First Day of Driving School is Over

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by Frank Burns, Oct 14, 2019.

  1. Frank Burns

    Frank Burns Light Load Member

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    Fort Worth, Texas
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    And I'm beat. We practiced shifting the entire day, my left leg is going to look like a body builders leg when I'm done with this.

    Shifting in a truck is nothing like driving a standard auto, it's kicking my ###, especially the down shifting. I'm having to concentrate on the shifting gears so much I feel like I'm hardly watching anything else like the road.

    I'm thankful that I have a cool trainer who is patient and has a sense of humor.

    I'm probably expecting too much for being my first day, but I feel like I should be doing better with this gear shifting business.

    Oh, did I mention double clutching sucks? lol
     
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  3. icecold24k

    icecold24k Light Load Member

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    Yes it does, but it will get much easier. Are you in a private school or a company sponsored program?
     
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  4. Frank Burns

    Frank Burns Light Load Member

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    Fort Worth, Texas
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    I'm in a private school. I wasn't willing to sign a contract with a company.
     
  5. icecold24k

    icecold24k Light Load Member

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    I can understand that. Nothing wrong with keeping your options open right now. Good luck!
     
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  6. JungleMarine

    JungleMarine Bobtail Member

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    It will be as natural as breathing one day, just hang in there.
    Don't think too hard on your shifting, drive defensively
     
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  7. Frank Burns

    Frank Burns Light Load Member

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    Jun 2, 2019
    Fort Worth, Texas
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    Well... day #2 is done and I'm a stressed out frazzled mess. Teacher had us running a skinny ### two lane, no shoulder, big time curvy farm to market road with hills today. The curves ranged from 15mph - 25mph - 35mph - 40mph etc.... This about did me in. I could not wait until the end of the day and it was over. I took me a good hour to get over the jitters when I got back to the hotel.

    Quitting is not an option but I'd be lying if I said the thought hasn't been bouncing around in my head.
     
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  8. jammer910Z

    jammer910Z Road Train Member

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    When you're out of there, just remember... you graduated grade school... not High School truckin', and certainly not College truckin.

    Come out here like a sponge, willing to learn and listen, to observe and soak in what is offered or just learned the hard way.
    That's where real truckers are made.

    Rome wasn't built in a day.
    Take your time and make wise decisions.
     
  9. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    White County, Arkansas
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    Do not let the pavement over do you. As long you have enough pavement you will be ok. It is a form of discovery to see which students have issues with confined roads.

    Some of the older iron we used to have did not need pavement at all. Just good ground to run on. Keeping in mind brown grass = good ground while green grass = will get stuck fast here.

    Learn to ... allow the truck to drift. Don't try to stay at the speed limit when the road demands many changes in a mile. You will get caught too fast and off and over you go. Ive left pavement twice in my lifetime and managed to get her back onto it remembering some of the old old stories told by those instructors who have been there done that One said slam your hammer and hold her strong at the wheel. EASE HER THE EFF BACK ONTO PAVEMENT.

    DO NOT BE STUPID and SWERVE BACK On. you will just overturn and kill whoever is in the way or a family even. Just remember in the back of your mind by the time you get all your wheels back onto pavement get off your hammer before she runs out of RPMS's and really buck under you. Let her settle, then find a gear several down and add power gently. The mud slinging will stop in about 5 miles or so.
     
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  10. LoboSolo

    LoboSolo Heavy Load Member

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    Do your forearms hurt too? Were your hands sweaty all day? Do your shoulders feel like one big knot right at the base of your neck?

    RELAX! Keep your elbows by your sides when you're driving. If they won't reach there, adjust your seat accordingly. Don't drive with your elbows up, or you're gonna pay in your shoulders later. Keep one hand at a time open with your open palm resting on the wheel. After a few minutes, switch hands. Repeat until you can drive without a death grip on the wheel.
     
  11. WIlee81

    WIlee81 Light Load Member

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    I'm working on shifting as well this week. Yesterday was my messy day (although we were mostly on a 4 lane hwy), but today was much better.

    It's true what they say that if you've got experience with a manual then it's more difficult to learn the big rig boxes. You've just got to retrain the muscle memory in your legs to work the clutch and throttle correctly. By the end of the day today, I was shifting almost as good as the instructor (anyone else have issues with the 6-7 shift when they first started? Lol).

    I'm sure when we do city driving tomorrow or thursday I'll be a mess again, but it's all part of the learning process. Just stick with it, look and plan as far ahead as you can, and take your time. You'll get it in no time.
     
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