72mph # Swift Will get you FIRED

That is why we urge the newbies to stay away from the mega-carriers. Now maybe you can jump on the band wagon and let the newbies know why they should stay away from the mega-carriers.

 

I am learning that downshifting while already on a downgrade is a "no no". Even having taken and passed the Class A test the study guide says that exact thing is a no no. My question is this. In order to get your gear you must match engine speed with road speed right? If your on a downgrade and you are being pushed by your load, how can you find a lower gear if you gotta match engine speed to road speed? Logically you couldn't get a lower gear, you would have to grab the gear to match the speed.

The CDL study guide says to get that lower gear before you start the downgrade. Please tell me am I right or am I wrong. In short I agree that you cannot shift in a downgrade, I can't imagine anyone can and grab the proper gear, it seems at least for now mechanically, and logically impossible.

 

Well at that particular time it is too late. That is why you always go down the hill in a gear or two lower than you climbed it. You also never let your rig pick up speed in the first place. Whatever the posted limit for trucks is if you are heavy then keep it well below that. This will keep you out of trouble every time!

 

Right, I know that, but some folks were saying they have downshifted while already in the downgrade. To me that seems impossible.

 

No, I didn't shoot that video. I believe it was shot by a CREngland O/O on a Walmart dedicated load across Donner.
He was a member here for a short while.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3TszsRwwZA&feature=related

 

The videos posted here are used in training classes with Swift. I've seen them before. But...how did this thread get turned into a Swift bashing party when the o/p was so obviously wrong in his actions that resulted in his termination?

Regarding Sovine: if I didn't have him on ignore, I might have to get upset about his direct personal attacks on me. But I don't have to pay any attention to him any more. See, I went through his posts just to see whether he ever had anything constructive to say. But he doesn't. Each time somebody posts about a company, regardless of which company, he jumps into the middle of it trash talking the company. I counted 7 different companies he's done this on. I can't believe he worked for each and every one of those companies in his 10 years on the road, although he does admit to working for "several." Apparently there was never a good fit, so he is now an "ex" trucker. He has no credibility with me, so I have placed him on ignore. Unfortunately, when he is quoted by someone else, the "ignore" does not transfer. So I shall merely skip to the next post when I see his name quoted.

 

Just another "I got fired so company A sucks" post, but some of these replies are pretty funny lol

 

There are times when it is impossible to do anything but downshift on the downgrade. If you have chosen the proper gear at the top, you will not have wound out your rpm's nor touched your foot brake. If I can't ride my jake to the bottom, I'm in the wrong gear.

Today, going down the west side of Cabbage, I selected my seventh gear and had no trouble descending the hill on the jake with the rpm's around 1400. As I rounded a corner, there were two trucks, side by side, taking up both lanes and going slower than me. What are you going to do? According to your information from a book and a school, you can't downshift because your engine is wound out and you don't have enough foot brake to slow down enough to shift. Are you going to let yourself run into the back of one of these trucks while you lay on the air horn and cuss at them? They are doing what they are supposed to do. Now you have to make a decision. According to your information, you can either run into one of them or take the shoulder and pray you don't run off the edge of the cliff.

Or, if you were already in the correct gear, you can downshift. Which I did. On a 6% hill. And then cruised to the bottom in 6th gear on my jake.

The same basic thing happened going down Snoqualmie. Only this time, it was three lanes of four wheelers on ice. Thing is, I left far more than enough following distance and was already in the correct gear.

You have to choose a gear that will allow you to stop on a downgrade if it becomes necessary. If you can stop, you can downshift.

Regardless of what these schools tell you, you have to figure out that real world experience is worth far more than the insurance company driven three-week "training" to get your CDL. That said, do what you have to do to get that CDL. Then, when you get with an experienced person (I'm talking about someone like BW9 or Redd) forget everything you "learned" in school and listen to your road-experienced trainer.

 

I spend a lot of time on here.. Does this mean i don't work? Does this mean i have nothing better to do than troll on here like Sovine? C'mon get with it.

I hit hills at a safe speed, even if it makes other drivers mad me. They can get over it as far as i am concerned.

I come on here when i have DOWN time.. (read breaks, unloading etc) Oh well, i am gonna troll some more.