Location:
Marietta, GA
Driving Status:
Experienced Driver
Social Link:
I'm 36 years old and have been around trucks for a long time. My Grandfather had 5 Mack trucks and my father n law have 3 Million Miles under his belt. So now its my time. I'll be starting trucking school soon and hopefully drive for a respectful company so I can take care of my family.
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Nice backing skills and I loved the passage about the GW Bridge!!!! All Attitude
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Lol.... Attitude is Key for sure!!!
Here's a good laugh at how I make driving MY own. It does take attitude though lol
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Good Stuff Rainy D,,,,,, Damn Good Stuff!!!!! Thanks for that Great Advice!!!
Lol....No Doubt Rainy D!!!!
My entire 30'000 mile training period my trainer tried to get me to float. Didn't happen. I've been solo seven months and I STIlL double clutch most of the time. I notice I especially do it in traffic when others tell me that makes no sense. Guess what.... My truck my rules. I'm comfortable and safe ;)
Good driver = defensive driver + safety conscious + early arrival + always alert.
Slow down to let others pass, always look around you and check your mirrors, take turns wide enough, slow down while backing and don't care about the others.... Just stop moving while they fly around you while you try to park or back into customer. Put a safety cushion between you and other drivers. I stay about 400 ft from guy on front on highways and probably 200/to 300 in towns. The further the better. Plus I'm always below the speed limit.
What's going to happen? A car gonna call prime and tell them "your truck was going 30 in a 40 zone and it annoyed me"? Safety dept would probably pat me on the back.
Slow down at YOUR speed. When getting off ramps, my trainer wanted me taking them too fast for my liking. I started putting my hazards on and slowing down way before the ramps until I felt comfortable with downshifting. The people around you don't know of you have a mechanical failure. Screw em.
Learn to manage your time to always be early. Check your equipment before and after each trip and walk around during your breaks. A light could blow out while you are driving.
For your test, be sure to tell the examiner " slow down and check both ways at intersection". "I'm watching that car on the right coming out of parking lot, slowing down and looking for train at tracks". Etc. Might sound stupid but it will let him k ow you know what you're doing.
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Lol....No Doubt Rainy D!!!!
My entire 30'000 mile training period my trainer tried to get me to float. Didn't happen. I've been solo seven months and I STIlL double clutch most of the time. I notice I especially do it in traffic when others tell me that makes no sense. Guess what.... My truck my rules. I'm comfortable and safe ;)
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Congrats Richard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for all of the feedback! I take the dreaded greyhound out Sunday night from Austin to Springfield...if I survive the potential knife fights and drug traffickers I start on Tuesday! Awesome news about the no pressure to lease situation. I applied to Trans-Am and quickly turned down their offer based on posts I had read from current and former drivers. The dog fee is pretty steep, but come on, it's my dog! She'll keep my wife company till she gets her CDL in February. I heard from my recruiter that I'll be blue to train her after only 3 months with the company. Hope that's close to true...I might actually have her do half with a more seasoned trainer before I get her, but we'll see. Im only considering flatbed because they offered regional position (home every 2 weeks) and that would be nice. My most recent job was as a driver for a moving company so I'm no slouch and am used to hard work. Thanks again everybody! I'll hit u up if any questions come about, but it sounds like everything is on the up and up...
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Nice G-Town...Nice!!! Thanks for that Confidence Booster!!!!! I'm going to do just that!!!!
D-Wash wrote:
Yea Rob I've been in an Auto Shift for the past year myself and I think I would feel more comfortable Double Clutching than floating.
Exactly what I would have suggested. You are the driver and you know what you are comfortable with. Don't try something you are not experienced doing.
You got this...try not to overthink it, just get in and show the man what you can do.
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Lol Tractor Man!!!
I NEVER use the clutch. I drive an Automatic!
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Yea Rob I've been in an Auto Shift for the past year myself and I think I would feel more comfortable Double Clutching than floating.
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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Cool Paul I gotcha!!!...Thanks
Ask the tester what he/she wants you to do. If it's fine to do either, do what you feel most comfortable with. Double-clutching is always fine and I think most testers don't mind if you float since they're drivers too and probably do it themselves, but just ask to be sure.
Posted: 8 years, 2 months ago
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A Good Driver or Not!!!!!!!
Good Stuff Bravo!!!