Shifting Concerns

They should be teaching it the right way! what you do later is up to you. On most road test score sheets there is a section the tester has to check that you are able to use the clutch proporly. The last road test I took, I had to fake it, it depends on the person testing you.

 

find another place to learn.....................

 

In order to pass the DOT driving test in Iowa, you have to double clutch...so the school has to teach you how to double clutch so you can get your Class A license from the DOT. If they don't teach you, how will you pass the DOT test? I guess you could teach yourself when you are driving the schools truck...

We had a federal DOT inpsector ride with one of the state DOT testors during a driving test, to verify the state was meeting the federal DOT requirements....so I would believe every state giving a road test would have the same requirement that you double clutch. The testor even states such at the beginning of the road test.

It is also true that after you get your class A license you will not need to double clutch, as my boss wants me to float the gears (shift without clutching at all). So I had to first unlearn the double clutching habit, and just clutch once, and now I am getting out the habit of clutching in the high range when I am emplty. I just can't get my brain to believe I can shfit with a load on without using the clutch at all.

 

If you take the state road test in truck with a standard transmission you will have to double clutch or you will fail it is a dot requirement on the test. Also it is true that most companies either don't know or don't mind if you float. However many of them still make you to do so when taking there road test during orientation before they let you work for them. I would report the school to the dot for not teaching you the right way. But at the very least when you have time alone in the truck try to teach yourslef the right way to do it.

 

Practice while your on the john with the plunger. Make the engine noise too. Actually, dbl clutching kinda helps the bowells move as well. It really helps get the timing down

 

Just use the clutch, why they call it "double" clutching is beyond me.
Use the clutch to shift and drive.

I remember years ago this kid out of trucking school asked me...."do you double shift?" I said I have no idea, just watch me drive. Well by the time we got to the field, I asked him "do I double shift?"

Don't get caught up on this term is my point!
Drive the truck to the best of your ability!

 

double clutch

 

Im having a hard time learning the proper way to downshift can someone tell me do i need to use the brakes when downshifting or do i just clutch to neutral and rev the engine without using the brakes and downshift to the next lower gear.

 

Really depends on the situation. If you are coming to a quick stop you aren't going to be doing all that. Don't sweat it. You are going to have plenty of time to practice! You will also learn not to go through all those gears.

 

I just Graduated from a trucking school outside of Phila,PA ,almost a month now. And remember my teacher YELLING at me that I dwn shifting to much and doing to much work. I quess every truck is different,but I always focus on ground speed ,tach and what gear ur in or need to be in . Towards the end of school, I tried to do no more than 3 dwn shifts from10 gr .