Gen Z has lost this crucial driving skill that Boomers learned early – ‘It takes more brain power’ (manual shift)

NY Post ^ | 9/04/26 | Reda Wigle

[Libloather]

Are drivers who never learn this skill getting the short end of the stick?

Recent research shows that this once-ubiquitous ability is increasingly becoming a lost art.

Only 18% of Americans know how to use a stick shift — with the number even lower among younger drivers.

In a survey of US drivers, Extreme Terrain found more than a third of Gen Z drivers (35%) never learned to drive stick, compared with just 9% of baby boomers.

Further, driving confidence is waning among younger drivers, with only half of those under 30 believing they could competently drive a manual.

“People in their mid-40s and up are probably the only people left who really grew up with the stick shift; people now don’t know how to drive it unless their parents or grandparents teach them,” driving instructor Andy Nelson, owner of Safe Driver Solutions, told The Post.

To that end, and to Nelson’s point, more than half of manual drivers (56%) surveyed learned to drive a manual from a parent or older relative.

The reason for learning how to drive a stick has evolved over time; only 22% of Gen Z drivers learned out of necessity, compared with 55% of boomers.

“Like most of society, it’s turned toward disposable technology, so rather than fixing the transmission, they just replace it,” he said.

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TOPICS: Outdoors; Science; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: boomers; driving; manual; shift; skill

[combat_boots]

I remember popping the clutch so bad that the VW I was attempting to drive hopped out into the middle of the road and died. Cars were able to not hit me broadside. I was yelling, “Stop! Stop!” And slapping both hands on the side window.

That made me quite determined to learn to drive stick.

[dadfly]

my main problem with auto transmission with park lock is that there is nothing you can do when it goes bad or when the car won’t start.

you can do so much more with a manual (especially if things go wrong) and you can drive anything in a pinch. it’s a no-brainer for this boomer

[sonova]

One daughter, in her 30’s, pulled up in husbands car, which I knew was a standard. I said, you can drive a standard? She said yes.
I asked, “Do you know what happens when you push the clutch pedal in?”
She answered “No.”

[Flaming Conservative]

I bought a stick shift geo prism around 1990; drove that car for about 12 years. It was a great car, but driving 100 miles a day, round trip, in mostly rush hour traffic got old, and I finally sold it.

[Jim Noble]

All seven of my kids can do this and have all owned a manual shift car at some point, although some have switched to automatic. The two best vehicles I have ever owned both had manual shifts.

The best thing is car thieves can’t do it.

[cpdiii]

I learned to drive using a stick shift and clutch. No big deal it became just natural with little thought process. Back in the 60s I chose a stick as that transmission was more efficient and cheaper. Today our transmissions are very efficient and close to a stick but not equal.

Today I buy automatics as the choices on the lot are mostly automatics. Also, my beloved wife is “The Arch Angel Avenging destroyer” of clutches and the plate and I am to damn old to pull a transmission and replace things. They are heavy! I did often in my youth but no more. She is also enemy number one of brake pads. But I do love her.

[central_va]

And smoke a cigarette at the same time .

[sonova]

MY first car was a chevy pickup. Starter quit, couldn’t afford one. So I would park on a hill (if available), or could get out and push, jump in and pop start it. Did that for a few months untill I could afford a starter..

[Disambiguator]

I learned to drive at 15 on a WW Eleven jeep (Ford GPW).

It most certainly did not have a automatic.

I continued in our 1962 MB W110 190D with a four on the tree.

I always prefer a manual, but they’re hard to find.

[unread]

"I didn’t know anyone from Gen Z could afford a car."

Scooters and small motorcycles... Go on google maps and look around any of the cities in the Far East, or Franch, Italy. Now's a real good time to get in the scooter business in the USA...

[maddog55]

Wife and I and both kids grew up on stick shifts... Just got rid of a 2015 jeep manual 2 door for a 2016 4 Dr auto. Got tired of shifting all the times in the mountains not to mention the Harley.

Gen Z and beyond are stuck on phones, tablets, Uber and Lyft, apparently hate sex because they can’t carry on a conversation outside of a text.

Sad world we live in...

[Bobalu]

I learned to drive in a 1971 Superbeetle... 4-speed stick.

I know morse code too...

And I play an old Tele...

I’m a fossil...

[sit-rep]

learned when I was 14 in a Chevelle SS 402 4speed. the guy who owned it was dating my sister and wanted to score some points!! At 14, I willingly pimped my sister out to get my hands on the wheel of true American Muscle!! lol... I will never forget it!! they stayed together for a year and a half! I drove it a lot!!

[VTenigma]

Many new heavy trucks are automatics, which scares the crap out of me. I live in the mountains and the amount of out of state trucks with smoking brakes is wild.

[central_va]

I had a Firebird with a Muncie 4 speed. I could chirp it in all 4 years.

[shelterguy]

“”” While smoking cigarettes and throwing the empty bottles left-handed over the roof to hit the road signs on the passenger side... and also shoot the road signs between empties.

Yeeeeeeee hawwwwwwwwww “”””

Miller pony bottles were the best for that.....from what I’ve heard.

[central_va]

Chirp all 4 gears!

[cpdiii]

tI wouldn’t have a Jeep unless it was manual transmission. If you have an automatic transmission, it might as well just be a show Jeep with all the accesories on it and shiny clean like it just came off the showroom floor, which is what all newer looking jeeps look like.

Yep, you are correct. In Austin you have all these Yuppies driving around in monster trucks, 4 wheel drives, etc. It is all show. They know nothing about off road driving. Their trucks are always clean and shiny. It is all about status with those assholes. I drive a simple RAM 1500 work truck and it has the dents and scratches of such. However, I maintain it mechanically 100% okay. A truck is a work vehicle. If not it is a silly status symbol. Oddly on trips we take my Ram 1500 as it is more comfortable to ride long distance than my wife's Nissan Rouge which is a fine vehicle. The road noise in the Nissan is greater than my Ram 1500. The Nissan does get much better gas mileage.

[central_va]

Rolling Rock

[vis a vis]

Not necessarily true anymore/ Had a big move recently with a major carrier. Nice young man was the driver and I asked him how many gears the big rigs had nowadays. He said that most of the new ones are automatic. I was quite surprised.