Comments By Ruminator

Thanks All. Looks like the 6th gear is the consensus. when i had to came to stop sign that was the gear I had to go in to from a higher gear when I knew 100% that i would be stopping. But I was confused when circumstances suddenly occurred to interruted those steps Light changing to green at the last second, or car pulling out in front of you then accelerating away ahead. or yield signs when you have to slow and give the right away but then things are clear to accelerate and merge,

So 6th gear it is.....sweet

Ok Thanks That helps. thru some networking of mine, I found someone(friend of a friend), who is going to let me practice on one of his trucks, he has a fleet of 3 and he has one that's just sitting around at the moment. Only bobtailing but thats fine. I can just work on my shifting. He won't be around to coach me, leaving keys in a certain spot on the truck. Gonna find a large off road place to practice and/ or an obscure road(straightaway) I used Google Earth to locate some nice possible areas in which to do this as its a couple hours away and I'm not familiar with area. Anyway, Gonna practice as you suggested.

I'm also gonna to do other type "testing". I want to see what my rpms are doing say in 6th gear going 15 mph, at 20 mph, at 25 mph and if I slow down to 10 mph. I want to get an idea of how an engine is responding to different speeds in the same gear. In School, because of student/teacher ratio they just don't give that extra time to just show you what the engine is doing exactly. they don't "break" it down like I want to "break" it down to understand more.

I'm also curious to see how far my Rpms and speed will fall in 5 seconds if I let just let off the throttle at 1100-1200 rpm at 45 mph in 9th gear vs the same at 15 mph in 6th gear. Do they both drop roughly the same ....say a 5 mph drop in speed and an 800 rpm ? or does one vary greatly from the other.

Also going to see kind of where I need to be if I want to skip a gear upshifting from say 3rd to 5th, or 4th to 6th. what speed and rpm range i need to be in. Loaded I probably won't implement this, and in general I won't be, but I want to see how smoothly if at all I can skip a gear. Also, skipping gear downshifting, 6th to 4th, 7th to 4th.... what Rpm and speed, ideally, I need to be at. And, also, if I want to go from 10th to 8th or 7th....whats ideal.

I know I'm probably over thinking things but I'm kind of a "math geek" analyzer type personality. And doing these things will just help me bring it all together in my head easier. I'm kind of reeling a little cause I got "let go" with Schneider after like 90 minutes of driving during orientation week because I wasn't "polished" enough in my shifting to continue on to the next phase-- OVR with a trainer!!! And I don't think I'm really that bad for a new grad, certainly not hopeless. I don't know, just really not sure what to do. Thankfully, I secured this truck to practice on, by myself, with no idiot instructor next to me not really caring if I succeed or not. I thinking Schneider; with my class at full capacity(40 people) like only 1 empty seat remaining in classroom..... over-hired, maybe, and were just looking to weed down to under 20 because maybe they don't have enough resources to handle 20 plus drivers training at the same time!? I hope that was the case rather than me being not good enough.....but I don't know for sure....my head is spinning right now....

Anyway thanks again for your help...

Actually, in my initial scenario. The light changes to Green and I usually been caught having the truck in 8th gear still. Because I was kinda hoping the Light would change where I still could resume in 8th gear, say, if I'm still in motion say 20-25 mph. But, then, all of a sudden, it seems, I'm going like 15 mph or less, and, in kinda of a panic of sorts, I just press the clutch in to allow myself to come to a stop. But when i'm down to 5 mph and a 100 feet away and I'm getting ready to pop in Neutral, the light turns to green and then, usually, I being the rookie I am, release the brake and clutch and try to accelerate from 5-7 mph in 8th gear and "lug" the truck. If it was a stop sign or the light stayed red, no problem. But when that light changes on me, it's like deer in the headlight syndrome, for me. I know it'll change with experience, but since I'm no longer in school and I don't even remember if my instructor said anything really, I mean I did get the truck going again but it was a little harsh resuming in 8th at 5 mph. I know you want to slow down enough to where you are "creeping" along cause its a pain to start again from a stop, but if your still moving its easier.

Rofl..... so true. Heck, in motion you can hit just about any gear.

So, being in motion, I can hit just about any gear?? You don't mean the higher gears, Do you? Resuming in 8th seems to be not the best option.

Splitter button up and go for sixth gear. That should be your "go to gear" in that situation. It's got a decent range of RPMs that should allow you to grab it and go.

Going to 6th gear seems feasible. Do I need to rev Rpms higher. Trying to go 2nd or to 3rd, perhaps, very little if any rev (1000/1100) but I'm thinking if I try to pop it in 6th that I have to rev higher to like 1600/1700?? or can I just pop it in 6th at 5-7 rpm at 800/900 rpm which I will be at I think when light changes.

Light is Red. I start to slow down from 35 in 8th gear(empty trailer) I didn't react enough(I'm still new) to downshift to any gear...So. I Brake and then just disengage clutch and shift to neutral getting ready to stop completely. I may have been like 150-200 feet before the light, I know, I'm out of gear for too long of a distance, Anyway, the light changes to green while I'm still clutching and braking at about 5 mph.

What should I do exactly?

I am not sure what my rpms will be reading at 5 mph...800, maybe?. So do immediately release brake and clutch, Rev a little and then clutch, & shift to 2nd? And then progress from there? Or can I jump to 3rd? or 4th? I know I can certainly start from a stop in 3rd or 4th but can I at least shift to 3rd or 4th going 5 mph? Hard to learn this exactly unless I am faced with this circumstance. Hasn't happened often enough to get a real understanding of it......

Lol Personally, I wouldn't call it a "free pass" exactly....because it hurt me more than it helped by not learning that procedure.....but I know where you coming from....

I'm not sure about this as I write this but, maybe you can be tested on the 45 but the school may have had an "understanding" of sorts that the regular examiner, who has been coming for years, will not make the student test on the 45 or 90...but, I'm not really sure. It's at the examiners discretion I think if they choose 45/90 to replace the parallel....but, again, I'm not really sure.....This is kinda me hypothesizing.

Yep PA Got my CDL this past December. School only taught and Examiner only required parallel and straight line.. However, for this year, 90 degree backing and off set backing was added to PA's new testing guidelines, No 45 degree. but it would have been nice if they still threw in some 45 degree training exercises.... Didn't go to DMV, had a someone come to school to test for CDL. 3rd party examiner i think they call this.

On retrospect should have gone to a company sponsored CDL training. at least that way there's no "Job driving interview" where they could let you go before you even do your usual OVR with a trainer

I feel for you. Same kind of thing happened to me with CDL training hours. 2 Trucks with mostly 1 Trainer. 8-12 students. M-F 160 hours program. You only had your initial 30 min with a trainer in the "Parking exercises" truck then it was students training each other. 5 people in truck taking approx. 15 min turns. The other truck would take 4 out and we each get like 30 minutes. Trip out before lunch and a trip out after lunch. With so many students you were lucky to get out on the road once a day for 30 minutes.

Anyway I did the Math: 160 hrs.

40 hrs----- permit study and DMV permit Test taking along with Haz and Tanker(passed all 1st try) 13 hrs------Backing/Parking exercises 11 hrs------Pretrip including Air Brakes 8 hrs-------Actual On the Road Training including 20% of that just driving around parking lot 20 hrs---Lunch 1 hr a day noon to 1pm 68 hrs---either observing others(70%) or Hanging out outside because lot truck was full and road truck was full(30%).

I manage to pass the CDL exam my first try. I wasnt very confident. Never drove a manual before I went to school. I passed, I believe , only because we able to drive the actual testing route, so we knew the speed limits, the stop signs, traffic lights etc. Shifting was rough but I managed.

So, ok Youre worried about the actual truck training time and I was, too. I was so so frustrated just like you. but when I passed the exam, there at the end, I thought everything worked out.......

I couldn't have been more wrong........

Got hired by Schneider. After only two 30-40 minute road driving excursions and 1 hr backing, I was told that I was going to be released unless I substantially improved. Had one more chance but this time was a given another trainer and a crappier truck and like 30 minutes to show them something. This guy kinda acted like an examiner. He was just evaluating me, no coaching. Consensus: I improved a little but not enough.. Right afterward, I was "let go" because my "shifting" and "backing" wasn't good enough! WOW REALLY! I was a little rusty, sure, 3 weeks have passed since my minimalist training. I had some rust to shake off but they didn't even give me a chance really. I don't have "experience" I'm a new graduate, what did they expect? Didn't they realize that most people would be a little "rough" out of the gate. I wasn't bad I assure you, I handled truck safely, but did I grind some gears- yes, did I miss a gear-yes(few times), did i forget the splitter, yes twice. did I stall the truck-well yes-once but mostly I shifted well. Wasn't too bad I thought for 1st day of driving. 1 more day or 2 and I'll be good. Never got the chance.

And with my backing, School taught me Parallel and straight back parking only. Its all I needed to know to pass exam. No 45 or 90 degree.... (only students who were taking exams after the new year practiced that.) Well guess what. Schneider wanted 45 degree backing ! So with like 20 minutes coaching I was expected to be okay. Then like 30-45 minutes of performing I wasn't horrible but I needed more time, obviously, since I never practiced the 45 before.

So, If you manage to get more truck training time at School, It may still not be nearly enough, even if you do manage to pass your CDL Exam..

Thanks for that Info, Brett. That helped me a lot. No longer am I "confused" in this regard, at least..LOL...

Also, Just want to say, Thank You, for this website. I'm always seeing you posting well informed replies, and not just a couple sentences here and there. You're always going into great detail very frequently in your responses. That is so cool. I know a lot of people here also do the same thing. There's a lot of great people here and some come and go thru the years. I know you created this site over 8 years ago, but to continue to maintain your enthusiasm for it is remarkable in my opinion. Sure you could just do basic website maintenance and allow moderators and members to sort of set the tone, etc. and be a hands-off type, but you "roll your sleeves up" and are right there each and every day. If you took a day off from here, no one would know it.

I decided to choose only 1 Trucking Forum to join and I chose this one. I made the right choice, that's for sure.

Anyway, Thank You. Much Appreciated. -mike (a.k.a....Ruminator)

Ok, (Double-Clutching) Normally, you upshift at approx 1500 RPM's and as your RPM's fall to 1100, you slide it into the next gear, right!?

Clutch Neutral Clutch (*) Gear ....(*)place shifter at the "Door" of the next gear and it should slide in smoothly as RPMS fall to 1100. (somewhere between the 1500-1100 drop) Makes for a nice smooth, seamless shift (like butter, right!?

However, with Progressive Shifting, it's my understanding that you shift at approx. 1200 rpm.... so therefore you would be in the lower threshold of the 1500 - 1100 range? Real close to 1100

Won't that make it a "rougher" shift and harder on the transmission?

The only way I see it working, I think, is to, maybe, not use the clutch?.. because you have to be really super quick. But Double Clutching takes a little longer and would cause your rpms to fall more,,,,,,, so won't you likely to be shifting rougher? Or is Progressive shifting done without "double-clutching?

That's actually quite incorrect. Perhaps you should brush up on your law books.

Daniel, that was kind of rude to say. We were speaking of speed limits in general. You quoted my remark, right. Did I mention the specific state of Texas or any specific state for that matter. No, no I didn't. Did the OP ask specifically about Texas? No, no he didn't. We were talking about generalities which includes ALL of the U.S.A. Not Texas. It's fine if you want to add your State's laws and how they may differ but to say that I "should brush up on my law books" when I wasn't talking about Texas is insulting.

From now on when giving my general opinion I guess I should add a disclaimer at the bottom. "This opinion is valid in all 50 States and the World except, perhaps, Texas, where opinion or law; if different, will supercede the above opinion/law"