Double Clutching
Topic 21898 | Page 2
David wrote:
Have you ever owned a truck? Been an O/O? Back in the 90’s i owned a 60,000 truck, performed most of my own maintenance, all those years never changed put a trans or clutch!!
...none of which has anything to do with the original topic. You totally high-jacked the thread, offering irrelevant self-promotion in your replies. Your anger and frustration is obvious, but very misplaced. We are not your enemy here.
Refer to what Brett stated. Our objective at Trucking Truth is to address the needs of Newbies as they reasearch and find their way into the trucking industry, enabling success through the rookie year. I am certain with your experience and knowledge, you'll be able to assist someone with a question or add value to this forum. That's up to you.
And NO, I am not an O/O, no desire. I love the truck I drive, but no interest in being married to it, allowing it to suck the life out of me...no disrespect intended, but definitely not for me.
Case in point; halfway through my trip yesterday, the turbo started whining like a "tea-kettle" when loading-up. Maybe the seals...not sure, but it doesn't matter. Nursed it back to the D.C., documented the problem and it's now Swift's responsibility to fix, not mine. Since I slip-seat, I never skipped a beat and was in a working truck this morning, just back from it's scheduled PM. Although I am not an O/O, that does not diminish my value to this profession, my employer or this forum.
So yeah, it's great you were "all-that" in 199X. Really is. However that's well over 20 years ago. Past tense. Although I appreciate and respect your prior credentials, it means nothing to the trucking companies and their insurance companies now. A 23 year old rookie, with a 160 hour training certificate, a freshly minted CDL , and valid medical card is more valuable to the trucking companies then your prior, albeit very dated experience. It's an undeniable fact, one you seem to be fighting and taking personally.
Might even be difficult to become an O/O under your own authority. A lot has changed, including far more restrictive insurance parameters. Because of your 20 year gap, you might be uninsurable. You'll need to make that determination.
Your experience is useful to the extent you'll be able to breeze through whatever schooling and training is required and be productive almost immediately. Like it or not, you'll need to jump through some hoops to reach that point. Be advised however, that copping an attitude of superiority and entitlement will not bode well if you choose a Paid CDL Training Program. You are not unique to them...quite common as they will expect you to comply with the same rules and requirements as other students. Level playing field.
My advice; accept the reality of the situation, adjust your expectation, and play the cards you basically dealt to yourself when you went to work as a railroader twenty plus years ago.
I sincerely wish you luck.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Update on my double clutching. I had a new instructor teach us. And he was way more calm and with that everybody was doing better at double clutching even down shifting. I know every instructor teaches different. But I am so happy I was getting my double clutching down. I had a lot of smooth shifts and a few rough ones. But all and all I’m getting it much better now with the technique
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.
Double Clutching:
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.
Update on my double clutching. I had a new instructor teach us. And he was way more calm and with that everybody was doing better at double clutching even down shifting. I know every instructor teaches different. But I am so happy I was getting my double clutching down. I had a lot of smooth shifts and a few rough ones. But all and all I’m getting it much better now with the technique
Good for you Bryan. Congratulations!
Learning the skills in school is challenging, many times frustrating. Stay focused and try to realize we all went through this. Each new day earns the distinction of being only half as bad, as you were the day before. Eventually leading too, "not bad...not bad at all". You might even overhear an instructor mutter those exact words.
Best wishes for continued success!
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.
Double Clutching:
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Good news G-town ! We did shift training again and my instructor said there was nothing he needed to tell me I did wrong. He said I was driving like a pro. I didn’t miss any down shifting and none upshifting. Getting hang of it. He also gave me a round of applause !...... Can I have my CDL now hahah. But seriously. Improvements !! 
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Congrats Bryan!! Hoping your success rubs off on me when I get started in 3 weeks.
Good news G-town ! We did shift training again and my instructor said there was nothing he needed to tell me I did wrong. He said I was driving like a pro. I didn’t miss any down shifting and none upshifting. Getting hang of it. He also gave me a round of applause !...... Can I have my CDL now hahah. But seriously. Improvements !!
"Not bad,...not bad at all."
Well done, good for you Bryan! Celebrate the victories.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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Tips For Shifting
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David, no one said that floating gears was hurting anything on the truck. We're saying that the schools don't teach it and the DOT won't pass you on a driver's test if you can't double clutch.
Floating Gears:
An expression used to describe someone who is shifting gears without using the clutch at all. Drivers are taught to "Double Clutch" or press and release the clutch twice for each gear shift. If you're floating gears it means you're simply shifting without using the clutch at all.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
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.