I use 2D transform a bit in batch on quick, simple comps that don’t require Action. One thing that bothers me about it is that I can’t use hotkeys for Translate/Rotation/Scale like you can on an axis in action.
Before I ask for a feature request for this (seems like a simple addition), am I missing something where you can use these hotkeys and does anyone else besides me still use 2D transform?
Whoa whoa whoa! What hotkeys do we have for Translate/Rotation/Scale in action?
Maybe I have forgotten them or I never knew 
If you click on an axis or surface,
E - scale
R - rotate
T - translate
Very similar to all the 3D apps (well, action is a 3D app)
T = Transform
R = Rotation
E = Scale
Y = Centre (so you can move the centre point)
Snap!
Y is the only one of those that I knew about 
Nice!
I know this isn’t exactly the answer to your question… but I use a tangent panel knobs to move and scale 2D Transforms. If you do this a lot it might be worth getting just the knob unit.
So I tried it in the field today and it was fun but I don’t think I will be changing my ways. I need my fingers covering different keys like context.
It’s muscle memory for me now so I can jump to them quickly and since my hand is at that left side of the keyboard I’m used to jumping between it and all the other hotkeys, such as context. At some stage I moved from Smoke to Flame hotkeys and went about learning all the different hotkeys which probably helped me get accustomed to it.
Finding out R does Rotation on the GUI was a game changer for one job that I was working on. Who knew?
I use it too, don’t think you have any shortcut at the moment outside of action.
And cool didn’t know about Y in action.
The one tips outside of action I have for this is also to use the front matte offset matchbox, saved to user. 2D transform use CPU front matte use GPU so it optimize render time on big comp. But you can’t offset center, so only for basic translation.
While we’re on the topic of axis transformations, don’t underestimate the power of the “Space Selection Button” which cycles through Camera - Object - World. Changing it to Object gives you great and expected control over your position and especially rotation…
