Why do trucking schools not teach this to new drivers?

And to be honest... someone list all of these 14% - 18% grades that are apparently so common that people need to be trained on how to stop and start on them...

 

Only place you'll see those often is if you're a logger or lowbedder in the bush. Even then they avoid stopping on those grades as much as possible. Way too hard on the driveline to get 120k rolling again, much less try and grab gears lol.

 

Personally.. if you get one rolling and making forward progress.. it would pretty ignorant to try and shift anyway.. just suck it up and get to the top no matter how long it takes.

 

How do examiners not have a CDL??

 

They work for the state.. its not a requirement.. I suggest trying to use 3rd Party Examiners who are certified by the state..

 

We teach drivers inhouse. We use a testing facility where I buy a 5 hr block to get my guys comfortable with their truck. When my drivers are asked to double clutch, they ask the instructor to show them. Most of the instructors can't do it effectively and are basically stabbing the clutch in twice while floating the shift. My guys just do the same thing. As the owner of the trucks I would far rather have my guys float than attempt to incorrectly double shift. I've been driving for over 30 years now and couldn't double clutch shift if you paid me to. That said, if I was taking of an a 14+% grade, I doubt I'd need to upshift until I got to the top anyway.

 

So I am back in a manual somtimes a 15 or 13 but mostly a 10speed. When loaded on a hill I have to rev higher, clutch out of gear then float in the next. The truck is old and over 750kmiles hard.

The thing about manuals is learning the spin of the gears and clutch. Each truck will be different even if only slightly. The above comments were mixed between down shifting and take offs. Down shifts are common to be at 1000 rpms or at the 5s. 45 is 9th 35 is 8th....... Both will work.

Climbing with a load is best done real slow. Take off, clutch out float in. When you get the right rpms it will slide nice.

School will teach only what you need to pass a test. If you are realgood some instructors give extras. Learn from mistakes.

 

My street driving trainer was awesome, and taught how to start on a steep hill. Living in the desert, there aren't many steep hills to practice shifting. And I was taught slip shifting too, but you can't do it on the test. Since noether is on the rest, its best not to teach them, if the goal is for you to pass. Then its up to hour company trainer, or yourself.

 

It takes the same amount of time for the engine to drop 1,000 rpms whether you double clutch, single clutch, or float the gear. So you may think you can shift faster with single clutching or floating, but the engine rpms wont match the tranny speed until the rpms come down.

The only way to reduce the rpm drop time is to have the jake brake on, and then to float the gear. Most new drivers are not skilled enough to do that.....I hauled grain from farm yards and had intensive shifting experience and taught myself how to float the gears, but I had no jake brake, so I could not shift faster with any method of shifting. With 80,000 lbs and a little C13 cat, any hill from a stop was slow going.

 

maybe cuz not too many schools (if any at all) have such steep grades nearby?

you can't teach, what you don't have.....duh........