Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[over9five]

But the automatics make it a lot easier to text and drive.

Yup, one hand is always available for something other than driving..

 

[trickpony1]

I took someones morning run the other day.....never again. I stick with my nights where most idiot drivers are off the road.

Once you get out of the city the traffic dies down.
Mash your motor.

Kick it back.

 

[Rick Ross]

These new auto transmissions are awful, I’m not sure the appeal. All postal tractors have been spec’d with Allison transmissions since the 1990’s and they are fantastic, it’s like driving a car more or less.

I think Allison transmissions are less efficient because they use a torque converter, that's why they are used primarily for local use.

What kind of tractor are you driving now, there is a big difference in the automatics.

 

[Johney]

.I'm a truck driver, I want to shift gears the way God intended.

I've been in an automatic for so long I doubt I could shift a manual transmission anymore.

 

[over9five]

I've been in an automatic for so long I doubt I could shift a manual transmission anymore.

On the rare times that I use one, I completely forget downshifting at the first off ramp...

 

[Indecisi0n]

Once you get out of the city the traffic dies down.
Mash your motor.

Kick it back.

Hammer down

Roger that !

 

[Operational needs]

Especially with the current pandemic, it's really been a piece of cake.
Rush hour in DC the other night:

That’s amazing! Usually it’s red everywhere!

 

[Indecisi0n]

That’s amazing! Usually it’s red everywhere!

Wanna drive in my tractor ?

 

[Operational needs]

Wanna drive in my tractor ?

Sure! Do I get to drive too?

 

[Indecisi0n]

Sure! Do I get to drive too?

Take control ...

 

[WannaBeFeeder]

Love the new automatic Cascadia’s sexiest truck in the fleet.

 

[WannaBeFeeder]

But the automatics make it a lot easier to text and drive.

And let’s not forget the most important part, you can eat a whole 6 piece tender meal while tugging down the interstate if need be

 

[ManInBrown]

Love the new automatic Cascadia’s sexiest truck in the fleet.

They look great, they are garbage. If you don’t randomly switch to manual and run in a lower gear once every 20-30 minutes on long haul runs the stack gets dirty and they break down. The problem with them is they are built for fuel economy so all the thing wants to do is race thru all the gears ASAP into 12th no matter how fast you’re going. So if you don’t pay attention you’ll be on the highway in 12th running at 900-1000rpms. That’s not a high enough RPM to clean the stack. They bog down, and then next thing you know you’re on the side of the road broke down. If you’re local that’s fine, enough starts and stops to run a little higher.

 

[Indecisi0n]

And let’s not forget the most important part, you can eat a whole 6 piece tender meal while tugging down the interstate if need be

With honey mustard dipping sauce on the dash. Mmmmmm

 

[Mack37]

I think Allison transmissions are less efficient because they use a torque converter, that's why they are used primarily for local use.

What kind of tractor are you driving now, there is a big difference in the automatics.

The lease automatics are Freightliners, International’s and Volvo’s. The Volvo’s drive the best followed by the Freightliners, the international’s are awful.

The new postal tractors with the Allison’s are International HV series though we have a few Mack’s left as well.

 

[Rick Ross]

The lease automatics are Freightliners, International’s and Volvo’s. The Volvo’s drive the best followed by the Freightliners, the international’s are awful.

The new postal tractors with the Allison’s are International HV series though we have a few Mack’s left as well.

Some of the International 10 speeds are horrible, they lurch forward when the hill assist turns off. The Volvo/Mack transmissions are probably the smoothest with the new Freightliners getting closer.

I drove a new Freightliner rental a few days this week and it started out in 5th and made it to 9th in 2 shifts. This was on a slight decline pulling an empty pup, but still very smooth and impressive. Our Mack's can also do that but even our newest KW would have taken at least 4-5 shifts to get into 9th...they don't seem to be as intuitive as to load and grade and just shift 1-2 gears at a time.

 

[Covemastah]

On the rare times that I use one, I completely forget downshifting at the first off ramp...

Come Norma, we have a nice 267 Sterling you can practice on

 

[Johney]

Come Norma, we have a nice 267 Sterling you can practice on

Ouch! Man they crushed all the 267 Sterlings around here a couple years ago. There's a few 268 & 269's still around though.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

I drove many tractors in my 29 years in feeders. The sterlings were the absolute worst. Mine spent more time in the shop than it did on the road.

 

[Indecisi0n]

I drove many tractors in my 29 years in feeders. The sterlings were the absolute worst. Mine spent more time in the shop than it did on the road.

But the steering radius on those bad boys rocked.