I'm struggling with shifting, currently with a trainer.

I hope I'm dead by then,,

 

I would have to practice double clutching before taking a road test that requires it. Don’t give up. You’ll be a pro in no time.

 

In 45+ years of driving trucks, I have never double clutched while driving a truck, as a matter of fact, I’ve never used a clutch in a truck other than coming to a stop and starting from a stop.

 

You only need to pass the test, all else will fall into place with repetition as far as manual shifting.

I was just finally getting comfortable & so proud of how smooth I had gotten with shifting in truck I started out in during training, after licensing.

We were in a 2 truck convoy FL to CA on same loads. Trainee in other truck was about 2mos ahead of me in training & about due to head back to test out & get his own truck.

Owner of the 2 trucks (my trainer) decided we should switch trainers/trucks & he would take other guy back to test out. All good with me.

However, cue the ready made "Three Stooges & Keystone Cops" episode that would transpire........

Trucks were completely different makes/models. It was as if you had just put both of us in a truck for the first time that very day. Hell, even all the controls were laid out radically different!

I would stall out & he would have to wait on me. He would stall out & I would have to wait on him. Rinse & repeat for a good portion of that first day.

Must have been quite the entertaining site, as our 2 "trainers" were jabbering back & forth on the CB & laughing so hard that other guy & myself thought we might have to take them into the ER due to oxygen deprivation.

All told, we both adjusted fairly quickly & by the time we got to CA all was as normal. It just shocked us both as to how different everything was to us going to different truck. Everyone had a blast on that trip & is one of my best memories of training. We all still roll about it whenever it does come back to mind.

Oh yeah, other trainee was also an experience race car driver & soon to be my team co-driver during our first year driving. So, previous car clutch experience doesn't mean a hell of a lot w/truck. LOL. Still a great friend up in AK to this day & full time CDL school instructor up there, after leaving OTR about 4/5 yrs ago.

Just get past the test. The rest will come.

Instructor can't tell crap after only 3 days

His only job is to just get you licensed. Your training will come from company you actually get employed by. Some better, some more minimal.

You can do this!

Good luck & DON'T QUIT!

Edit:: An instructor worth his salt would be working with you on your biggest weaknesses, teaching & encouraging you, not discouraging you.

However, it is just a job to many. Like many other jobs that are out there, some have their hearts in it. Others, not so much......

If you had decided to go to school in Kanai, AK.... have a hell of an experienced instructor that does have his heart into it & would have set you right! LOL

 

Never go faster than you are capable of safely going. You need to respond to pressure to hurry up by slowing down and enjoying NOT going faster. Guess who is 100% to blame when you screw up? Guess who is 100% to blame if you hurry up and make a mistake as your trainer demanded. In both cases you are 100% to blame. If he wants to go faster, let him drive. He doesn't want you to hurry up and have your accident. Just say OK and do it safely.

 

You never mention which/what kind of school is involved here.

Privately owned, community college, etc?

Doesn't sound very reputable to me. I would do some more vigilant research on schools before making any more decisions.

Even as an instructor/trainer for a mega for several years, no way would I give up on someone at 3 DAYS. Scheeezzz Louise. You haven't really had a chance to hardly learn a thing, let alone start correcting anything.

Private would be even worse, as hard money is being paid as a customer for this.

I'm guessing this is a private, rush you through in a week or 2 school, as you mentioned instructor already worried about time frame left after only 3 days.

 

Most all Community College programs are very good programs. 160 or more hrs, correct?

I expect $ will be refunded if YOU did not quit & they broke agreement.

I am shocked to hear this was a Community College program.