UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
Aren't all of those automatics now?
Aren't all of those automatics now?
how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a manua
- Thread starter anafit
- Start date
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
I thought so too.
I thought so too.
Big Babooba
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
You use the clutch?????
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
haha well for first gear i do
You use the clutch?????
haha well for first gear i do
The Blackadder
Are you not amused?
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
Actually we have a guy who can not drive a stick in our building, they tested him in a auto. Never even asked him about a stick, he made his 30 days then about 4 months later they found outhe could not drive a stick.
So if you get lucky you can make it, However I would learn how to drive one just in case.
As to 90% of the cars being standards, I dont know what building you are in but in mine was are about 70% auto now.
How he did driving class I dont know but somehow he claims to have done it, Now they have to plan him in an auto.
Actually we have a guy who can not drive a stick in our building, they tested him in a auto. Never even asked him about a stick, he made his 30 days then about 4 months later they found outhe could not drive a stick.
So if you get lucky you can make it, However I would learn how to drive one just in case.
As to 90% of the cars being standards, I dont know what building you are in but in mine was are about 70% auto now.
How he did driving class I dont know but somehow he claims to have done it, Now they have to plan him in an auto.
L
Loufan
Guest
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
no joke about it being anti theft. Out of the 15 or so people on my belt at work. One other person and I are the only ones that know how to drive one. Outside of work i only know 2 other people (besides my parents) that can drive one. If I wasn't scared someone would steal my radio out of my car I would almost leave it unlocked instead of screwing with my messed up door locks.
no joke about it being anti theft. Out of the 15 or so people on my belt at work. One other person and I are the only ones that know how to drive one. Outside of work i only know 2 other people (besides my parents) that can drive one. If I wasn't scared someone would steal my radio out of my car I would almost leave it unlocked instead of screwing with my messed up door locks.
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
My road test was in a brand new automatic. I've spent less than 5 days total in manual UPS trucks. Our fleet is automatic but we usually have at least 1 spare manual in the back 40 just in case.
My road test was in a brand new automatic. I've spent less than 5 days total in manual UPS trucks. Our fleet is automatic but we usually have at least 1 spare manual in the back 40 just in case.
brett636
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
While we had some nice automatics I did my road test in a rickety old P800. Was a bit of a challenge, and this was with a few years of experience driving a stick shift daily in my regular vehicle. I know the OP won't see this because this thread was posted in January, but I don't see the stick shift requirement ever going away. Even if all the normal package cars get replaced with automatics all of our 24 ft. box vans are stick shifts, and as far as I can tell will continue to be so. If your center has one of these trucks there is chance that a driver will get asked to take it out, and this will cause the company to require the skill to drive a manual transmission for the forseeable future.
While we had some nice automatics I did my road test in a rickety old P800. Was a bit of a challenge, and this was with a few years of experience driving a stick shift daily in my regular vehicle. I know the OP won't see this because this thread was posted in January, but I don't see the stick shift requirement ever going away. Even if all the normal package cars get replaced with automatics all of our 24 ft. box vans are stick shifts, and as far as I can tell will continue to be so. If your center has one of these trucks there is chance that a driver will get asked to take it out, and this will cause the company to require the skill to drive a manual transmission for the forseeable future.
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
At one time we had 3 brand new 24ft box vans. Now we are down to 2 because of lower volume. They are/were all automatics.
At one time we had 3 brand new 24ft box vans. Now we are down to 2 because of lower volume. They are/were all automatics.
brett636
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
That is interesting. We have several 24 ft. box vans, 2 of which were manufactured in 2002, and all of them are stick shifts. The only time of year we get automatics is during peak when they rent some extra box trucks from budget.
That is interesting. We have several 24 ft. box vans, 2 of which were manufactured in 2002, and all of them are stick shifts. The only time of year we get automatics is during peak when they rent some extra box trucks from budget.
BrownArmy
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
Excepting the automatic scooby-trucks the air drivers use, over 90% of the package cars in my center have manual transmissions.
Everyone takes their driver's test here in an old-school manual. It's usually one of the crap spares, since all the rest are out on the road...
Excepting the automatic scooby-trucks the air drivers use, over 90% of the package cars in my center have manual transmissions.
Everyone takes their driver's test here in an old-school manual. It's usually one of the crap spares, since all the rest are out on the road...
Babagounj
Strength through joy
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
All the older cars are sent here to be used until they are finally scrapped.
Same in my area. btw, we will be the last area to go fully automatic.
All the older cars are sent here to be used until they are finally scrapped.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
Around 1/2 of CHEMA are automatics. I personally dislike them aside from power steering.
Around 1/2 of CHEMA are automatics. I personally dislike them aside from power steering.
Magnus
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
I learned to drive stick at 13 in an old Ford Ranger truck before I ever even touched the steering wheel of an automatic (illegally of course but whatever lol). If I could learn that young and without the fundamentals of normal driving in a larger vehicle, I am positive anyone who's driven automatic first can learn stick. Once you get it down, it's like riding a bike... you NEVER forget.
In a nutshell, the major difference is that you do NOT use a button on the gear shift to change them. You use the clutch pedal, and you have to know when to use it (upshifting and downshifting) as the transmission obviously does not do these things for you like automatics do.
Here's something that will help you out.
The one thing I noticed that article does not cover is the fact that there is NO "park" gear on a Manual. You have to put the vehicle in Neutral (the unmarked, middle "-----" of the shifter) and also engage the manual parking brake lever. Because again, this is NOT an automatic and so the car doesn't do anything for you. It's not "idiot proof" lol.
That's where you start from, by the way, the "-----" (neutral) gear. So you just pull it to the right and move it up into "1" gear to start off. The vehicle will always hit Neutral when you are changing gears also, as you have to move the stick into the "-----" line to change it from 1/2/3/4/5/6(R). So just keep that in mind and don't freak out if when stomping the gas it revs up in RPM but doesn't go anywhere - that's Neutral and it's supposed to happen.
Just watch out for "stalling"... very dangerous and very uncool. I would NOT recommend driving stick on a street or highway until or unless you have mastered the quick-start maneuver (as in you can get that sucker rolling again in under 10 seconds).
So anyway, hope that helped.
I learned to drive stick at 13 in an old Ford Ranger truck before I ever even touched the steering wheel of an automatic (illegally of course but whatever lol). If I could learn that young and without the fundamentals of normal driving in a larger vehicle, I am positive anyone who's driven automatic first can learn stick. Once you get it down, it's like riding a bike... you NEVER forget.
In a nutshell, the major difference is that you do NOT use a button on the gear shift to change them. You use the clutch pedal, and you have to know when to use it (upshifting and downshifting) as the transmission obviously does not do these things for you like automatics do.
Here's something that will help you out.
The one thing I noticed that article does not cover is the fact that there is NO "park" gear on a Manual. You have to put the vehicle in Neutral (the unmarked, middle "-----" of the shifter) and also engage the manual parking brake lever. Because again, this is NOT an automatic and so the car doesn't do anything for you. It's not "idiot proof" lol.
That's where you start from, by the way, the "-----" (neutral) gear. So you just pull it to the right and move it up into "1" gear to start off. The vehicle will always hit Neutral when you are changing gears also, as you have to move the stick into the "-----" line to change it from 1/2/3/4/5/6(R). So just keep that in mind and don't freak out if when stomping the gas it revs up in RPM but doesn't go anywhere - that's Neutral and it's supposed to happen.
Just watch out for "stalling"... very dangerous and very uncool. I would NOT recommend driving stick on a street or highway until or unless you have mastered the quick-start maneuver (as in you can get that sucker rolling again in under 10 seconds).
So anyway, hope that helped.
Michael Higgins
New Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
Just like driving a regular manual, just think of yourself driving a really big car.
Just like driving a regular manual, just think of yourself driving a really big car.
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
Is it true the shift pattern in package cars is like this pic:
How about he pedals? Are they place conventionally where the brake sits a bit higher than the gas and clutch?
How quickly do the revs fall when upshifting? Do they take a while, or do they drop instantly? I don't want to buck the truck while taking my test.
Are the gear ratios short or spread out wide?
Often I will use a technique called heel-and-toe (click the video). It's a racing technique, but I have adapted it for the street. It's basically a way to downshift while braking. You brake, clutch in, blip the throttle to rev match, move the gear lever, and clutch out all in one smooth motion. It makes me drive smoother, and allows me to get in the gear I need to be in quickly. It's especially useful when coming off the highway; it's safer because I leave the car in gear and can balance the weight easier. Will they fail me if they see me using all 3 pedals at the same time? I can use a more conventional technique, but this is the way I've been driving for the last 4 years, and it's how I drive best.
[video=youtube;8By2AEsGAhU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU[/video]
BTW I'm not racing around the streets like the guy in the video. My technique is like -10x what he's doing.
Is it true the shift pattern in package cars is like this pic:
How about he pedals? Are they place conventionally where the brake sits a bit higher than the gas and clutch?
How quickly do the revs fall when upshifting? Do they take a while, or do they drop instantly? I don't want to buck the truck while taking my test.
Are the gear ratios short or spread out wide?
Often I will use a technique called heel-and-toe (click the video). It's a racing technique, but I have adapted it for the street. It's basically a way to downshift while braking. You brake, clutch in, blip the throttle to rev match, move the gear lever, and clutch out all in one smooth motion. It makes me drive smoother, and allows me to get in the gear I need to be in quickly. It's especially useful when coming off the highway; it's safer because I leave the car in gear and can balance the weight easier. Will they fail me if they see me using all 3 pedals at the same time? I can use a more conventional technique, but this is the way I've been driving for the last 4 years, and it's how I drive best.
[video=youtube;8By2AEsGAhU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU[/video]
BTW I'm not racing around the streets like the guy in the video. My technique is like -10x what he's doing.
ManInBrown
Well-Known Member
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
How hard is it to become accustomed to driving a manual package car? I am supposed to go back to the center either this week or next week to go out and drive the vehicle with a sup. I had a manual vehicle about 10 years ago so I do know how to drive a stick. But haven't driven one in about 7 years. Any tips?
Also is the picture in post #57 an accurate showing of where the gears are?
How hard is it to become accustomed to driving a manual package car? I am supposed to go back to the center either this week or next week to go out and drive the vehicle with a sup. I had a manual vehicle about 10 years ago so I do know how to drive a stick. But haven't driven one in about 7 years. Any tips?
Also is the picture in post #57 an accurate showing of where the gears are?
oldngray
nowhere special
Re: how hard is it to learn to drive a package car if you don't know how to drive a m
there are so many different shift patterns and most are 4 speeds with reverse down and right or up and left, but there are some 5 speeds and no simple answer. And many have no markings on the shift lever as to what the shift pattern is.
there are so many different shift patterns and most are 4 speeds with reverse down and right or up and left, but there are some 5 speeds and no simple answer. And many have no markings on the shift lever as to what the shift pattern is.
