my swift training progress

Stay with it man. Every newbie their first time out botches up shifting and backing. It will come in time. I was always told there are 3 phases to shifting. Phase one: you CANNOT shift this truck, phase two: you will FORCE this truck to shift, phase three: you CAN shift! Your trainer shoulde be helping you calm down and keep your head. That the key, RELAX. It takes time and if you want this bad enough, you will accomplish it! Safe trip!

 

I was with a trainer for 8 weeks as standard length of company training and it wasnt till week 6 i really felt confident. I trained in an International Pro Star but once done with training was thrwon into a Freightshaker Cascadia. I had to relearn the shifting and rpms etc...had it 3 weeks and just now feeling really comfortable in it. These things take time. I was there myself, and I know it isnt easy cause I was stressin too, but ake your time. Learn what you can and enjoy the ride. Oh and dont worry what people say about you. I have been cursed at, named called, and even threatened but you cant let it get to ya man. Good luck. God speed.

 

Keep at it, man. I still have bad days shifting. Were you on I-40 in North Carolina running towards Tennessee? That can be a helluva ride in the dark. Ran through there other night in the rain. Honestly, I keep the CB off. Too much trash talking and BS on there. Don't get discouraged.

 

Good post keep us updated!!!!!

 

Do not worry. You will get plenty of backing experience. When I have a student, we will take weekends and pull into a empty truck stop and I let him back all that he wants. As far as the hills, wait until you get out to the Northwest if you get a chance, which I think that you will. Enjoy and learn all that you can and keep up that great attitude.

 

I feel for ya...while my first day of training was not in the moutains it was in downtown Philly I-95 rush hour traffic.

 

My first shift - I woke up in the sleeper, peeked out the sleeper window, saw nothing but snow, watched a truck on the other side go in the ditch and listen to my trainer on the CB trying to find out how bad the road was on Elk Mountain ... I took over at Rawlins east bound and ran it all the way to Omaha.

Been doing it for 4 years now. When it comes to shifting and backing up I'm not pretty. But like I told my step father - he drove for 40 years - I can get from point A to point B and get paid.