How's Everyone Doing in LTL Right Now?

Google or type in maps. Look at Pa56 between Windber Pa and Pleasantville. 9 10 and 11 percent. Went down many time with an old beat up Burlington motors cab over with no jake. Fun times.

 

Two things I want to address that I read over. For one, the standard transmission. Most newer trucks are automatics, there are however enough manuals left out there that it is worth being proficient enough at them in case you find yourself stuck driving one. Overwhelming majority for dry van is 10 speed with a Lo/Hi range selector.

I found it easiest to relegate your gear selection based on your ground speed. The first few gears are just there to get you moving, with the fifth gear being mostly useful for coasting at a slow speed in a yard that is speed controlled. Unless you are super heavy, you really don't have to use ALL of your lower gears before going into high range and shifting to 6th gear.

Once you get to 6th gear just remember this easy formula of relegating your ground speed on your speedometer to select your gear. If you are going 35 mph and lose track of what gear you should be in, then just add 3+5 and that would equal 8th gear. Do this for all the upper gears.

15 mph = 6th gear
25 mph = 7th gear
35 mph = 8th gear
45 mph = 9th gear
55 mph = 10th gear

If you find yourself in neutral, going 85 mph down a long steep mountain pass, then you are very possibly screwed. 10th gear is for 55 mph and higher, but not 85 mph higher. Your RPMs will be too high to get it even back into your highest gear.

This is actually a great transition into the second thing I wanted to talk about. I used to run out West in Montana through Washington State and been over the major mountain passes over a thousand times ...quite literally. I think these 6% and higher grade routes have a scarier reputation than anything else and people overthink stuff when they have to cross over. Just figure out what all the other truck drivers are doing and bring it down slower. If everyone is doing 35, then go ahead and drop it into 7th and cruise on down at 25 mph. Let gravity pull you until you are at 30-35 mph and then slow it back down to 20-25. Don't ride the brakes and if you are new, don't attempt to drop down another gear.

If too many people are passing you, oh well. Maybe next time around you feel a bit more confident about coming down in 8th and doing 35 mph. It's really not that hard to operate within the confines of your confidence level.

Nobody is going remember you for going too slow. EVERYBODY is going to remember you if you sit sideways in a ditch. Take your time and ask questions. Tag people if you need specific answers. You are in good company.

 

Wow very amazing advice well said. I learned from your comment the correct way to go down hill as well as what not to do so i highly appreciate you sharing your knowledge and expertise. This will make me a better and safer driver for sure. You cleared things up i was thinking about asking.

 

I’m off work for a few days…. Was off Friday and Monday last week, now off today and probably Monday.

I was fighting bronchitis, now I’m fighting pneumonia. This sucks. Lol.

My bosses (wife and work) both thought I was crazy for going back to work to soon, so here I sit now.

Gonna rest and relax and work on getting better.

 

Sorry to hear that.. hope you get well soon.

 

Excellent advice! This is exactly how my instructor taught it in CDL school and it was just as helpful then as it is today.

 

How did drivers ever go down grades before jakes and brakesavers?

How did they get down without riding the brakes all the way down?

 

When I started out I ran from the left coast to the right coast and border to border with a 10 speed no jake... I seemed to always find a Bull Frog or Corn Flake and would follow them down the grade... God looks out fools and little kids. Didn't have enough sense to be scared. I probably would have been in a bind with automatic.