Road training?

You would be suprised how easy that dot test really is. Once you have been on the road a bit youll look back and just say wow. I didn't go threw swifts cdl school so I can't answer to anything on that, but there is a wait for mentors so once your done be prepared to wait somemore. The main thing here is to keep your eye on the goal you will get there.

 

Keep your pretrip fresh in your head, and continue to practice the air brake test steps, count 'em off with your fingers as you go through them so you know you got all the steps down-- The air brake test is the number 1 thing they are looking to see if you know, driving and pretrip about equal below that.

 

Hang in there, Chum! With 1000+ posts to the board, you'll do just fine . .

 

I use: SAWS GPS to remember airbrakes
S - static
A - applied
W - warning (low air buzzer)
S - spring (brakes engage)

G - govenor
P - parking (and trailer)
S - service

 

Buckeye what terminal are you out of?

 

So,the more posts we have,the better we are "out" there? After all these years..Finally,-I have found the answer.

 

Yep, 7 steps. I learned
C-- Air compressor governor Cut-In
O-- Air compressor governor Cut-Out
L-- Low Air Pressure Warning
A-- Applied Air Brake Test
P--Pop Out Test
S-- Static Air Brake Test
T--Tug Test

Pretty soon after driving a truck for a while, you find you drive a 4 wheel car around the same way lol, like wide turns, staying in the right lane like a good boy, freaking out because the Prepass didn't give you the go-ahead beep etc.
Downshifting, yes the best way to learn is to do it early and often (practice). The way (I'm sure you know already) I learned was to memorize the speeds for each gear. So when you're at the speed (or close to it within about 3-5 miles per hour either way) feather up the throttle and as it drops from 1400-1500 down to 1100-1300 (each truck is a little different) there is a sweet spot that you will be able to then shift to the lower gear-- engine speed and rpms matching up in other words.
OK Here are my shift up speeds for each gear on my 9 speed:

• Granny gear-- 1MPH shift up
• 1st gear-- 2 MPH shift up
• 2nd gear--10 MPH shift up
• 3rd gear--15MPH shift up
• 4th gear 20MPH shift up
• 5th gear 25MPH shift up
• 6th gear 35MPH shift up
• 7th gear 45-50MPH shift up

Now when I'm coming up to an offramp I can go from 8th gear to 7th gear at 55 MPH if I wanted to. But most of the time will let it slow to 50 or so before going to 7th. 6th and 5th gear I would only downshift at or below the shift up speed 35 and 25 respectively. 4th gear is my go-to gear for cruising thru turns like say rolling up on a green light to turn onto a freeway onramp 90 degrees to the roadway I'm on. Can do in 5th gear but often times lugs down. 4th also good for turning into parking lots, fuel stations, shippers etc. 3rd 2nd and 1st typically don't need to bump up the throttle to get it to shift down- maybe just a touch depends if you hit a bump in the road at the exact time you're trying to get it in and miss it.

Now they say in the book don't do this don't do that like shifting through an intersection, shifting downhill etc. There are times when it will be necessary but practice it on flat ground and master it before you try it on the mountain. I can think of a quick example of where it is necessary and that is in Colorado on HWY 50 between Maysville and Doyleville there are some places where you're bebopping along about 7th gear 45 MPH and you see up ahead some 20 MPH horseshoe turns. So all this time up and down the Rockies there you've been saving your brakes using your skills and training now you use them to slow you down enough to catch that next gear down. But because it is downhill and you cannot afford to miss the gear I recommend slowing down to a slamdunk speed you know it will go in for sure. Maybe 30 MPH 1000 rpm feather up throttle one time and put her in gear. Rinse and repeat, because 20 MPH turn is gonna be 4th gear full on engine retarder brakes and all. After you come out of that give your brakes a breather-- the best thing for hot brakes is to keep driving. If you must pull over perhaps pop only the tractor brakes and let the trailer brakes cool for a time then put the tractor in granny gear, set trailer brakes and release tractor brakes for a while let em cool, (engine off) stay in the seat so you can control the situation.