Make A Rookie Feel Better?
Topic 8077 | Page 1
Rough day, 3rd load since finishing up training with Schneider. Running south last night and north today on US 25 E from Kentucky ➡ Tennessee and back again. I don't think there is a straight patch of land on that road lol. Up n down, swing to your right, swing to your left(repeat). Carrying 40k, it was sure tough. I swear they put stop lights intentionally on an incline -_-. I don't know how many gears I missed and had to recover. But I made it through safe and legal. About the only thing amazing about it was the scenery, because my driving sucked!! What a beautiful stretch of land. Things have to get easier right? I can't be the only one out there. I definitely enjoy the job, must of prepared for a year. Let me tell ya, no amount of reading can prepare you for this journey.
Your a rookie! Of course when it comes to gear changing you suck, we all do! My instructors keep telling us the first step to recovery is that we admit we have a problem. If your going 25 go for seven, if you are going 35 go for eight .......just recover. Your driving did not suck if you recovered, drove legal and safe like you said. Your driving for Schneider already, then for sure you do not suck. I want to be you today! lol
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Hang in there man, and don't be too hard on yourself. I know you've seen us talking about how that whole first year is a learning experience, now you are starting to realize what we were talking about. There won't be a day go by that you aren't challenged to your limits. I remember my first six months it seemed like I was just exhausted at the end of every driving shift. I was running like crazy. During my first three months I traveled through 46 of the lower 48 states. It only gets better from this point forward. Take your time and do your best to learn from your mistakes, your going to make mistakes, just try and not let them become disasters. Do your dead level best to not hit anything... that is the most important thing you can do - don't hit anything. Try and enjoy the ride, it's a career with a lot of perks to it if you know how to enjoy the moment. Don't beat yourself up, and learn from your mistakes. Oh yeah, did I say don't hit anything... you get the idea! Hang in there and enjoy it.
Thanks Jeff, yeah its more so gears 3-5 on an in/de cline with me weighing 78k. You have to be quick. Its all about speed and rpms but the weight seems to through a cure into things. I haven't yet mastered my lower gears. I mean I can double clutch , float, through all my gears. But sometimes if I lose a lower gear, I'll check my speed, put my rps where they need to be and... Nothing but good ol' grindage lol
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Thanks oldschool, that helped. I may be the talk of the bunch with my wide turns, but I'll be damned if my trailer ends up in the ditch or hits something. I'll just keep taking it slow until I figure how to identify my turns better. When in doubt, swing it out lol.
Thanks Jeff, yeah its more so gears 3-5 on an in/de cline with me weighing 78k. You have to be quick. Its all about speed and rpms but the weight seems to through a cure into things. I haven't yet mastered my lower gears. I mean I can double clutch , float, through all my gears. But sometimes if I lose a lower gear, I'll check my speed, put my rps where they need to be and... Nothing but good ol' grindage lol
Lower the gear when downshifting the lower your rpms have to be to get into gear right?
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Depends on the truck. Example. My ten speed likes gears 2-5 between 1000-1300rpms and gears 6-10 right on 1300. That's to put it in. Higher gears I'll shift out around 1500. And when I slide it in @13, its like cutting a piece of cake. She just slides right in lol
Yes it gets easier. One day you will just realize that your no longer sweating the things you used to like shifting gears.
And yes I love that part of the country. I work out of Indianapolis and take runs down to Charlotte or other terminals in that neck of the woods. They are my favorite trips, especially if I get to run that area during the day LOL.
Woody
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Man you wanna feel better about yourself check out everything that happened to me I'm just my first three months.......
Hope this makes you feel a little better about yourself hahaha
If grinding gears was all that happened to me I would have been grateful! You'll get the hang of it and it sounds like you're doing just fine. Just keep on keeping on.
I'm SOO glad it isn't just me. Lower gears harder for me too! I'm Also a new SNI Driver and wait till you start doing the WVA turnpike every day for a week. YEEHAA!
Be safe!
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Rough day, 3rd load since finishing up training with Schneider. Running south last night and north today on US 25 E from Kentucky ➡ Tennessee and back again. I don't think there is a straight patch of land on that road lol. Up n down, swing to your right, swing to your left(repeat). Carrying 40k, it was sure tough. I swear they put stop lights intentionally on an incline -_-. I don't know how many gears I missed and had to recover. But I made it through safe and legal. About the only thing amazing about it was the scenery, because my driving sucked!! What a beautiful stretch of land. Things have to get easier right? I can't be the only one out there. I definitely enjoy the job, must of prepared for a year. Let me tell ya, no amount of reading can prepare you for this journey.