Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Miller
I was researching if any states ever had restrictions on driving manual shift cars if you got your license on an automatic. I found that if one gets a CDL with an automatic, there is a restriction against manual transmissions. It used the 10 speed fuller as an example that if one is not experienced they could get stuck in neutral which means the driver has lost control of the vehicle.
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For over ten years I drove a large International three axle truck with a 13 speed Road-ranger trans. Since the truck required a CDL I had to take a state required driving test every three years.
The 13 spd road-ranger trans did not like a clutch, the preferred method was "speed shifting". The California CDL code requires the use of a clutch. It would usually take the CA examiner a while to note that I was not using the clutch, where-as I would be informed that I had to use the clutch. Informing the examiner that the road-ranger did not like to be clutched, usually fell on deaf ears. I would stop the truck and attempt to use the clutch, which usually did not work to well, lots of gear grinding. After a couple of attempts I would ask the examiner if I could go back to driving the truck as it was designed to be driven.
As a general rule the examiner would pass me with a very high mark, except for a comment that I needed practice with a clutch.