Blocked from using Manual Gears
What’s your views on this? The Volvo has had a device fitted to block the use of the Manual setting. We have complained about it on Health and Safety grounds but as you would expected been fobbed off!
Its to save fuel by the way ■■? 
Yep, we can’t select manual on our Morrisons DAF CF’s. I think it’s unsafe also but we’ve been fobbed off too.
I regularly run up to Bellshill with double deckers of bread or produce and some of the hills have us down to 35mph, especially Beattock. It’s a joke.
It doesn’t save fuel either cos I took a manual Scania with 40 odd tonne and had a better MPG than ours. We’ve had hire XF’s with the manual selector and they use the same or less fuel. It’s a crock.
You send one of those trucks into the main entrance of Sainsbury’s Basingstoke…there’s only two ways of getting up the steep slope in an auto…rev the guts out of it or put it in manual mode so it doesn’t change down gear…as soon as it changes gear you end up rolling back down again. The computer only changed it down 1 gear, but by the time it gets it back into gear, it’s slowed down too much so has to change down even further, by this time you’ve come to a stop and start rolling back so have to come to a stop and sort the truck out.
In our MAN’s we were taught to use both manual and auto.
MAN’s driver trainers have told us that to get the best fuel returns then we should use both.
i find it best to to use both in my stralis andthe actros i had before that …take some spanners with you n take it off its a crap idea
on the run:
Blocked from using Manual GearsWhat’s your views on this? The Volvo has had a device fitted to block the use of the Manual setting. We have complained about it on Health and Safety grounds but as you would expected been fobbed off!
Its to save fuel by the way ■■?
0
That is the first time I’ve seen such a device.
Very reassuring to see that some random manager at some random transport firm has a better idea on gearbox design than the whole of the Volvo R&D Department.
I hope the same manager is on duty next Winter when he has to explain why his lorries are all stuck.
I know jobs are scarce but do you have to stay at a place where the management really do treat drivers like idiots?
Al
In well over 10 years of driving of driving auto Volvo’s I probably could count the number of times I used manual mode on the fingers of only one hand so I don’t see it as being a big issue. Very little need to use manual on an i-shift.
Coffeeholic:
In well over 10 years of driving of driving auto Volvo’s I probably could count the number of times I used manual mode on the fingers of only one hand so I don’t see it as being a big issue. Very little need to use manual on an i-shift.
I drove Volvo ishift most of last winter with no problems about getting stuck in the snow and ice, in fact, several times I passed Ivecos from the same company stuck on a slight incline.
Pulling 44ton out of Gypsum it is handy to have an option to keep in a lower gear when climbing some of the hills on the M1, I use the power button which gives it a boost.
On the other hand, I drive MAN autos with the manual option disconnected, and fully loaded up some of the welsh valleys, it would be better to have the manual option.
It does seem strange that TM’s think they know better than the manufactorers about what is the best option, and maybe if they had a driver/ trainer from the manufactorer demonstrate the best way to drive the trucks, they might find it cheaper and more fuel efficeient in the long run
nothing a spanner cant sort out there 
Like Neil i never found the need to worry about using it in manual. Don’t forget I drove a liquid tank with a sloppy load and the ishift could handle that remarkably well in all weathers.
“We have complained about it on Health and Safety grounds”
and the photo you use to illustrate this point clearly shows a seatbelt clipped in to bypass the audible warning noise 
chester:
“We have complained about it on Health and Safety grounds”and the photo you use to illustrate this point clearly shows a seatbelt clipped in to bypass the audible warning noise
British Management at work! 
They should leave the driving to those who drive!
Maybe that company should invest in the Dcpc for their drivers!
And they should be able to remove that “chastity belt” 
I had an I shift for a year and never needed the manual option once, including a typical Scandinavian Winter. That is not the point.
My main point is the the firm the OP works for must see it’s drivers as the lowest common denominator in it’s business.
Why couldn’t they use 7 hours DCPC time to ensure the Drivers can drive the lorries properly? Possibly even conserve fuel…
Oh I forgot, this is Transport…
Had a Volvo twice! Oh how I miss my FH! 
Only used manual when bored with auto mode!
The best autobox by miles! The fuel consumption is less than a lot of their competitors because the FH just keeps on going!
Never seen a device like that in puff Surely that is interfering with the old construction and build regulations
Why would you want to use manual on a i shift anyway they are a joy. There are times when manual is a necessity thats why its there on a auto box , 2 examples would be steep inclines from a standing start and in the snow when you need a higher gear.
I’ll tell thee about saving fuel with autos, driver of the year at our north east depot never uses auto, NEVER and he is top man for mpg and he won that competiton to boot. You ask the guvnors about it then they stop the fual saving talk and go onto clutch saving talk
.
Wheel Nut:
chester:
“We have complained about it on Health and Safety grounds”and the photo you use to illustrate this point clearly shows a seatbelt clipped in to bypass the audible warning noise
Good spot. I guess that shows you have to chose the reasons for complaints carefully or you shoot yourself in the foot. 
Bit like those drivers who do a shift of more than 13 hours then argue with the planner/boss saying they refuse to do a reduce rest when they find the next days start time is 9 hours hence yet they have already reduced.
on the run:
Blocked from using Manual GearsWhat’s your views on this? The Volvo has had a device fitted to block the use of the Manual setting. We have complained about it on Health and Safety grounds but as you would expected been fobbed off!
Its to save fuel by the way ■■?
0
Looks a Heath-Robinson job that…
As for driving with it, the only way you get back at management with daft ideas like that is make the problem theirs i.e., ring up when you’re stuck.
Poor fuel economy? Not your problem if you’re not paying
GCR2ERF:
Looks a Heath-Robinson job that…As for driving with it, the only way you get back at management with daft ideas like that is make the problem theirs i.e., ring up when you’re stuck.
Poor fuel economy? Not your problem if you’re not paying
That may backfire if they send out a proper driver to show you how to drive it. These boxes and lorries have been tested in every environment that the average UK driver is likely to come across.
As for fuel, it’s your problem when the firm shuts the doors 
The ishift box is an excellent bit of kit and is probably the best auto box on the market. It know’s exactly what type of hill you’re on etc so always has the correct gear pre selected anyway. I see the reason this gizmo is attached is to stop the idiots that use manual all the time and needlessly revving the ■■■■ off the thing through every gear. If you drive it properly already then there will be no change in mpg but I bet you the fuel bill drops when the speed freaks have to use it like everyone else.
Bear in mind that using the computer, Volvo can disable kickdown aswell so it might not be long before that’s taken away from you too
