Do everyone at TMC get 379 Pete's

Its mostly a potluck deal if you run linehaul... if you run longhaul usually you get a 379 for the weight factor...also there are a few smaller Kenworths

 

Mostly the trainers get the 387 bubble trucks. The majority of the fleet is the 379 short nose trucks. There are also the 379 long noses and the Kenworth T-800 trucks that look to me like somebody swatted a fly and designed a truck to look like it. If you want a 379 you will likely get one. If you want a 387 of a KW you may need a bit of luck, and if you score higher on the road test you get priority. The longhaul division always gets 379's to the best of my knowledge.

 

I was told they only have 13 speeds and they're a pain to get used too. I only drove 9 and 10 speeds at my school, do they give you a chance to go driving for alittle while and get used to the gear pattern? I dont see myself having difficulty learning it but I'd hate to be graded my first time driving one and fudge it because Im not accustomed to the gear pattern.

 

You will get plenty of practice. first during the orientation/training. Then when you go out with a trainer for I think it is 6 weeks..and 10k miles.
There is nothing to it..heck i drive mine like its a 9 speed, only splitting on the upper range.

 

are you able to skip gears with em? from my understanding there are 2 range selectors, one for low gear and one dividing each gear into high and low... I imagine I'd just get into the habit of atleast skipping each high or each low till i get to the higher gears if thats the case... but when a TMC driver/trainer(that was also a former student) stopped at my school he told me when I hit any real traffic I'd be constantly shifting back and forth

 

There is a range lever, controlling The high and low ranges.

There is a Splitter Control Button, allowing you to split the four high gears.

Reverse is used in Lo or Hi Range.

Lo, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears are in the Low Range.

You can actually use Lo Gear in the Hi Range although the manual tells you not to do this. It is equal to about 4th Lo Range.

5th Lo, 5th Hi, 6th Lo, 6th Hi, 7th Lo, 7th Hi, 8th Lo, 8th Hi gears are in the High Range.

You do not split the Low Gears on the High Gears.

You can skip gears, just be careful you are not putting undue stress on the drive train. If you are loaded heavy I would not recommend skipping any gears execpt Lo gear. Lo would be used from a stop going up a significant hill.

If you are used to a 9 Speed a 13 speed is the same shift pattern, with splitting the high range as the only difference.