Comments By Phoenix

Don't you have a spotter for that, Tractor Man?

OS and TM, thank you for responding... I do realize the engine brake requires higher rpms...I should have clarified that. Normally, 15-1700 is how high they go, at 18-1900 I start slowing it back down. However, occasionally it'll be humming along at about 1500rpms, then all of a sudden jump to 18+. Owners manual says they should never go beyond 2100 or engine damage may occur. This makes me worry that 1900 or 2000rpms is too high.

And what about starting up? Am I doing something wrong there?

As for the brake lights staying on, it was back in the old days.. like three years ago, lol, when I first began this career, that I recall wondering why some brake lights never went off down hills and were they riding their brakes? It was my trainer that told me some stayed on. I think it was freightliner that did it but I don't remember. I certainly could have been misinformed, in which case those drivers were in fact riding their brakes dangerously lol.

When the engine brake is activated in some trucks the brake lights come on and stay on.. they're easily spotted though, because they don't have smoke rolling off their tires lol.

Anywho, there's something I have trouble with on the hills when my engine brake id engaged... for the most part, I'm good with the engine brake, but occasionally... too often lately cuz I'm learning a new truck.. my engine shoots up to 1800-2000rpms while I'm going down a hill. It's not just when I'm heavy going down a steep grade. Why does it do this? There doesn't seem to be an isolated situation, rather it seems random, and it's very frustrating. I switch to manual and go up a gear and then need to get my speed down cuz now I'm going faster than my safe speed.

Is it my driving skill, or could it maybe the tranny? It does this when upshifting from a dead stop all the way into 7th, then only goes to 1450 for 8th and up. I've tried barely touching the throttle, flooring it, and every inch in between. It's making me feel like I don't know how to drive... and I drive an auto for heaven's sake lol.

Welcome, Chris!

Don't rush it! Gobble up all you can here, ask your questions, go through the High Road Training Program, and involve your family every way you can.

I love trucking, and wish I'd thought to get into it decades ago, but it's been a grueling journey, especially for my youngest daughter lol.

Know that you won't be steered wrong here... steered lol... this site, and these drivers, are your absolute best start in the business of trucking.

Best of luck!

If you were low in hours in your 70, it was very likely a conscious decision lol.

Wonderful account, Turtle! I commend your training style, and enjoy reading about your student's success, and your interest in his success. Awesome job, Boss!

side note: Susan, thank you for being an active trainer!

TT Wiki - DOT Hearing Test

Anne, square your shoulders, hon, and let's see if we can all find a way through...

Did you fail the forced whisper test? Was an audiometry done? Did the doc explain why tone deafness disqualifies you?

As far as I understand it, congenital amusia, or tone deafness, means that although a person hears sounds, some of those sounds have no variance in pitch because their brain does not communicate the variance. Some are, some aren't. In your case, I'm assuming many aren't. A hearing aid may not help with this, because you'll hear sounds, just not the correct sound, or actual sound. However, I fail to understand why this would disqualify a driver... you'll hear sirens and horns, they just might sound differently to you.

Sometimes exceptions are given... perhaps you could apply for one? Iimagine you would need to prove that your ailment would not affect your ability to drive safely, or put others in harm's way.

I'm baffled. Need more input!

I certainly don't belong to any million mile clubs, but I was very proud of having three accident/ incident of any kind years... until the roundabout where my tandems went over a curb and I broke a slack adjuster.

Those three years were mostly due to Grammy style caution, and a boat load of luck lol.

"You can go down a mountain too slow as many times as you need or want to, but you can only go down too fast once. "

I also try to avoid the need to use my service brakes descending hills, alternating levels of my engine brake to slow down or speed up when required... with the exclusion of slippery conditions. However, I disagree a little about ignoring those fools who race down the hills... I pay attention to what's coming behind me too, because I don't want to be in their way if they lose control.

My husband actually had a driver go off the road, crash over the guard rail, and lay his truck over a railroad track under a fallen tree, right behind us. One second he was in the left lane two seconds later he had a tree on top of him.

So yeah, I pay attention to everything I can. I don't let the super truckers alter my driving, but I'll stay out of their way and let them get to the scene of the accident first.

Pulled a few loads out of AB in Fort Collins, CO. They, too, tend to load heavy and require multiple reworks.