Schneider training March 15th, Carlisle PA

Well they actually want you to not have any experience with shifting because its easier. Its hard to get used to the double clutching. But they do a pretty good job...just get the rpms up to where they need to be...1300 for single gear shifting:
*rpms to 1300
*clutch in, get out of gear, clutch out
*as soon as you raise that foot up, push the clutch back in and shift to the next gear.

basically its one fluid motion...clutch in, shift out of gear, clutch out, clutch in, shift in, clutch out....clutch, shift, clutch, shift........clutch, shift, clutch, shift.
Its hard to get used to, because you are driving, looking, shifting...etc.

When downshifting, its just adding one more step. When you clutch in and shift out...pump the pedal to raise the rpms up, then clutch in, shift in, clutch out.

They said often in our class, that we wont be perfect in shifting by the time we were done and they were right. Their main concern is that if you lose a gear, that you are able to find it again quickly. Pay attention to the road, and plan far ahead so you can have plenty o time to get into the right gear.

I dont think they have a jump through fire mentallity...they will help you to a certain point and then they pretty much start slowing down on ya. If you really struggle, you can ask for more time with your instructor...but I saw a case of where they seemed to give up on the studnets that were really struggling.

 

Well its goo that you are learning alot.
When i deal with the macros...these are the macros I have used so far.
*0
And...thats pretty much it. lol. All of my messages are freeform and occasionally I will send in a Mac21 for SEM, but being that I live up in the boonies of Gods Country, nobody wants to come out, lol.

Ive only parked in a truck stop once...too chicken to do so and the only reason I parked in there was because I had to stay in Utah overnight for training and found a spot that had two spaces side by side open, so I was able to wiggle in and out until I was cozy. Im confident of my backing skills....just not so much when expensive trucks are on either side and I have zippo experience with that. That and the Pilot truck stops are made by morons. Id suggest fueling at a Pilot and then going over to a nearby Flying J...their parking lots seem to be better. Of course, then you loose the chance to take a freebie shower. The TA that I run by everyday has a huge parking lot and most, if not all of their spots are a easy 'nail em on teh first try' style.

Then you have Little America...dear lord, its a friggen maze but boy can they cram the trucks in there. Easy pull ups or backs in that one here in WY.

On the narrow bridges, keep an eye out for the weight limit...if it was narrow, you both probably overkilled the weight limit. I run on one every day as a shortcut that has a limit of 18 tons and I figure Im a tad over that, but its also short enough so that I dont think the entire truck ant railer is on tehre at the same time.

rest...not sure about that...technically you should be getting quite a bit of rest.

Logs...(evil laugh) oh little Grasshopper, you have much to learn. They can check to see if your logs are accurate by matching the fueling times to your logs (make sure you note when you fuel). Outside of that, they have zippo to go on. Its not too hard...although its very easy to pass on doing them when you stop for the night or something.

 

Dude hang in there!

It was this time last year when I made my first solo trip. When things are not going as planned, I would take a deep breath and talk to myself. Things like.....hey man, slow down, you can do this just get thru this situation and go to the next.

The last thing you want to do when running behind is to try to make up time by short cuts and wind up running over some one.

There will be some days when things go much smoother and you will be able to rest. Dont worry about asking for help at the truck stops, most drivers are more than willing to help. I have seen people get out of their trucks and ask drivers if they need help. There are some REALLY good people out there.

As a matter of fact I am in the process of going back out again. It does get in your blood. After you get home a couple of times and recharge your body you will be itching to run again.

Hang in there dude, you will be fine.

 

Is that the Pilot with the Wendys in B'ham Ala? If so I hit it about
8 pm one night, it was brutal.

 

I had a few drivers tell me the company is sending people home at its west memphis location and that Schneider is in the process of filing bankruptcy.

Anyone know if this is true or not?