Stevens Transport

Yea your trainer also should be teaching you to go down mountain grades without a jake brake.Theres a big difference between hills and mountains, and a jake compared to no jake.

 

I know how you feel yea it seems like other trucks are going to plow over you at times, but i have never smoked my brakes going down that way infact after 6 months of that i got my jake turned on and never used it, because no one even trained me to use a engine brake descending mountain grades, but i did hear with a 10 speed transmission get in 6th gear, and turn it on and keep rpms around 2100, and that would do the job on any interstate mountain grade.but I wasnt sure, so i never bothered.

 

There is a decent sized one on I70 going east into West Virginia. If you;re fully loaded you'd be smokin your brakes if you didn't have jakes like stevens do for trainees for the first few months.

 

Try running RT50 through WV, it is harry on the eastern side.

 

he must be talking about the wva and va border when you come out of the tunnels

 

We generally get a preplan within minutes of our mt and the assignment comes shortly after.

 

I haven't done it yet but it works like this: NO JAKE - shift to highest gear in low range and keep 7-10 lbs of pressure on your brakes all the way down. WITH JAKE - lowest geat in high range. In both cases turn off cb so you don't need to listen to others who want to drive your truck for you.

 

Got a produce load out of Laredo going to Columbus, OH via a stop in Atlanta, GA. My trainer has a family issue so he is trying to get this repowered and get us a load back the other direction so he can take a day off. I don't know what that will mean for me, I may just get to sit in the truck or I might get reassigned to a new trainer.

 

FozzyBear,

How long have you been out and are you liking it so far and downsides so far? Also are you getting alot of drivetime? If so mostly daytime or nights?

 

been on the truck 12 days, more frequent showers would be nice. My trainer has covered a couple for me but they can cost $10.00! Last night we were at our secure drop yard in Laredo, lo an behold they have 2 showers and laundry facilities! I washed my clothes and took a shower, watched some tv. They have some decent furniture in there too. I was up til 3:30 getting my laundry done. I prefer to drive during the day, but I have been getting a fair amount of night driving.