PSD/Orientation With Prime Inc., Springfield MO

So been on my TNT truck for over a week. Put in at least 5k miles.

Today we are bringing a load from Los Angeles to Colorado. Trainer says nothing to me about how to use the Jake brake.

Now I know a little about it, but last week down a hill was using it and trainer got mad at me for going to 1.8 to 1.9k rpm.

Today I kept it at 1500 to 1700 but had to keep using stab brakes. Well they started smoking about when the downgrade ended.

He says I should have learned all this before tnt. I did tell him that I learned how to pass the cdl in PSD , and everything else i learned was verbal.

Luckily it looks like his truck brakes are good, but the trailers are wrecked. I think they were before. They didn't smoke at all, but I'm no expert.

Anyway, just thought I'd post an update.

So been on my TNT truck for over a week. Put in at least 5k miles.

Today we are bringing a load from Los Angeles to Colorado. Trainer says nothing to me about how to use the Jake brake.

Now I know a little about it, but last week down a hill was using it and trainer got mad at me for going to 1.8 to 1.9k rpm.

Today I kept it at 1500 to 1700 but had to keep using stab brakes. Well they started smoking about when the downgrade ended.

He says I should have learned all this before tnt. I did tell him that I learned how to pass the cdl in PSD , and everything else i learned was verbal.

Luckily it looks like his truck brakes are good, but the trailers are wrecked. I think they were before. They didn't smoke at all, but I'm no expert.

Anyway, just thought I'd post an update.

Oh, snap, Mark!

I sure hope some of the seasoned guys will show up on here, soon. My driver is at work, or I'd take dictation (per se.) Sheesh....

Still following, and hoping/praying the best, good sir!

Hang in there. I hear it's hard...TRAINING!! Never been...idk! Not picking at ALL on you; Just SMDH. Now that O/S is back otr... we are down a moderator/advisor!

Stand by...

~ Anne ~

Bet you have a lease trainer, right?

Betting so Packrat, some lease guys are too finicky sometimes, which I understand. The MAX rpm's you EVER wanna see, is under 23-2400 rpm's, that still won't hurt them engines. Was rare a time or 2, that's where that's where our jakes went, tried to keep em in the 2000-2200rpm range IF possible, depending on the grade of the downhill.

I preferred to not pass 2000 rpm's but sometimes, you gotta roll with it, to maintain safe speeds, and NOT overheat the brakes....It's also 1 more learning curve, to figure out in the truck you're driving. Not all react the same.

Bet you have a lease trainer, right?

Yeah, and I want to make him money and treat his equipment with respect.

But I also have to learn.

Bet you have a lease trainer, right?

Yeah, and I want to make him money and treat his equipment with respect.

But I also have to learn.

Well, most of these guys I've met don't know jack about anything except they believe they are running a successful business. Don't concern yourself "making him money!" If he wanted to make money he should have stayed as a company driver.

The RPMs are not going to hurt or damage anything under about 2400, so you're doing fine. These engines have safety features built in nowadays to prevent over revving the motors. The higher the RPMs, the more effective the engine breaking will be.

As for smoking any brakes, the way to prevent this is to control your descent ahead of time, keeping the speed lower. You're not using stab braking, either. That what you do when a deer jumps out in front of the hood. You're doing normal, controlled braking.

My method: When descending a long grade, start at the top about 20 mph below the speed limit while utilizing the Jacobs Brake feature. When you have noticed the speed climbing to about 7-10 mph faster, get on the brake pedal for a steady pressure for about 5 seconds, decreasing that speed. Repeat as needed to maintain a comfortable and controlled descent and adjust the engine braking as needed--low, medium, or high.

Speed kills, and overheating the brakes can kill you, too. If you can't get fully stopped in a quarter mile distance , while maintaining complete control of your rig, you're coming down the hill too fast.

All hills are different, just the same as all loads are different. This will take a bunch of driving experience to figure it out for yourself, so for now take it slow and safe.

Bet you have a lease trainer, right?

Yeah, and I want to make him money and treat his equipment with respect.

But I also have to learn.

Well, most of these guys I've met don't know jack about anything except they believe they are running a successful business. Don't concern yourself "making him money!" If he wanted to make money he should have stayed as a company driver.

The RPMs are not going to hurt or damage anything under about 2400, so you're doing fine. These engines have safety features built in nowadays to prevent over revving the motors. The higher the RPMs, the more effective the engine breaking will be.

As for smoking any brakes, the way to prevent this is to control your descent ahead of time, keeping the speed lower. You're not using stab braking, either. That what you do when a deer jumps out in front of the hood. You're doing normal, controlled braking.

My method: When descending a long grade, start at the top about 20 mph below the speed limit while utilizing the Jacobs Brake feature. When you have noticed the speed climbing to about 7-10 mph faster, get on the brake pedal for a steady pressure for about 5 seconds, decreasing that speed. Repeat as needed to maintain a comfortable and controlled descent and adjust the engine braking as needed--low, medium, or high.

Speed kills, and overheating the brakes can kill you, too. If you can't get fully stopped in a quarter mile distance , while maintaining complete control of your rig, you're coming down the hill too fast.

All hills are different, just the same as all loads are different. This will take a bunch of driving experience to figure it out for yourself, so for now take it slow and safe.

Yeah I think my trainer is still stuck on I should have learned all this in phase 1. While everyone at Prime in phase 1 said I should learn it in TNT.

Well not much to say about TNT other then you drive. Try to sleep on the bumpy roads, which is rough.

Learning macros, paperwork, real world backing. How to accept loads and talk to shippers and recievers

Pretty good stuff. So far picking up what I need to know.

Feeling good and still loving the job.

Bet you have a lease trainer, right?

Yeah, and I want to make him money and treat his equipment with respect.

But I also have to learn.

Well, most of these guys I've met don't know jack about anything except they believe they are running a successful business. Don't concern yourself "making him money!" If he wanted to make money he should have stayed as a company driver.

The RPMs are not going to hurt or damage anything under about 2400, so you're doing fine. These engines have safety features built in nowadays to prevent over revving the motors. The higher the RPMs, the more effective the engine breaking will be.

As for smoking any brakes, the way to prevent this is to control your descent ahead of time, keeping the speed lower. You're not using stab braking, either. That what you do when a deer jumps out in front of the hood. You're doing normal, controlled braking.

My method: When descending a long grade, start at the top about 20 mph below the speed limit while utilizing the Jacobs Brake feature. When you have noticed the speed climbing to about 7-10 mph faster, get on the brake pedal for a steady pressure for about 5 seconds, decreasing that speed. Repeat as needed to maintain a comfortable and controlled descent and adjust the engine braking as needed--low, medium, or high.

Speed kills, and overheating the brakes can kill you, too. If you can't get fully stopped in a quarter mile distance , while maintaining complete control of your rig, you're coming down the hill too fast.

All hills are different, just the same as all loads are different. This will take a bunch of driving experience to figure it out for yourself, so for now take it slow and safe.

PackRat — Thanks for this advice. Very helpful!

Well not much to say about TNT other then you drive. Try to sleep on the bumpy roads, which is rough.

Learning macros, paperwork, real world backing. How to accept loads and talk to shippers and recievers

Pretty good stuff. So far picking up what I need to know.

Feeling good and still loving the job.

Thank you for the updates Mark! Could you clarify, are you doing TNT pulling a flatbed? I haven’t heard you talk about securement or other flatbed specific details. I am about a week away from testing for my CDL in Salt Lake City (they are incredibly backed up here!) and it sounds like I will be doing TNT on a reefer , then return to do bootcamp and some additional flatbed specific drive time after that. hearing all of the same talk about shortage of trainers that I am working on this thread. What is true? Who knows!