high gear ratio signal if the gear ratio input signal is maintained at low while the vehicle is in neutral the signal is not changed if the gear ratio input signal is changed to high while the vehicle is in neutral the controller 110 sends the new gear input to the actuators 31 which in turn change the transmission gear ratios in the preferred embodiment in which the park brake is associated with the transmissions 30 the controller 110 awaits shifting of the drive from neutral and then simultaneously therewith sends the new gear ratio signal to the actuators 31 thereby avoiding premature deactivation of the parking brake in embodiments wherein the parking brake is independent of the transmission signal the signal can be sent immediately since it will not interfere with the parking brake if a neutral signal is received when the vehicle transmission is in a high gear i e high speed low torque the controller 110 checks the gear input signal if the gear input signal is a high gear signal i e no change in gear the controller 110 maintains the current gear signal if the gear input signal is a low gear signal i e a gear shift the controller 110 waits a given amount of time for example 2 seconds and then applies the parking brake the delay helps prevent the paver from lurching to a halt from a high speed after application of the parking brake the new gear signal will be transmitted again if the parking brake is associated with the transmissions the controller 110 awaits a shifting from neutral before sending.