Shifting killed me on my road test {FAIL}

Why would it matter.. I have pulled 135k up mountains.. through towns. and floated gears never use the clutch but to stop or start.. but I guess I am just a trucking god though.. Weight makes no bearing on double clutching or floating.. driver attentiveness does. Just have to remember everything happens faster

 

In this situation you are going to go into either 5th or 6th gears... I normally go in 6th empty 5th loaded.. It took me a while to realize this but I figured out over the years if I come out of 10 13 15 or 18 depending on the transmission and go to the lowest possible gear on the highside of the tranny I will be in the right gear.

 

whoever was training you should be taken out back and shot. when i was in school, we started off in 1st gear, bobtail or towing a trailer each and every time. as each persons skills progressed, the instructor started to let us dictate the shifting and downshifting. by the time it was time to test out, most of the students could (roughly) shift the truck and some could even use progressive (skipping gears) upshifting and downshifting.

i take it you tested at the DMV. that is the worst place to do a CMV road test. i bet 9 out of 10 of the DMV works could even start a semi. the school i attended was state certified to do on site testing. it helped that we knew the instructor that was the testing agent for the state. that eased tension right there. you will get the hang of shifting. and when you do, you will get thrown in a truck with a super 10 or an 18 speed. then its a new ballgame once again

PS i have a super 10 and i HATE THE THING. but seeing how i am the only one that can drive it without tearing it to shreds, might be the reason i got stuck with the thing. at least they changed the programming so 9th and 10th are not automatic. that drives me insane.

 

hbkirishwarrior
where can I buy a Freightliner with a gas pedal?
LOL

 

Stay calm above all when your shifting. Pretend the guy sitting next to you is not there. Dont look at the tach constantly cause now your taking your eyes off the road. Use your engine sounds to know when to shift, get a comfy hold on the shift and position your hand where you can reach the splitter without trouble. I had a state cop sitting next to me when i first went for mine..Nicest fellow i ever met.
Good luck with your re-test.

 

Half of the problem is not so much having a mental idea of knowing which gear you should grab ... but it's the actual process of getting into that gear and clutching that particular truck in a way that works, from an unusual speed position. This is what get's many into trouble. Every truck is different in what it wants, and the clutching action required. Furthermore, any discussion with new drivers and CDL tests about "don't even bother using a clutch" is counter-productive to the discussion.

 

I have never driven a truck that required clutching.. just a light foot on the fuel..

 

You passed a CDl road test exam without using a clutch?

 

I have never used a clutch.. When I took my test I put it on the clutch.. The guys truck I took the test in and learned to drive in would have killed me if I used his clutch.. He was an old timer that believed it messed the the clutch up... So yes.. I didn't use the clutch when I took my test.. Hell When I took my test you could take it in a pickup with a gooseneck trailer, yeah you didn't get the air brake part of the test that way but all you had to do was go back in and do the pretrip on a truck with air brakes.. I am sure the laws have changed since then. It has been like 21 years since I took the test..

 

I've driven mostly everything. My favorite is an 18 speed. However for the purpose of this thread. I find the above explanation to be the most suitable. Just make sure you don't float the gears. If your unfamilar with the truck and how it shifts and all that (since each truck has its only lil twerks) floating could lead to another failed attempt.

Theres a old saying, and I'm only going to repeat it, since the idea of driving the truck like a car was mentioned. You can drive any car like a truck. But you can't drive any truck like a car. Keep this in mind and you'll be ok. Double clutch, do everything like "your suppose to" and you'll be ok. The above speed paterns per gears is ideal for a 10 speed. I would start in 4th to be honest on flat ground, if the nose of the truck was facing a incline from a stop, I may start from 3rd if driving a 10speed.