In school. will be getting on the freeway :/

I drove a little loop of service roads my first time driving. After about a mile or so, my instructor pointed to the ramp and said, " You got this. Go on the highway." I took a deep breath, uplifted, gained speed, signaled, checked, and merged at about 55 mph and climbing. The rest of my days were a mix of city and highway until test day.

To be honest, merging and exiting the highway is far easier than city driving.

 

Should read "up shifted." Can't edit from my cell for some reason

 

First time I got on the highway I thought are you kidding thena big truck passed me and scared me to death lol

 

I went through Roehl up here in Appleton WI, I got my CLP and 4 days later I was at the tech school for 9 hours M-F and then at the Roehl terminal half a day on Saturday. It was a full 3 weeks and then on the fourth week I warmed up monday and tuesday and then Took my CDL test wensday. Luckily I didnt have much traffic to worry about on the test route but almost failed making a RT at a yield sign because I didnt see the lady in front me had a green arrow and she had to stop (impeding traffic) ... I think my tester was feeling generous and let it slide because he never said a word.

 

For me the highway was much less stressful than driving around town. No traffic lights to worry about changing, no pedestrians or bikes to watch for, and far less unpredictable traffic like cars pulling out from parking lots or changing lanes at the last secound to make a turn.

You don't have to slam on the breaks to get down to a RMP for downshifting. Just apply the the breaks by gradually adding force until you are at the RPM for downshifting to the next gear down (900-1000) and than shift by double clutching and getting the RPM.s up to 1200-1300 (here is usually a 300 RMP difference between gears in most company trucks).it takes practice, almost no one can do it smoothly right off the bat.

 

These new 2017 frieghtliners shift like cutting butter compared to what i trained it!

 

do they teach you progressive shifting for fuel economy? For example starting in a lower RPM and raising 50-100 rpm each gear... Or are they having you up-shift at the same RPM each time? I only ask because unless your truck is different 1700 seems high for the low gears especially! The internationals I trained in wouldnt have liked this haha