Height?

Hello out there! I just recently went through cdl training completed the course, and passed the first two sections of the cdl test. I failed the road test on the first turn of the test I stalled. The first turn is a slight hill, I have never driven a manual transmission before this. But during training I didn't have much trouble stalling, not saying I never stalled because that would be a lie. Compared to the male type in the class though I had minimal issues. not trying to make excuses but the test truck seat will not go up to where I feel comfortable, as I did in the truck we practiced in. The examiner even asked me if I needed the seat adjusted, but I told him it wouldn't go up any further. I was just wondering if any other ladies out there had this issue, or men for / that matter I am about 5'3". I don't know if I am allowed to use a pillow to push myself forward and if I do would this pout a restriction on my license? I really don't want to do that because this is only an issue I am having with this truck? I am a nervous wreck about taking this test again. afraid that the same thing is going to happen and it is just a waste of money unless I correct the problem. Any and all help is welcome thanks in advance y'all.

I'm 5'2''. We have had 1 truck that the seat did not go anywhere near far up enough. We replaced the seat :D. I'm not sure if you can use a back pad or pillow on the test but it would definitely be worth asking the instructor if either you can do so or if they have another truck you can test in that has a seat that will go up closer to the pedals.

If the difference is minimal (just slightly uncomfortable) or neither of these are options you can actually drive in such a way that you do not have to ever push in the clutch all the way even at a complete stop, unless you take it out of gear and stop. Then you would have to scoot your butt forward to push in the clutch all the way again. Once you are slowed down to where you are about to stop but not stopped yet, try depressing the clutch only as far in that you do to double clutch (just inside the dead zone where the truck won't pull but not to the floor) and slide the shifter into the gear you want to start in like 1st (hold it against the gear until you feel it wants to go in gently so it does not grind) and don't forget to brake esp if on an uphill. When you proceed to start driving again release the clutch just enough that you feel the truck start to pull, release the foot brake and then as slowly as it takes release the clutch all the way (for a decent uphill grade I'd say probably about 2 seconds), once it is out you can ease into the throttle (the truck will not stall or roll backward so long as the clutch is released at a correct and slow enough pace to make up for a hill). I'm not sure if you will be allowed to do this on the test, I am not an instructor, but it may be useful later if you end up in a truck that doesn't have a seat that will adjust forward enough. I do this often mainly when stopping at lights that will change quickly or at stop signs.

Maybe somewhere between being uncomfortable with the seat (I so have felt your pain), the uneasiness of testing and fearing an automatic fail from rolling back you just made a booboo. Next time really try to feel where that clutch disengages (truck begins to pull) before you release your foot brake, and take it slow on take off. Releasing it too fast is what causes a stall in a big rig regardless of on flat ground or a hill. But when done right you shouldn't stall or roll back.

Hope this helps and good luck! Get past this part, there's plenty of trucks with seats that will adjust properly for you, and if not, seats can be replaced (not sure how companies feel about this but if it were me I would either rock a back pad until I could afford to replace the seat myself $400+ if they wouldn't)

I feel like I probably over typed out this one but it's late lol and I am not 100% sure on how to explain that action through text lol Hope it makes sense.

Hi Ciara, I'm a petite 5'1" lady driver. I too had trouble with the seats. I totally agree with Kemo great tips! (I could have used them. I stalled on a big hill down shifting went from 55 to 0 just like that. )... back to the seats, one thing that helped me was to slide the seat forward first then let the air out and lower the seat. The school I went was trying to order pedal extensions but then I would have that restriction on my license. So glad I didn't do that. I did use a pillow in back of me sometimes because we had two different trucks for training. The examiner new this and let me test in the better truck. The company I work for has newer trucks and all the seats adjust perfectly the steering wheel adjusts also. So far no size problems. Strength....now that's another issue make sure you have a hammer! Those glad hands can be a bugger. Good luck!

Haha man about strength. i was 185 lbs when I started trucking at 5'2'' and now I am hanging out around 140lbs. Some of our hoods give me major issues on getting them lifted now lol. Was so much easier when I weighed more :( Usually strength wise I'm good so long as it's not within a few hours of me waking up....which also exacerbates the hood lifting lol, since it's typically shortly after I wake up that I do it haha. man, I have the strength of a 6 year old when first I wake up.

Not sure about you guys but some seats have lumbar support that will fill in the back of the seat, it could help but I have always totally deflated/adjusted down these, it hurts my back because it always seems to go in the wrong spot for me.

In case anyone is wondering about down shifting hills now lol: When I need to down shift on an uphill, I try to give the truck a feel for how quickly I'm decelerating since that can change depending on how much weight your hauling. generally speaking if I am loaded and have to down shift on a decent uphill, I pull the shift out of gear 100-200 rpms higher than I normally would, to compensate for the extra slow down in between gears and the rest by my speed of shifting (except for the gear where I gotta flip my button down, my truck isn't into it). If the grade is too steep I try to not have to downshift at all by already being in a gear that will be able to pull the entire length of the hill, but sometimes you have no choice or risk coming to a complete stop, which isn't even worst case scenario of what can happen pulling a hill. I'd actually take down shifting on an uphill over up-shifting on an uphill any day. If you miss one down shifting no big deal just go to the next gear down from what you were trying since the idea is to slow down anyway lol. Miss one up-shifting on an uphill? boo on that man, you have to do the same thing which is go back to the gear you came out of but if you don't do it fast enough you'll be starting over, and it's just rough on a truck I don't like it at all :( Sometimes depending on the situation, I'd rather just be stuck in 1st or low gear and have traffic be ****ed at me. if it's too steep and you try to shift something will be breaking.

Lowering the seat is a good mention since we are short folk. I just go until my feet sit flat on the floor and so that when I push in on the clutch the air seat does not raise. Trucks with slanted hoods are definitely preferred! But most of the new ones are anyway. I have driven some trucks where I had to adjust the seat down til it was almost totally deflated. Ugh that was in a spring ride too did a number on my back.