New here, need help from once scared truckers....

Actually I'm more scared going to Cleveland and anything East of there than a "Mountain State."

 

Just comes with experience. Just be sure to start out slow, Very difficult to get slowed down with out heating up the brakes if you start to fast.

Also the last part of the hill just let it roll,a lot of people are braking ,jaking,smoking and the road flattens out 1/4 mile ahead.

 

No driving experience here (yet), just a life philosophy: take good care of the things you can control and don't worry about the rest, but accept the fact that sometimes things happen, so be ready to deal with it. It sounds to me like you will do fine with your good attitude.

 

Amen to that!

 

It deffinetly comes with experience. For me getting into one truck everyday helped alot. When in training I was in multiple trucks that as you mentioned are not the best. After I started with a company I was in the same truck everyday and got to "know my truck" every truck has quirks and knowing what they are make a difference in being more comfortable comeing down mountain passes and in construction. I also found after getting out of the trucking school and on the road other drivers with the same company would lend me tips. one drivers showed me how to shift without the clutch and I feel more comforatble shifting that way than double clutching. Another driver taught me the trick of shifting gears both up and down with the jake brake on which makes a difference in how comfortable if felt driveing. The biggest thing is proper speed control going down hill and knowing how your truck handles, reacts and functions.

 

Yeah, like RockyTop just said, it comes with being familiar with your truck somewhat. I was a little apprehensive with the steep downgrades when I first started about a year ago. But really, just take it slow, jake on, lower gear, fan the brakes a little here and there, ect... it really becomes second nature and no big deal. And I agree with Bumpy, I'd rather go downhill all day long than to drive around in Cleveland- or especially Pittsburgh!

 

I am born raised lived most my life going up and down 95 NH - NC
now I am not happy east of chicago
everything can be scary until you do it often enough
having respect for the road and not taking it for granted is the key to me
If I come down I70 into denver at 35mph oh well

I ran around the Atlantic most of my life. It didnt always look like an island paradise
sometimes it looked like Sandy

 

first off, i am a rookie. the company i went thru for my training, i got lucky and had a trainer that stayed up, until he was satisfied i could handle myself. his one piece of advice for me that still sticks with me, only drive as fast as you are comfortable with. cities and mountains still scare me, thus means i slow it down. prime example, i-24 north of chattanooga, tn. will drop it to 6th or 7th gear and jake brake the whole downhill. ie 25 to 30 mph max. and i have been through there quite a few times. point is i will only roll as fast as i feel i can safely control my truck. imo, the 'super' truckers, read more experienced drivers, can go around. stay in the right hand lane.

 

you got the right idea. those arent super truckers.