Comments By Gary W.

What percentage of manual transmissions are synchronized now days?

Ok,i have been watching some videos on you tube on shifting 10,13,18 speed transmission's. Question is, do all trucks have hi-low with a splitter,or do some have just a hi-low without a splitter. Kind of a corney question, but it ran across my mind,and of course i had to ask all the experts!!!!!!!! Thanks much for any input!!!! Gary

Hey folks. Thought I'd share a little bit of my own experience with starting gears and shifting patterns. Keep in mind I drive tractors with an Eaton 10 speed. All things considered, if you're starting on a level surface (no decline or incline), I usually start in 3rd gear and then move into 5th. I'm floating the gears, so when I bring it out of 3rd, I pause a bit before dropping it into 5th, so it will slide right in. Most schools and companies will want you to officially use progressive shifting - and this is what you'll need to do to pass your CDL road test, and any company road test for hiring purposes. Most drivers learn to float then. What I'm suggesting is only for when you go solo - keep that in mind.

It doesn't really matter how heavy or light I am, I can always start in third w/o lugging the tractor. Sometimes on a decline, I'll start in 4th. I don't start in 2nd anymore unless I'm on a steep incline and am loaded heavy.

3rd to 5th takes away the amount of gears you gotta go through. It's quick and efficient, especially starting from a traffic light or when a turn is coming up and you want to focus on completing the turn and not going through more gears. It's been my preferred method now. You can pre-select for high range after just one shift, since you go from 5th right into 6th which is high range. You can't rush it though since you're skipping 4th. You'll need to give a little pause between 3rd and 5th.

Hope this gives some of you guys / gals food for thought. I actually picked this up from my last trainer over a month ago and having been doing it every since.

Now i have been studying a couple of you tube videos,and found a couple for 10 and 13 speed. I do not think i will have a problem up shifting, because it seems easier than down shifting. What i am thinking on the down shifting and is a little tricky,is when your coming back into 4,3,2 from 5 & 6 and have to do that little switch thing on the shifter. I just keep watching over and over,and it finally is beginning to make sense. Same as the double clutching. Time and patience together,and practice. That's what i keep telling myself. Hope this helps some. Good luck to ya!!

Yes sir!! There are trucking companies out there that will take someone your age. One, stop and think,if true, how many truck driver jobs are going to have to be filled in the next 10-15 years. Second, i thought i was to old at 59,but i believe that regardless if your 59 or 69, if you got the patience,time,will power to learn the trade, it will be yours. Like i have read before, everything takes time to learn,and you only get better over time. So don't feel bad about being the age you are. Nothing wrong with that. Go for it,and the best of luck to you!!!!

My first question to tt. I start cdl class in 2 weeks, and have been studying my air brake test. Question is, how many actual air brake test are there?? I have seen 5 to 7 test. It's a little confusing. Second question, do the air brake test go in a set sequence as a standard, or do they jump them around? Hope this does not sound like stupid questions. Just trying to get everything down pat. Overall, i have the air brake procedures down. Thank you for any and all input.

I am a newbie to the trucking truth forum as of today. I am proud and thankful for all the useful information on this website. But most of all thank you to brett and mike for all their years of input for all of us. Also, there is is a guy that i want to thank, but do not quite know how about contacting him or letting him know about his wonderful submission of pretrip inspection photos and information. It is the most perfectly descriptive information i have found in the last year. Thanks goes to daniel b, out of sacramento,ca if i have it correct. Post # 2189 Thank you daniel for all the useful information. Now,i am proud to say,and quite excited, that at 59,and studying the oregon cdl from front to back,I will begin my cdl training class's at IITR in Alabany,Or on October 27th. Have studied for a year,and finally pulled the plug, and said let's do it. A little nervous, and very geared up for it. So that is about it for now. Any other input would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks again to all!! Gary