Manual V Auto - Most common?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

As a newbie about to take my test next Wednesday (class C), i’m curious to know what the balance of manual boxes to auto are out there in the workplace these days. I’m driving a Scania 4/4 split box with my driving school, but wonder how much i’m likely to come across manuals in the real world?

Cheers

Rancid

2

I would say majority will be regular six speed manuals without a range change on rigid work and majority are autos, of one sort or another, on artics now.

3

The training school I used are also a haulage business.

The trainer I had also does all their assessments on new drivers.

I commented to him that I’d feel uncomfortable coming to him and having to drive a strange vehicle, with an unfamiliar box, if I chose to try and work for them.

He said it was up to the driver to ask about the gearbox. He’d never mark a driver down for asking a question, but definitely would if he tried to be a clever so and so.

4

I guess it depends on what type of firm you go on for and how old their kit is. Older kit would tend to be manual but the newer stuff seems to be auto.

If I were a newbie now I’d try and get as much experience as I can on both.

5

I past my test in 2011. Been on Class 2 for 10 months and only driven a geared motor twice in that time

6

Thanks for the replies… i’m with a fantastic agency who have some great customers, so looking forward to a variety of jobs on different kit. Will be interesting i’m sure.

Cheers

Rancid

7

Dont worry common sense and a bit of intelli most problems, intelligence will over come most problems, Dont be afraid to ask anyone near you when you come across a problem

8

I don’t know about the rigids but most of the artics I’ve driven over the past few years have had auto boxes although I did have a newish Volvo FH12 with a manual box last month …very nice it was too :slight_smile:

Good luck with the test !

9

Being with a dealer im seeing more and more auto boxes in rigids from 7.5 tonne up…getting to the stage that when im in a manual I forget and nearly stall them when stopping at lights :angry: .but there are still plenty of manuals out there

10

Been on agency since 2009 hardly driven a manual box , started a full time job about 4 weeks ago and been driving a scania with a 3 over 3 gearbox, its taken some getting used to , there’s about 5 scanias on the fleet like this and none of them will do the 5 to 4 down change with some serious effort and crunching :open_mouth: gives the pedestrians something to laugh at I suppose :smiley:

11

noreversing:
Been on agency since 2009 hardly driven a manual box , started a full time job about 4 weeks ago and been driving a scania with a 3 over 3 gearbox, its taken some getting used to , there’s about 5 scanias on the fleet like this and none of them will do the 5 to 4 down change with some serious effort and crunching :open_mouth: gives the pedestrians something to laugh at I suppose :smiley:

Does double de-clutching not help? Not come across one that wont go in with a double

12

get your hands on a manual eaton fuller box best you will ever work with once you get used to it

13

taffytrucker:
get your hands on a manual eaton fuller box best you will ever work with once you get used to it

Been driving them for 4 and a half years now and still think they’re crap and an unnecessary hardship. They do their job well enough most of the time but are too much of a ball ache in heavy traffic, getting cut up by American car driving idiots every 30 seconds going through NYC and the like. Give me an auto or a syncromesh manual any day. That’s just my preference.

14

robinhood_1984:

taffytrucker:
get your hands on a manual eaton fuller box best you will ever work with once you get used to it

Been driving them for 4 and a half years now and still think they’re crap and an unnecessary hardship. They do their job well enough most of the time but are too much of a ball ache in heavy traffic, getting cut up by American car driving idiots every 30 seconds going through NYC and the like. Give me an auto or a syncromesh manual any day. That’s just my preference.

For city work I agree a nice auto box. only did NYC once and that was in the cascadia so was an auto box which must admit was a god send

15

Last company I worked for I had a 3/3 manual, using a 3 pedal auto before and the manual was considered an upgrade :unamused:… Still seems to be plenty on manuals out there, unless you work for a comapny that’s firmly aware what year it is expect to drive a manual at some point.

16

markoc:
although I did have a newish Volvo FH12 with a manual box last month …very nice it was too :slight_smile:

Never driven a manual Volvo FH unit, only ishift since 04, didn’t know they existed…lol

17

Bale Bandit:

noreversing:
Been on agency since 2009 hardly driven a manual box , started a full time job about 4 weeks ago and been driving a scania with a 3 over 3 gearbox, its taken some getting used to , there’s about 5 scanias on the fleet like this and none of them will do the 5 to 4 down change with some serious effort and crunching :open_mouth: gives the pedestrians something to laugh at I suppose :smiley:

Does double de-clutching not help? Not come across one that wont go in with a double

had one last night that changes down sweet as, I think they just been hunped as they 55 to 57 plates and been trying the double de-clutch thanks

was told by an old guy at work , looks about 90, that I the only one who cant do the 5 to 4 down change and what sort of a driver am I , he drives an auto , don’t you love the old guys lol and everyone moans about 5 to 4 change :slight_smile: