A New Student Who Was Not Properly Trained :(

I really have no business to reply, I start school in about a week, but you already made the investment, sounds to me like you can definitely handle a truck, its just a matter of the different kinds. So you know you can do it, don't let anyone make you feel otherwise! Best wishes to you!!

 

Keep on trying. Don't harp about the six speed - you obviously CAN drive so just apply, apply, apply, go for your road tests and do your best. Mike learned on a 10 and a 13 and never drove a ten for months and months but when taken out for a road test, the guy could see he could handle it and would learn it quick enough so he was hired no problem.

Don't even mention the six speed until AFTER your road test, if at all. Just try your best, DO NOT PANIC, keep on going and you'll find a spot.

If you start out telling them "this is all I have, I'm probably not good enough" then you probably won't be. Positive thinking helps a LOT. You DO know how to shift so just jump in there feet first and go for it.

I'm sure you'll do fine if you just forget what you DON'T have emphasize what you DO have - good driving record, you can handle a truck, you know how to back up, you can shift, etc., etc., etc.

 

A little bump-n-grind never hurt nothin'. What kind of a trucking school teaches with a 6 speed for cryin' out loud ?? And a 30' trailer ?? what's a matter.... are they still living in 1950 ? what's wrong with these jokers? you did go to a trucking school right?

 

Pale called it. What kind of school was this? Hopefully, it was in back of an old Western Auto store and charged a hundred bucks for training, which was two days long and no more.

You are partly to blame. You didn't check out what the "industry standard" was beforehand and got burned. There is a silver lining, though. You can now drive a beer wagon or a pop truck. Apply with one of those companies.

I'd go back to the school and ask 'em to give me some training on a real rig, especially if you paid a pretty penny for tuition. If they gave me any static, I'd then call my state's attorney general.

Good luck.

 

I think this driver is letting the gears freak him out. I'm sure he knows the basics and if he were to relax I think he'd do just fine. Most everyone that I know that has a few years driving know that a student needs alot more training. Any driver should be able to pick up the workings of any trans and any set up. It's just a matter of getting out there and doing it safely.

 

I trained on a 9 speed. My first truck solo had a super 10... that was scary getting used to that. Its all about wanting to, and patience.
My first day out with the super 10, I was turning across a busy road on the turn signal. The signal ended, and my transmission hadnt shifted into the next gear I selected. I had to come to a dead stop, pick the low gear, and start again. The traffic wasnt very kind, and they were honking and waving middle fingers at me. Boy did they think that would help my transmission shift smoother or what?
Thankfully that doesnt happen anymore!

 

Don't sweat it. I learned on a six speed to, but that was in a rollback. I then had to learn how to drive a 9, 10, 13, 18, autoshift, ultrashift, allison, and a ZF 10 speed trans all in about one month. In all reality it is not that bad. You take the basic knowledge and twist it just a little and it will fit into the next spot. If you know how to drive a six speed then all you have to do is flip the selector and start over.

 

but you'd be surprised . we had students who didn't know their right from left when they were trying to dock. they'd be lucky if they managed to get the trailer into the wrong dock !!

 

There were grads from my school who couldn't drop a box, pull out and move around on the lot bobtail, and return to the box and repower without having to do five to ten pullups. When you can't get that maneuver down by graduation day, it's time to turn in the fresh CDL and admit getting it was a mistake.

 

Sure sounds like it. That's horrible! Obviously driving a truck is not a career they are suited to.

Scary that those ones may keep their CDL (after failing it many, many times but finally passing) may be on the road with us... scary indeed.