Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[brownwannabe]

Only problem is you don’t have a month to get up to speed

They”ll grab the biggest pos in the fleet to take your road test on

Let you know how it goes next Monday.

 

[Johney]

good point. I saw trucks at XPO with 900k miles on them. Pretty sure I could be up to speed on a manual in less than a month of driving and if it was over the summer I don't feel that would be hazardous to myself or the public.

900k? That's nothing. We have tractors in our building with 1.5 million(used daily), Christ the one I drive has 650k and that's considered new.

 

[olroadbeech]

My first experience in a manual transmission was in CDL school in a 10 speed. The package car test was difficult for me because the transmission in a rig is assisted by the huge engine. I had no idea my first time around that a standard transmission package car required the clutch to go all the way down. This is a cardinal sin in a tractor unless stopped, because depressing the clutch fully activates the clutch brake. So yes I did come to UPS as a double-clutcher and had to quickly shed that and some other old habits.

34 years truck driving ( 23 with UPS ) and I never learned to double clutch. pushed clutch pedal down to start off and reverse but just found the hole for the rest of gears without pedal. do the same thing in my Subarus.

anyway on ride alongs it was funny cause the on road would tell me to double clutch and i would try but it was a disaster jerking the rig etc. after a couple attempts they would just say forget it and let me drive the way I know how.

 

[Johney]

34 years truck driving ( 23 with UPS )

How did you find time to swing on a pole with all that truck driving time?

 

[Rick Ross]

If you think UPS not buying manuals anymore means anything, then you don’t know how UPS operates. There are plenty of manuals still in the fleet, and they will be run into the ground before they are ADA’d.

Not to mention rentals. We still get an occasional rental in that's a manual.

I don't mind manual tractors but after getting stuck on 285 in Atlanta, driving a 271 International, I almost needed a leg transplant. Three hours to go 5 miles and it was stop and go the entire time. After that experience, I never complain about CNG automatics.

 

[MisplacedRailWorker]

How did you find time to swing on a pole with all that truck driving time?

And this is why I keep coming back to Brown Cafe years later.

 

[Covemastah]

If you can't drive a Manual ,, Your not a truck drivah !!!!

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

If you think UPS not buying manuals anymore means anything, then you don’t know how UPS operates. There are plenty of manuals still in the fleet, and they will be run into the ground before they are ADA’d.

It's not just UPS.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

34 years truck driving ( 23 with UPS ) and I never learned to double clutch. pushed clutch pedal down to start off and reverse but just found the hole for the rest of gears without pedal. do the same thing in my Subarus.

anyway on ride alongs it was funny cause the on road would tell me to double clutch and i would try but it was a disaster jerking the rig etc. after a couple attempts they would just say forget it and let me drive the way I know how.

Thank you for your years of service.

 

[Covemastah]

To all the guys who drive a manual ,, have a good weekend watching The NoteBook

 

[over9five]

I had a manual rental yesterday. I do find it kinda sad some Feeder drivers can't drive one...

 

[Covemastah]

I thought I saw you around 8 / 9. Near shop in a Brown auto

 

[over9five]

I thought I saw you around 8 / 9. Near shop in a Brown auto

Yup, I did one trip to Walters St, then switched tractors. Huge PIA outbounding/inbounding when your rental can't pair with your IVIS!!!

 

[ManInBrown]

I hate rentals. If it was between a rental and a no suspension International that’s had the odometer turned over 3 times I’d pick the International.

 

[WannaBeFeeder]

Having a CDL and not being able to drive a manual is considered FRAUD !!!!

 

[trickpony1]

Having a CDL and not being able to drive a manual is considered FRAUD !!!!

I think a restriction is put on your CDL if you're not able to drive a manual?

 

[ManInBrown]

I think a restriction is put on your CDL if you're not able to drive a manual?

They do have that restriction in NJ. A lot of our casuals every year have Auto only CDL’s. No one should be hired permanent with an auto only CDL. Package or off the street. If you’re in package and you have an auto only CDL, you should not be allowed to come to feeders IMO. Auto only casuals never get hired as far as I know. They use them and toss them away after peak. They’ll put up with it just to have a body. The 10-15 year feeder drivers love it when his auto tractor is given away every day at peak to a casual that can’t use a manual. That’s a big problem in our building every peak.

 

[Covemastah]

Yup, I did one trip to Walters St, then switched tractors. Huge PIA outbounding/inbounding when your rental can't pair with your IVIS!!!

Walters street ???

 

[Covemastah]

I hate rentals. If it was between a rental and a no suspension International that’s had the odometer turned over 3 times I’d pick the International.

Hmmmmm.!!!
I'd re think that one

 

[over9five]

Walters street ???

Otherwise known as the Mud Pit..