Questions about general things while trucking

I appreciate all the responses. I learned alot from the replies. My trainer insists I shift during right and left turns, to not hold up traffic from behind. But now I'll just screw what he says and do my own thing. Not a very good trainer at all, from the replies I can see from here. I guess I got in the habit of caring about what cars think, but it sounds like I probably shouldn't, no new driver is perfect I shouldn't be worrying about holding up traffic and getting anxiety, possibly causing an accident in the process. As for the night driving, I'll be pulling over regardless of what my trainer says, I don't want to be a statistic some day.

 

Shifting takes practice. I'm assuming you are using the clutch and not floating. You want to just nudge the clutch and not got too deep. You want to shift at like 1300 RPM. It's much easier. When your not going that fast you don't need all those RPM's.

I also would never let you use the phone. You need to focus on driving. Radio in time. You start fooling with the stations and all of a sudden your drifting off the road. It's just that you need to focus on driving.

As far as being fatigued-- Were you genuinely eyes were closing, cannot stay awake tired, or just uncomfortable? Coffee is the truth, the way, and the life.

If you were so tired you couldn't hold your eyes open, then yes I'd say stop. I only ever had one guy that couldn't do his shift at night.

Shifting is all practice and timing. Nudge the clutch, and don't let the RPM get too high.

 

Not sure, do you have a month experience with you full CDL or just your temps? I know most states will auto fail you for shifting in turns, that's how I failed. Just really make sure as your going around a corner that you keep close to the inside curb, some impatient car may try to squeeze in and get around you.

When I first got my temps I had trouble coming to a red light and it would change before I got to it. A few times I couldn't get a gear, so I had to come to a complete stop to get it in. You'll be fine, once you get it you won't even have to think to shift!

 

1st gear ?
3rd when heavy, 44000
4th when empty
5th bobtail.
been doing this for over 30 yrs.
I see bobtails using 1st at a light,lol, really?
this ain't a Honda.

 

Don't shift while turning. Complete your turn and do what you need to do afterwards.


But NOT remembering landmarks and where you're at IS A SIGN OF FSTIGUE PULL OVER

 

Well I live in Canada, it's a lot different here getting your commercial license. I passed in an automatic truck, but you can still drive manual even if you passed in an auto truck. I am having the exact same problem as you when you first started. I get close to a red light and the light changes to green and I can't find a gear to put it in. I have my full license though, and have been driving with my idiot mentor for the last 4 weeks. If I don't shift during turns I get yelled at aha. But clearly this isn't the right way of doing it judging by all these replies.

 

My mentor claims it puts more pressure on the clutch and he tells me to start from 1 but when he drives he always starts from 2 which is kind of the opposite of what he's telling me.

 

I shift in turns, but, I've been driving 30 + yrs. not really a problem once your are experienced.

 

I used to find it helpful (and still do at times) to stop a little short of the stop sign or red light....10-15 feet perhaps 20 sometimes. This way you will not only have time to catch your next up shift but often catch 2 up shifts before you even start your turn......This little extra space is Perfectly legal as long as you have come to a complete stop. And you can still see the traffic either way........
Also Those first few gears will get to their next shift point RPM very fast.....almost as soon you accelerate **Boom**. RPMs are at 1200 Time to upshift. Don't wait til hits 1500 1600 RPMS. Too high. You'll grind horribly or thunk the truck if u manage to jam it in....Those numbers are for the higher gears.