Please please I need help in CDL school

You are only 3 days in, give it time, seriously. When getting my cdls in my class we had a couple of foreigners who could barely speak English and took extra time to get them prepared for the testing. Trust me your school will work with you. There is a trick on the 90 degree back and if you instructor is any good he will give you the exact points to look at while doing the backing. If I remember correctly like when turning the wheel all the way to the right as soon as you see the leg of the landing gear in the mirror then you turn your wheel all the way left until you see landing gear leg. Something like that. Ask your instructor to be sure but there are focal points when doing that backing. The crazy thing is once you get your license you will almost always not get yourself into those situations where you will ever need those backings to park your semi. Don’t sweat it you will be just fine. Seriously.

 

When I was in school I questioned my decision to do it. It takes time to get the hang of shifting. It can be intimidating. Take your time and listen to your instructors. Best of Luck -

 

Understandable. I felt the exact same way. Just listen to the instructor and he should give you pointers on the backing. On taking off if you have the truck in gear let off on clutch slowly, let clutch all the way out and the truck will go. It is not like a car where you have to let off clutch and gas at the same time. Just like if your on a hill, you just let off the clutch and the truck will engage and go forward you don’t have to worry about the semi rolling backwards if you just let off the clutch and the truck is in correct gear. So when I went to school, with a trailer they would always have us take off in 4 th gear. Next time you are in truck put it in 4th gear and let off clutch you will see the truck will roll. So that should help with rough starts for you.

 

I need to word that last post a little better. If you are on a hill you have your brake pedal pushed, your in gear with foot on clutch. Say the light turns green you start releasing the clutch ( at a sweet spot the releasing of the clutch a tad bit will hold your truck on the hill, the light changes and release the clutch all the way and your truck will go.) Still not the best explanation but keep in mind you truck can roll backwards but keeping foot on brake and holding in clutch will keep it from doing so. I’m hoping someone else comes along here and will better explain it to you. Just keep in mind the clutch on a semi is nothing like the clutch in a car. Next time behind the wheel put truck in gear and let off on clutch and it will take off.

 

Just relax my man. You got this, take your time and breathe. I was slightly nervous the first time I took that 48’ flat on the road. You’ll be okay!

 

You shouldn’t have to touch the throttle when taking off from a stop. If you do then you are either in too high a gear or maybe something wrong with truck? What kind of truck are you in?

Also, probably shouldn’t be worrying about floating gears in cdl school. Aren’t they teaching you to double clutch?