In school. will be getting on the freeway :/

Each truck you drive will handle shift points differently. Sure, most new drivers are taught progressive shift and/or the old 1100 and 1500 rpm spread. BUT a lot depends on how the drive train is set up.

When I drove for Swift they programmed maximum rpm, so you couldn't wind it up. I own an old Swift truck now, with all that crap removed, including maximum governed speed. I normally wind it to 1600 on flats and may go as high as 2000 (maximum horsepower on this old Cummins) to pull a short steep grade with a heavy load. When I got the truck it was a 9 speed, so there was about a 400 rpm spread between gears. One of the first things I did was install the $300 conversion kit (new shifter with a splitter) to take advantage of the fact it was really a 13 speed disguised as a 9 speed. Now the spread is about 250 rpm's in high range between splits, MUCH better for keeping the rpm's in optimum range when running in the hills.

I have driven quite a number of trucks specced for off road, 9's, 10's, 13's, and 18's. All the major oil field companies are setting up their trucks for higher rpm's. If governed speed is 63 mph you are running at 1850 rpm. Smooth shifting requires at least 1800 rpm's and more like 2000 rpm's, with a BIG drop to 1300-1400 in a 9 or 10 speed. Any lower than 1300 and you are lugging it if you are hooked to a 90,000 lb three axle trailer.

OP figured out the best rpm for shifting. That's very good. Start driving by feel, instead of by numbers and you are miles ahead. LISTEN to the engine. I can tell within a couple mph how fast I am going without looking at the speedometer just by knowing what gear I am in and how the engine sounds to give me feel for the rpm's. I have an advantage there, as I haven't listened to the radio in years. I gave that up and it's saved me heartache more than once...

..."Uh oh! That 'pffft' sound could be trouble!". Yep, tire gave out without explosive failure due to a nail.

 

My very first time on a freeway was just after passing my written test. The next day I got in my brother's '74 Ford cabover and we left Seattle with a load of household goods in the box, bound for Denver. He drove to Pendleton, OR, then announced it was my turn and, "By the way, only use the clutch to start in 1st gear. After that NEVER touch the clutch again!"

I got onto I-84 eastbound with quite a bit of grinding, then began the climb up Cabbage Hill. That then quickly forced me to start downshifting and try not to miss a gear and come to a complete stop with that underpowered engine. There was no shoulder for a bailout, the entire hill was under construction, with concrete barriers and narrow lanes. I was freaking out, trying not to hit the wall while trucks were passing me on the left within inches of my mirror.

After finishing my session of driving in Utah the palm of my right hand was SORE. The next morning I woke up with that palm black and blue and swollen to the size of a golf ball. The good news is that forced me to spend the second day shifting by holding it in my finger tips. No more grinding. I discovered a light touch is more effective than trying to force it in.