Originally Posted by Dieselforce

Hello all, I tried looking for a thread already started but didn't find anything really dedicated to this.

I started a 3 week driving school on Monday and today we practiced shifting and double clutching. The instructor told me I was doing pretty good for my first time but I was having a hard time downshifting and hitting my gears along with going to 4th and 5th in a 10 speed. I can shift good from 1st to 3rd and 5th thru 10th but from 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th i struggle and pretty much every gear downshifting. Any help or advice would be great.

Just relax and be patient, it will come with practice. I didn't get comfortable with my shifting til about 6 months in, everyone is different.

How will that affect my skills test and the road test with the companies That I interview with? do they understand that it takes time and are a little forgiving?

I was worried about backing up and ally docking and did pretty good on both of those today so that is one less thing to worry about

Originally Posted by Dieselforce

How will that affect my skills test and the road test with the companies That I interview with? do they understand that it takes time and are a little forgiving?

Any company that is going to hire a new grad understands that it will take time for you to get everything 'down'. The main points are not running up on curbs, not letting the truck 'coast' out of gear, paying attention to traffic, using mirrors, all safety related things.

Don't build any bad habits into your shifting or backing--they are hard to undo. Identify, or get help identifying, where you are struggling, and then work out strategies to work through these hard spots. It will come.

The single biggest issue I think most people just starting out is pushing the clutch i. Way to far and engaging the clutch break... makw zure you are only.pressi.g it in 2 -3 inches... that will usually do it.

Most companiez.that hire students right from school will.send them out with a trainer and that trainer will yeach you to float the gears anyway... just get it down enough to pass your road test and the rest will come in time.