Just out of pure curiosity, does anybody have a rough idea (percentage, ratio, etc) of the numbers of new tractor units that come with manual boxes these days? It must be fairly marginal now… or is it? I see quite a few 2010 units for sale with manual boxes, and that’s not too long ago.
Not enough, for me. I despise auto 'boxes.
manual boxes are now optional/special order as far as I know across all manufactures, so not a lot unless you order it that way, if memory serves me correct I think scania quoted us £1200 extra to have a manual box over an auto 
Went for a road test the other day for a local company.
I was asked before the road test if I knew how to use a manual gearbox and was I able to drive a loaded vehicle using the manual gearbox. I have held my HGV since 1987. The driver who was tested before me failed as he was unable to drive a fully freighted truck using a manual gearbox.
If manufacturers are fitting auto gear boxes as standard, and the DSA allow auto gearboxes on test, then before much longer we will see on job adverts, “Much be able to use a gearbox”
I passed the road test by the way. The truck weighed 31 tons loaded. 
einstein:
Went for a road test the other day for a local company.I was asked before the road test if I knew how to use a manual gearbox and was I able to drive a loaded vehicle using the manual gearbox. I have held my HGV since 1987. The driver who was tested before me failed as he was unable to drive a fully freighted truck using a manual gearbox.
If manufacturers are fitting auto gear boxes as standard, and the DSA allow auto gearboxes on test, then before much longer we will see on job adverts, “Much be able to use a gearbox”
I passed the road test by the way. The truck weighed 31 tons loaded.
it does worry me when you hear stories like this, I am sorry its not rocket science really, most people drive manual cars, and to be honest there are only couple of extra switches to play with range change and splitter, if drivers can’t get their heads around that then perhaps they haven’t got the intelligence they need to operate a fully loaded truck safely, I know the “we haven’t been trained” brigade will be along soon to shout me down for saying that.
The trouble is people are taught to pass a test, and we have all seen drivers that have licences but will not get any better how ever long they drive for, they just don’t have the aptitude for driving, and I think this is spreading into our profession like it or not 
So, like on the buses, a lot of newly passed HGV drivers will have a restriction code on their licences.
Iv just left a firm with a big fleet of autos mainly daf and now working for a local firm and drive an older volvo with a manual.
It really does require a bit more effort but I feel like I’m in total control all the time.
wildfire:
einstein:
Went for a road test the other day for a local company.I was asked before the road test if I knew how to use a manual gearbox and was I able to drive a loaded vehicle using the manual gearbox. I have held my HGV since 1987. The driver who was tested before me failed as he was unable to drive a fully freighted truck using a manual gearbox.
If manufacturers are fitting auto gear boxes as standard, and the DSA allow auto gearboxes on test, then before much longer we will see on job adverts, “Much be able to use a gearbox”
I passed the road test by the way. The truck weighed 31 tons loaded.
it does worry me when you hear stories like this, I am sorry its not rocket science
Maybe we’re just moving forwards? How many drivers can rope and sheet now or manage a ‘clean’ change on a twin splitter?
Darby Flyer:
So, like on the buses, a lot of newly passed HGV drivers will have a restriction code on their licences.
NO - the new rule from Jan 2014 is that if you pass car in manual then any of the C or D categories in auto you will get them all in manual
I was on a job the other day where 1 or 2 of the warehousemen do the shunting using an old Volvo, while picking up my paperwork I overheard 1 guy say to another “can you drive the shunter?”
It turned out that neither of them had ever driven a manual. more frightening was when 1 of them said “just stick it in 3rd gear to set off and it should pull ok even with the full trailer on”
wildfire:
einstein:
Went for a road test the other day for a local company.I was asked before the road test if I knew how to use a manual gearbox and was I able to drive a loaded vehicle using the manual gearbox. I have held my HGV since 1987. The driver who was tested before me failed as he was unable to drive a fully freighted truck using a manual gearbox.
If manufacturers are fitting auto gear boxes as standard, and the DSA allow auto gearboxes on test, then before much longer we will see on job adverts, “Much be able to use a gearbox”
I passed the road test by the way. The truck weighed 31 tons loaded.
it does worry me when you hear stories like this, I am sorry its not rocket science really, most people drive manual cars, and to be honest there are only couple of extra switches to play with range change and splitter, if drivers can’t get their heads around that then perhaps they haven’t got the intelligence they need to operate a fully loaded truck safely, I know the “we haven’t been trained” brigade will be along soon to shout me down for saying that.
The trouble is people are taught to pass a test, and we have all seen drivers that have licences but will not get any better how ever long they drive for, they just don’t have the aptitude for driving, and I think this is spreading into our profession like it or not
come on fella, there’s every chance the fella would have got used to it given a little time, add in some nerves for getting assessed as well. a manual car doesn’t set you up that well to operate a 16 / 12 sp range change splitter box imho. no one was born knowing how work a truck gearbox, we all learnt and got better with a bit of practice 
The only a autos I’ve driven so far are volvos but I can’t understand why they are hated so
Much, they make driving so much easier and I don’t feel half as tired at the end of the day as I do driving a manual.
Darby Flyer:
So, like on the buses, a lot of newly passed HGV drivers will have a restriction code on their licences.
I didn’t 
had no problem pointing it out to the bus company trainers who said such things as ‘oh so you had your C before then’ er no, and ‘you got your D outside the company’ er no, passed it at the Wolverhampton depot with you
They were all insistent that I speak to the DVLA to get it changed but usually later on they’d return fuming that they’d spent hours queuing to speak to the DVLA about an issue and still hadn’t resolved it.
I didn’t actually use the manual side of my licence until after I’d got my C, just in case mind
But there are a few coach companies that do have a few manual coaches and so get work with them because some of their newer drivers, although maybe fitted and more experienced on the bigger auto coaches, don’t have the stick licence.
Dave55:
Maybe we’re just moving forwards? How many drivers can rope and sheet now or manage a ‘clean’ change on a twin splitter?
How many drivers these days need to know how to use these things?
And if they had to, I’m sure there are many young drivers who’d have the right mentality to be taught to do so, the problem would be trying to teach some of the old ones who already know everything.
Darby Flyer:
So, like on the buses, a lot of newly passed HGV drivers will have a restriction code on their licences.
NOT after January, any LGV or PCV test can be taken in fully-auto. vehicle - the successful candidate will be issued with full, un-restricted LGV or PCV licence. Only criteria being they must have passed a test in a manual vehicle previously i.e. a manual car test!!!
Saratoga:
But there are a few coach companies that do have a few manual coaches and so get work with them because some of their newer drivers, although maybe fitted and more experienced on the bigger auto coaches, don’t have the stick licence.
Restricted Auto. LGV/PCV licence holders: After January if/when they send in their restricted licence into DVLA for any kind of change or upgrade, their auto. restriction code 78 will be removed, resulting in full manual licence for doing nothing!!!
jay0:
The only a autos I’ve driven so far are volvos but I can’t understand why they are hated so
Much, they make driving so much easier and I don’t feel half as tired at the end of the day as I do driving a manual.
Ah you’ve been spoiled laddie. The Volvo box is the best there is IMHO. Others are just not as good.
DrivingMissDaisy:
The Volvo box is the best there is IMHO. Others are just not as good.
I think Scania opticruise is just as good if you know how to use it properly…
muckles:
Dave55:
Maybe we’re just moving forwards? How many drivers can rope and sheet now or manage a ‘clean’ change on a twin splitter?How many drivers these days need to know how to use these things?
And if they had to, I’m sure there are many young drivers who’d have the right mentality to be taught to do so, the problem would be trying to teach some of the old ones who already know everything.
Well said. Everyone has a first day and everyone has to learn. As for auto boxes, I’m a convert anything to make the job a little easier. I don’t understand the " I hate auto boxes" mob. The same ones probably struggle with computers and smart phones. Cavemen!!
ezydriver:
Just out of pure curiosity, does anybody have a rough idea (percentage, ratio, etc) of the numbers of new tractor units that come with manual boxes these days? It must be fairly marginal now… or is it? I see quite a few 2010 units for sale with manual boxes, and that’s not too long ago.
What has the world come to ? 