lever a few times?

To me shifting is part of the enjoyment of the job. On the other hand when I've got a little more time under my belt the novelty of it all just might wear off and an auto shift may be more appealing.

Anyway my suggestion is to learn on the manual so as to not limit yourself.

When I started with my current company in August 2005, they gave me a 1999 Volvo with a 10 speed Rockwell. I found that it shifted better/easier than an Eaton (no idea why; but I drove trucks with manual Eatons before). As a highway driver I spend most of the time cruising on the highway, with the cruise control on; so the manual is okay. Where you have to "work it" is on hills (when the engine bogs down and you need to downshift) and in big cities - in traffic. That's why you see big trucks crawling slowly in jams - drivers don't want to shift every single minute!

My second/current truck is a 2005 Freightliner Columbia with a Mercedes engine and a 10-speed SmartShift. There's no clutch. It's naturally much easier to drive, especially on hills: with the cruise control on, the tranny switches itself to the proper gear by itself. However, when I drive in heavy traffic - the auto can be quite annoying. First of all, it doesn't allow me to go from 2nd to 3rd below 1500 rpm (with a manual I can shift at 750 rpm); and then when you slow down the engine revs itself up all the time... I try to change to semi-auto mode ocassionally, but it's not much better...

Some other problems with automatics: if you have an engine brake on, and you stop - let's say - on a red light somewhere, the tranny will not upshift properly. It'll rev up to 1800 rpm, and then - after a few agonizingly loud moments it'll finally shift itself into ... a 3rd.

I think the problem is there's just too much torque in the diesel engine (unlike in a car), and that what causes problems. It'll take years before auto trannies in trucks will work as flawlessly as in cars.

Sometimes, after you shift (and the gear number is seen on the display, which means you're in gear), nothing happens - you push gas ... and then the truck lunges forward. The same thing happens when you try to back up: it's either stopped or goes too fast.

So, basically it's been my experience that auto trannies give you LESS control of the truck. They are good for city trucks - for someone who deals with heavy traffic all the time... I think highway drivers can be okay with a standard...

Another thing.. if you get a used truck with an automatic, and it breaks down, it may cost much more to fix the tranny. Standards are easier to fix.

My company is going to all automatics and I was against it at first, but after a month or so in it, I love it for the most part. I will agree that backing one sucks because you cannot creep, but the problem with the stop and go traffic thing and the truck falling on its nose can be solved by switching it to manual. I will say that the autos are much much better on fuel mileage than the sticks. Most guys with sticks are lucky to get 6.5 mpg while I can consistently get over 7, which helps my fuel bonus...