(HELP) Advice needed for Flatbed interview and testing in 18-speed (time sensitive)

I haven't seen anything yet, I only phone interviewed so far. Monday is in person interview and road test. The gentlemen on the phone said as long as I do OK on the road test, I pretty much have the job because the phone interview went so well. He was even making comments telling me that I don't even need to look for a job anymore he seemed so confident to bring me on and liked what he heard with me. Although, I did get offered another job today after interviewing with them. I postponed the start day for that job until I see how next week goes. So technically, I have two jobs now, and possibly a third Monday depending on how this road test goes. 2 Flatbed jobs and the one offered to me today was for a dry van no touch, but the money stinks. This company does mostly heavy construction stuff and heavy equipment "I think."

 

@Animosus Thanks for all that feedback as well as everyone else that posted.

 

I am a big fan of youtube and have learned a wealth of information from it in the last ten years. What I can do today versus ten years ago blows my mind sometimes. Just how much I have learned about this industry alone is incredible.

 

So I did stop down at the training school that I graduate from recently and spoke with one of my instructors at length this morning. He went over "splitting" gears with me and it's not as complex or troublesome as I thought it was. I am surprised that they didn't cover this in school. He pretty much told me what someone else in the thread already said. Just focus on using 1-8 and don't split gears except in 8th on highway speeds. He told me to "split" a gear, all I had to do is throw the switch while accelerating, and back off the gas peddle for a moment, then give it gas again, and that would engage the split. He showed me how 1-4 doesn't split anyway, and how you can't go to the lower gears while the switch is forward for splitting gears when you are already in 5-8, and vice versa when you are in 1-4. I had no idea about this. After speaking with him this morning for a while, and sitting in a cab with him as he showed me this stuff, I felt better about the interview.

He also told me to explain to them that I have "only" double-clutched in school, and ask them what I should do about it prior to testing, hoping they would be cool about it. He also gave me some pointers about checking the chains. I was a bit worked up until I went and talked with him this morning. I feel better about the scenario now and just going to hope for the best.

I will watch some more videos this weekend about pre-trip checking the freight and chains if I can find any. I am a big visual learner so I will see if I can find anything this weekend in between work shifts, plus I have been watching a ton of videos for the last two weeks on how to secure loads anyway. I am not totally clueless, but definitely no expert and no pratical experience yet.

Outside of pulling a weighted load, I have already done this run in school and did pretty good at it. It was also one of the only days I drove the 18 speed. The rest of my time in school was on a 10 speed. So in school, I was able to do this run up the mountains in a truck I haven't driven before, and it was an 18 speed for the first time for me, and I did fine for a student. So I should be OK. It's one thing in classes I heard pretty consistently was how good my driving was compared to other students and what they normally see from students. At least that is what every instructor I drove with told me. My backing is my weakest link, but that's only because I didn't get enough time behind the wheel once it all started to click for me. Driving and pretrip stuff I am pretty good with and was learning quickly.

I am not worried about how it will go "if" they give me the job. I am confident in myself that I will learn quickly once I can get serious time behind the wheel. It's just getting through this test and getting the job.

If I can double clutch in this test truck, then that is what I will do. I have never floated at all before, and I don't think I want to be experimenting for the first time under the gun, unless they insist on it.

That's kind of where I am at tonight with things. Thanks for all the feedback. I was definitely getting in my head too much about it.

I also kept reminding myself that anyone I meet with on Monday has already walked in my shoes and knows what it was like to be a brand new driver and maybe I will get some grace from them for that alone.

Oh yea, my former instructor knew of the company I am testing with, and confirmed they are a great outfit, with very low turnover, and was impressed they were willing to give me a shot. They are located right around the corner from my training school and he was very familiar with them. One of their former drivers was an instructor at my school at one time, and they have trained some of their drivers. He said if I can get in, I would have a very good job and career.