Shift Recovery Method?
Topic 3769 | Page 2
Well after a week of OJT I've grown better by leaps and bounds. Drove 3 different trucks. 2 volvo with one twin screw, one single. A Sterling last night. Dropping and hooking Double pups but also took 80K pounds of Kitty litter across state in a 53' Van. Fun, quite fun. Shifting is getting much better daily. Still making a few stupid mistakes but my trainer is helping me through it. Good Luck to all! thanks for the advice
Well after a week of OJT I've grown better by leaps and bounds. Drove 3 different trucks. 2 volvo with one twin screw, one single. A Sterling last night. Dropping and hooking Double pups but also took 80K pounds of Kitty litter across state in a 53' Van. Fun, quite fun. Shifting is getting much better daily. Still making a few stupid mistakes but my trainer is helping me through it. Good Luck to all! thanks for the advice
Glad to see things are coming along NewGuy 
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Getting comfortable with your truck......knowing the rpm's and the speeds for shifting is the real bottom line. I am new also and many times I'm nailing it, but still having my moments where being a rookie shines through, missing the gear I was set up for, missing it and as the speed on the truck continues to slow down, the fumbling starts to mentally catch up to it. I find by the time that happens I am ready for 6th gear which is the gear many fall back on anyways.
Even in 1 week I have seen the progress of this learning curve and figure next week should get me to where the stumbling is fewer and farther between and the recovery is more reactive than a science project happening on the fly. A few times I have surprised myself....and my instructor.......and quickly saved it, so I know I'm getting there. I am seeing that I can identify the speed and realize the gear I need. Then I just have to execute it with the rpm and slipping it into place. Truly a practice makes perfect thing, as with many things.
As my instructor says...don't beat yourself up too hard......some of it just takes time and getting used to it. Soon we will feel it and do it without hardly even thinking about it.
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