Are Automatic trucks the norm nowadays?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Just a quick question , are the majority of trucks (transmission) automatic nowadays? Just wondering

2

Not the old sheds i get to drive no :unamused: :grimacing:

3

Yeah it generally seems that a manual gearbox is more of an optional extra now rather than it being an auto. You’ll still get a lot of manuals on Class 2 and 7.5t but even autos are slowly being rolled out in all of these too.

4

All ours are auto from 18t to artics - bar a handful of (new as well) 26T… Annoying taking them out, forget to press clutch down when stopping.

5

I think automated manuals are the norm now. I’m lucky enough to have a manual Daf XF :slight_smile:

6

Some Manufactures are charging around £2000 extra for a manual Volvo being 2 of them, its been a joy to drive a manual last week and this week but a volvo auto cannot be faulted

7

A lot of places do seem to be upgrading their vehicles and changing to automatic gearboxes at the same time. There are still a number of manual gearboxes around though, quite recently I’ve driven automatic , manual, and semi automatic vehicles :smiley:

8

Do you think autos help driver concentration - on the road?

9

BOURBON8:
Do you think autos help driver concentration - on the road?

I would say not. When driving auto box vehicles you have very little to do for vast amounts of time so having to make gear changes and listern to the note of the engine for the next change keeps you well awake and thinking about what you are doing.
Cliff

10

Carlc:

BOURBON8:
Do you think autos help driver concentration - on the road?

I would say not. When driving auto box vehicles you have very little to do for vast amounts of time so having to make gear changes and listern to the note of the engine for the next change keeps you well awake and thinking about what you are doing.
Cliff

Agreed

11

I would say automatic gearboxes wouldn’t help drivers concentration, thats only my opinion, you should be aware of your surrounding road users & conditions, whether or not it is a manual or automatc gearbox, the sound & tone of the engine & gear changes come as second nature :smiley:

12

BOURBON8:
Do you think autos help driver concentration - on the road?

Yes.

The main time you tend to lose concentration is sat at 50mph or whatever on the motorways… That’s no different in a automatic to how it is in a manual.

Auto’s (a decent one - Volvo/Renault) are far better in every way. Specially away from the motorways and DC’s where you’re fully able to concentrate on your road positioning and avoiding crazy car drivers etc etc.

Also better for driver fatigue… Doing a ten hour shift in a manual I’m noticeably more tired than doing the same in an auto.

13

Auto’s are a Godsend now they’re pretty reliable.

I learnt in an Iveco with a Eaton-Fuller Twin Splitter Crash Box, you knew that you’d done a days work after driving one of them ! :unamused: You only use the clutch to start & stop but you have to preselect the gears & get the engine speed right, lot’s of concentration. Gear changing is very tiring after 8 or 9 hours in a city.

I now drive a MAN TGX with a little Gear lever on the steering column & leave it in Auto 90% of the time, using cruise control asap (I’ve got lazy with age :laughing:

Let technology do the work for you. :wink:

Here’s a link for some gearbox layouts pda-uk.org/members/leaflets/PDA_gearbox.pdf