License and Restrictions

I think that one of those "CDL in a day" outfits might be ideal for you. Normally they prep you for taking the pretrial, skills, and driving tests in a truck and you use their truck for the tests. However, I think if you explain your situation you could pay the $300-400 fee and be able to use a 10 speed and spend a few hours getting familiar with shifting. That would increase your confidence.

Here is a couple of things I did when training recent CDL graduates. After getting a baseline of their skill set, after a couple of hours I would have them stop, set the parking brake, then have them hit specific rpm's. I would start with the normal 1100 and 1500 rpm's, the shift points as taught in school. I would have them pay attention to how LITTLE they have to move the throttle. THEN I would have them close their eyes and continue to hit those rpm's simply by listening to the engine. Then I would start calling out oddball rpm's like 800, 1800, 1300, etc. All that with their eyes closed.

About 10 minutes of the rpm drill and I would have them get underway again, BUT I would tell them to NOT hold the shifter in the palm of their hand. I wanted them to hold the shifter SOFTLY in their fingertips and GENTLY be nudging it toward the next gear as they made SLIGHT adjustments with the throttle.

After a few shifts where the shifter dropped into gear like butter, their eyes would light up. That's the moment they start the journey to mastering shifting. After eight years I continue that journey. I am on a mission to continuously improve. Part of that means I never ever listen to the radio, I have only listened to the truck for several years now.

Good luck. I think if you spend the money to rent a truck and "trainer" for a day you will accomplish your goal. Keep us informed.