First Day Of CDL Training At My Local School.

So the first day went well, I'm learning the gear pattern and studying for my permit, I feel good about general knowledge, air breaks, the coupling and semi part of it is what I need to work on. I can't wait to get behind the wheel. its a night class of 10, I'm learning a lot and soaking up a ton of knowledge

Good luck on your new journey, John. I am sure the information will be overwhelming at times, but just take your time and ask tons of questions. I am still in school myself. I am surprised at how far I have come since my first day. Pre-trip seemed an impossible task at first, and now I can run through it with confidence. Backing skills were intimidating and some seemed next to impossible. Now, I am very confident that I will pass the skills test easily. You will too! Just keep on doing what you do and you will be just fine. Hope to meet you on the road sometime. Keep us updated.

Day 2: 4/4/17 So I went early this morning and took my permit test, passed it and got to do straight backing and driving around the yard to get my training with the gear pattern. Thus far I did okay on straight backing, gear pattern needs work but I'll get it down, I've already recommended this site to a few of the guys there as I've been studying both from the book and through TT's Highroad and I gotta say the Highroad helped me tons, I passed my permit test first go, I'm nervous but still as excited as ever, sitting in one of those trucks is definitely something else, tomorrow is canceled due to weather but I'll be back with an update on Thursday the 6th

Day 3. 4/6/17: Today was really good, I Got to drive the rig on the road to a small town near the school. The Instructor started us off and got us about a mile or so from the school and then my partner, a nice and helpful guy named O, shall we say started, having never really been in a moving semi before and sitting in back bunk I was nervous, but not only because of that it was because the other instructor wanted me to do yard work some more learning the gear pattern. Well after O Started driving and finishing the instructor threw me into the hot seat and I drove us most of the way back to the school, I stalled the truck once about midway back, which was good cause a car sped passed the intersection we were at, but other then that no hiccups, I was able to do the double clutching as needed and I worked the gear by what feels muscle memory... at least I think it was muscle memory because the instructor told me what gears to go and I went into them just fine, but I was so focused on actually driving the rig I didn't even notice I was doing the gears, occasionally I'd ask if it was in the right gear or if I did it right and the instructor just smirked and said "Well, trucks movin ain't it?" I gotta say though, I may just be a newb at it but felt so darn good driving that 60 foot semi with a flat bed, empty of course, but its really something else, I've always had respect for truckers but now I have more of it. Once we returned to the yard we went for lunch then when we came back I did some more straight line backing this time in an automatic, I Gotta say the automatic is amazing compared to the old blue truck as we call it, the one with the stiff iron clutch.

Been reading since day one, keep posting! Love to hear the updates.

Thanks, I appreciate your interest and support. Also I love the name haha.

Been reading since day one, keep posting! Love to hear the updates.

Day 6: 4/10/2017. So, today I got to couple and uncouple a trailer, did more straight line backing and drove on the road, stalled it again by choking it out and not stopping with the clutch, and had a slight roll back, no more then 2-3 inches but enough of one to make me annoyed at myself. but like my instructor and my partner said, I'm learning, learn from the mistakes and get better from them... Coupling and uncoupling was rather fun if a tad bit nerve wracking since I'm trying to do it and not damage anything, but I did it successfully and all is well. My gear shifting is doing a bit better, I got the gear pattern down pat which is good, but I had some trouble getting it to go into third today for some reason, not really sure as to why... but either way we made it home in one piece and I didn't hit anyone or anything so At least I got that going for me. ^.^ Till next time TT

John.

Thanks, John. So I'm curious... have you driven a standard before, as in a car? I've mostly driven standard cars, requested them from dealers a number of times. And I'm wondering if that helps at all with shifting a truck. I realize the gears and RPMs are vastly different but I mean, does it help to have a feel for the clutch and shifting in general?

I have only once driven a standard before now and it was a mile and a half in first gear my mother didn't want me to burn out the clutch but from what I'm being told by the guys that have driven stick cars before they did semi's its different because more gears and you have to double clutch.

Thanks, John. So I'm curious... have you driven a standard before, as in a car? I've mostly driven standard cars, requested them from dealers a number of times. And I'm wondering if that helps at all with shifting a truck. I realize the gears and RPMs are vastly different but I mean, does it help to have a feel for the clutch and shifting in general?

Depends on the vehicle, my first standard transmission was 4 on the floor, rarely did you use 1st gear or granny gear as we called it, and no synchro's so you had to double clutch , but then again it was 1947 truck. My second vehicle had 3 on the tree, but had synchro's in the transmission. I then graduated up to a real 4 speed, and then a 5 speed. I will never forget the 47, it was a chore to drive, no power steering, had hydraulic brakes but not power brakes, no A/C, and no radio. My first automatic transmission was a 1994 GMC Truck, had all the bells and whistles, including a cassette player.