• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Should drivers who can't shift gears be allowed on the road?

Truck drivers must be able to use a crash box

  • Yes

    Votes: 32 57.1%
  • No

    Votes: 18 32.1%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Stupid poll

    Votes: 6 10.7%

  • Total voters
    56

rigandig

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
157
Location
Va
That's kinda like asking should a "driver" that can't drive, be allowed on the road. Part of me wants to say no( in regard to the transmission question), but as S Cummins said, the larger companies look at truckin from the bottom line. So, what you end up with are gomers that can't shift gears, can't back up, can't make a corner without running over something, can't use common courtesy on the road or in a parking lot, can't bathe properly, can't use a bathroom, can't find a trash can, and can't miss every buffet from the left coast to the right. Sad state of affairs here. It's called the dumming down of the industry.
What they are good at is talking on a cell phone, text messaging, peeing in bottles, driving a truck like it will stop on a dime (following to close), modeling beach/vacation clothing, and generally doing most anything they can to aggravate the general public, all while driving.
Now, for those newer drivers out there, this is not an indictment of ALL newer drivers, just seems the gomers stick out more.
Same thing is happening in the equipment operator field as well. I just saw several heavy equipment simulators advertised this week in a magazine. That's for me. I'll hire them over a seasoned operator anyday, because THEY HAVE CREDENTIALS. NOT
OK, I'll get down off my soap box now.
Just my .02 worth
 

JDOFMEMI

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
3,074
Location
SoCal
There are "Gomers" like that in every industry. The thing about them in trucking is they are right out in public, annoying, scaring, and generally putting other motorists at risk. In most other fields of work, they go unnoticed except for those unfortunate people who work with them.

I get worried around trucks of certain national carriers because of this. You just never know what to ecpect from them.
 

thejdman04

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
582
Location
Illinois
some guys have a lot of problems learning...I was fortunate enough to have my first pick-up as a little 5 speed which taught me the basics...but the first time I got behind the wheel of a Mack with a Lo-hole...boy, watch out...If you can't find 'em..grind 'em

I worked through that too and now consider myself pretty good at driving 8LL and halfway good at driving a 10 speed...

I think the issue here is it all comes down to training, do the companies want to spend the time and resources of hiring a new driver that has never driven, teach him to drive a standard (because you have to know that first), then teach him to drive a real tranny?...or do the companies pay a little more for a truck upfront with an auto...stick a new driver in it and don't really have to teach him..then when he quits in a year because he didn't know what he was getting himself in to hire a new guy and give him the same truck and start the process over


Personally I am with most of you on when I say to be a "good operator" you need to be able to hop in any truck/machine and go...not say you can't because you don't know how to drive it

I can definily see the advantages of auto trannys, esp with large carriers etc. I know many guys who have been driveing for 30 years who still ride the clutch brake, grind them, dump the clutch on dump trucks like t hey are gonna jerk the box off etc. I can see why many fleets run autos and the advantages of them, however, I still think it should be required at the driving test to take the test with a manual trans. You should at least have the basic knowledge and skill to drive a manual box if required. Even if you are going to are a new driver, are going to work for a fleet with autos etc you should at least know how to shift a manual box.
 

Greg

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,175
Location
Wi
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
Had one truck with an automatic in it. Was only a Ford F250 pickup. Bought it cause I needed a truck bad. Will never ever have an other one. My pickup now has a 6 speed, dump trucks 18 speed and lowboy tractor a 15. The only way to be.
 

xrlentau6

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Messages
88
Location
South Australia
Occupation
Desk bound and needing to get outside
Hi there all, just read this post and throught I would share a couple of my views.

I am pro auto's or should i say auto shift, as i am yet to have drivern a full auto box. One of the trucks the company that i work for has a Isuzu Tipper with a Auto shift box. I have to say i love it, nothing better than getting into the truck and just putting into gear and letting it go. This is compared to one of the other trucks we have with not much more than 100,000 kms and 7th gear is so lose it comes out etc etc etc with a range of drivers in it. Yes out work is metro and auto shift is the way to go there.

As for highway work, have seen a number of companys going to auto shift as they getting better fuel economy with a auto shift , and that dosent matter whose driving so again strike another on to the autos. \

Me i learnt in RR and am happy to drive one, but if i had the choice i would pick the auto.

Its not about duming down or losing skills, its about graining new skills else where. Am sure there is more to know/understand about computers in newer trucks that used to be the case.

note. here in SA, if you do a test in a Auto or syncro box thats all you can drive untill you do a test with a RR.
 

Squizzy246B

Administrator
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
3,388
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Occupation
Digger Driver
Hi there all, just read this post and throught I would share a couple of my views.

I am pro auto's or should i say auto shift, as i am yet to have drivern a full auto box. One of the trucks the company that i work for has a Isuzu Tipper with a Auto shift box. I have to say i love it, nothing better than getting into the truck and just putting into gear and letting it go. This is compared to one of the other trucks we have with not much more than 100,000 kms and 7th gear is so lose it comes out etc etc etc with a range of drivers in it. Yes out work is metro and auto shift is the way to go there.

As for highway work, have seen a number of companys going to auto shift as they getting better fuel economy with a auto shift , and that dosent matter whose driving so again strike another on to the autos. \

Me i learnt in RR and am happy to drive one, but if i had the choice i would pick the auto.

Its not about duming down or losing skills, its about graining new skills else where. Am sure there is more to know/understand about computers in newer trucks that used to be the case.

note. here in SA, if you do a test in a Auto or syncro box thats all you can drive untill you do a test with a RR.

:thumbsup:thumbsup Spoken like a pro. The Isuzu Automated Manual is a very good system, although, I found it a little disconceting at first. Funny thing was, I was watching Ice Road Truckers last night and Hugh "Polar Bear" nearly ran up the rear end of the truck in front twice cause he couldn't get down a gear on descent. So theres your pro gear changer coming un-stuck with 30 years+ experience (A man who is never slow to tell you how good he is). I think the Automated Manual would have got down a cog without too much trouble........Trouble is, would an auto only driver know when to knock it down??

This report is a little jaundiced:

http://www.ecoscientific.ca/safety.html

The author demonstrates fatigue as the the biggest cause...but trys to blame the "monotony" of driving long haul on boring autos.....I'm sorry, but if you need to change gears to stay awake then you need to pull over. And anybody who has done long haul in Australia will tell you there is a long way between gear changes on many of our highways. The jaundiced arguement also does not transpose to cars where (in some countrys) autos make up to 60% of brand sales. We don't see smaller vehicles crashing all over because of autos....Its a crap article interspersed with a few facts. However, the author probably gets on the money at the end:

Another argument in favour of automatics is that they allow anyone to drive. The question we now have to pose is: do we really want "just anyone" to drive our trucks?

The development of Hill descent modes for autos is certainly a big factor in gaining acceptance and safety.

I still can't see why a suitably trained and qualified auto driver can't be a "driver". If there is no need to drive a manual then why qualify on one. However, maybe the driving test for automated manuals needs to be looked at.:beatsme I see metro buses going up and down the road everyday with full autos....should those drivers have to pass in a manual?.

I've seen some comments about how complicated these transmissions are and the costs involved in the case of a breakdown. Well, in the case of fully automatic boxes they have always been expensive to repair. In the case of automated manuals its a load of bollocks. The two mechanisms are no more complicated than any of the other systems on the truck and are basic technology at best.

The computer that controls the automated manual is going to prove more reliable and accurate than a human driver ever will. Look around, there is dam computers under the bonnet of just about everything we drive. The computers operate the ABS, traction control and the stability control systems all the time. If your on a Trans Pacific flight don't think the pilot is flying the plane for 16 hours. Hell, there are planes that are'nt even flown by the pilot...computers do it all.

My concern is, when it eventually does break...or needs an update...will the mechanic that comes out to fix it know how to...and will he have the latest firmware in his laptop:pointhead...no doubt he will have the latest version of Donkey Kong though....they still have Donkey Kong don't they...????:confused:
 

Hendrik

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
1,232
Location
Adelaide South Australia
I have nothing against auto box trucks but my original question was if someone who can't work out how to shift gears in a truck would you be happy to share the road with them, that 'report' (although a little light on with facts) does highlight the problem of inexperienced drivers being put behind the wheel, sometimes with disastrous consequences both for themselves and other road users.
As someone said in a earlier post, "what's better, park the truck or put someone in there who can only drive auto box", whilst I can see the logic, the problem is what happens in a bad situation?
 

Jammar7

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
19
Location
Iowa
Hey you "older" jockies...... can you imagine putting these guys in something like a two-stick 5x4 or the like? We used to have and old heavy (and I mean heavy) haul tractor that had a three stick 5x4 with a three speed Browning auxiary. And the best part.... top end on that rig was about 50 mph! Heater worked in the summer and the AC worked in the winter! Radio? Heck no, you couldn't have heard it anyway. Awe..... the good 'ol days!
 

LonestarCobra

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2008
Messages
228
Location
WV
From a practical standpoint, they need to know how to drive a manual. They may not always have the pleasure of driving an auto. I learned in a truck that had 6X4, and drove 7 years before ever shifting a Road Ranger. We have some 13 speeds and 15 speeds with the 4 speed aux behind them, but I still prefer the 5X4 or 6X4.
 

Hendrik

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
1,232
Location
Adelaide South Australia
From memory those type of gearboxes are called joey boxes here in Oz, we had a lot of them in Inter Accos before the RR's came in. And yes I know how to shift them if my memory allows, main gearbox in neutral, shift range and engage lower/higher gear with appropriate engine revs.
Anywho saw a lady today behind the wheel of a Kenny cab over (K104?) pulling a single down Port Wakefield road and she was in a hurry, don't know if she had auto clutch or not.
Actually I have been seeing a lot of girls in semis but perhaps it is the same girl over and over? And they are not the old school type either, if you know what I mean;)
 
Last edited:
Top