Failed My CDL Road Test. Stalled! :(

Ahmad, I had the exact same issues that you are having. In fact, I actually ignored two students in my class that were in the back for the ride along. I started up the hill wrong and the truck shook like a banshee and then stalled. So I might have had it worse than you.

Just keep practicing it. It's all about the feel just like Pat said. You'll figure it out!

Ignored = injured. Sorry about that. Stupid spell check and me in a hurry so not proof reading.

When I was in school, the trailer we were hauling was almost empty, so there was no load to worry about.

I started out in 3rd by letting out the clutch slowly with no accelerator at first, then added a little rev just to get me to 4th- same to 5th... then when I switched to high range I started pulling some revs in the shifting.

When I did encounter a serious grade at a light, I started in 1st with the same technique.

Now when I start pulling loads, I will need to add a little fuel to the equation ...

The key is to keep your wits !

Ok....there's a little confusion here about techniques.

First of all, it's nearly impossible to stall a truck if you start in a low enough gear. In fact, if you start in first gear you'd have to just about stand on the brakes to get it to stall because there is so much torque in those engines. So start in maybe 2nd or 3rd gear. I've heard a lot of schools teaching people to start in 4th no matter what and that's just dumb - it causes a lot of uneccessary problems for students. So first and foremost, start in a lower gear.

Secondly, you do not give it gas while you're letting out on the clutch. You're either going to burn up the clutch, rip the rear end out of it, or twist the drive shaft in half. Start in a low enough gear that you can slowly let out on the clutch without touching the gas pedal at all. Once the clutch is completely released you can hit the gas and go.

As big and powerful as big rigs are you learn after a little while that you can handle them very gently if you do it correctly. The shifting can be done with two fingers on the shifter and no clutch - it will slip right in and out of gear like butter. The clutch can be let out slowly and smoothly without touching the gas pedal if you're in a low enough gear. Going down mountains you barely ever have to touch the brake pedal at all if you're in the right gear using your Jake Brakes.

So focus on being smooth and gentle.

Ok....there's a little confusion here about techniques.

First of all, it's nearly impossible to stall a truck if you start in a low enough gear. In fact, if you start in first gear you'd have to just about stand on the brakes to get it to stall because there is so much torque in those engines. So start in maybe 2nd or 3rd gear. I've heard a lot of schools teaching people to start in 4th no matter what and that's just dumb - it causes a lot of uneccessary problems for students. So first and foremost, start in a lower gear.

Secondly, you do not give it gas while you're letting out on the clutch. You're either going to burn up the clutch, rip the rear end out of it, or twist the drive shaft in half. Start in a low enough gear that you can slowly let out on the clutch without touching the gas pedal at all. Once the clutch is completely released you can hit the gas and go.

As big and powerful as big rigs are you learn after a little while that you can handle them very gently if you do it correctly. The shifting can be done with two fingers on the shifter and no clutch - it will slip right in and out of gear like butter. The clutch can be let out slowly and smoothly without touching the gas pedal if you're in a low enough gear. Going down mountains you barely ever have to touch the brake pedal at all if you're in the right gear using your Jake Brakes.

So focus on being smooth and gentle.

Great info, Brett...

It's good to know I won't be needing to feather the clutch at some point when I have a load. I was just letting out the clutch slowly in 3rd at school with no gas and it worked well.

I was just letting out the clutch slowly in 3rd at school with no gas and it worked well.

Yeah that will work great for empty trailers or light loads. Heavier loads I used to use 2nd gear on flat ground and sometimes even first if I was stopped on an incline.

I think people believe they're going to get going faster by starting in a higher gear but that's ridiculous. Even if you execute the shifts perfectly you're going to win a drag race to 55 mph by what....10 feet? You're stressing the h*ll out of the drive train doing that and it doesn't accomplish anything.

When you're driving a rig for a living, longevity is the key. It's not about how many miles can you turn today or this week or even this month. You want to be out there for years and years as a safe, productive driver. One of the things you want to focus on is relaxing. Don't stress yourself (or the equipment) trying to push for every mile per hour you can get or trying to grab gears quickly. Relax! Put it in 2nd, ease out gently on the clutch, and work your way smoothly through the gears as you sing happy songs about your homeland. When someone gives you the finger for being in their way, smile big and wave nicely. Put on some smooth jazz and ponder the wonders of life.

When you're new to trucking you tend to "over-drive" it. You mash the gas too hard, you shift hard and fast, you oversteer when you're backing, you brake too hard - everything is forced and you're stressing too much. After you start to get the feel for a rig you'll relax more and more. At some point you'll realize the best drivers out there are the ones that are smooth as silk. You'll watch a veteran back into a parking spot and he barely turns the wheel and when he does it's slow and smooth. When you ride with a veteran that really knows how to shift you won't even feel the truck accelerate and decelerate as he's going through the gears. In fact, if you couldn't hear the engine you wouldn't even know he was shifting at all.

I was just letting out the clutch slowly in 3rd at school with no gas and it worked well.

Yeah that will work great for empty trailers or light loads. Heavier loads I used to use 2nd gear on flat ground and sometimes even first if I was stopped on an incline.

I think people believe they're going to get going faster by starting in a higher gear but that's ridiculous. Even if you execute the shifts perfectly you're going to win a drag race to 55 mph by what....10 feet? You're stressing the h*ll out of the drive train doing that and it doesn't accomplish anything.

When you're driving a rig for a living, longevity is the key. It's not about how many miles can you turn today or this week or even this month. You want to be out there for years and years as a safe, productive driver. One of the things you want to focus on is relaxing. Don't stress yourself (or the equipment) trying to push for every mile per hour you can get or trying to grab gears quickly. Relax! Put it in 2nd, ease out gently on the clutch, and work your way smoothly through the gears as you sing happy songs about your homeland. When someone gives you the finger for being in their way, smile big and wave nicely. Put on some smooth jazz and ponder the wonders of life.

When you're new to trucking you tend to "over-drive" it. You mash the gas too hard, you shift hard and fast, you oversteer when you're backing, you brake too hard - everything is forced and you're stressing too much. After you start to get the feel for a rig you'll relax more and more. At some point you'll realize the best drivers out there are the ones that are smooth as silk. You'll watch a veteran back into a parking spot and he barely turns the wheel and when he does it's slow and smooth. When you ride with a veteran that really knows how to shift you won't even feel the truck accelerate and decelerate as he's going through the gears. In fact, if you couldn't hear the engine you wouldn't even know he was shifting at all.

Awesome ! .... so much to learn

Salaam bro i know how that feels before i went to truckin skool i never drove a stick before in my life and i was havin same problems as u i would release the clutch to late that it would shut off the truck lots of times in the middle of the road with my instructer in the truck with me the best thing to do is not rush release the clutch REALLY REALLY SLOWLY AND LISTEN to the engine sound as soon as it changes even just a LITTLE BIT hold it there then give it a little bit of gas slowly when the truck starts to move a lil bit continue letting off the clutch and givin it gas at the same time the key is to listen to the engine and play close attention to it thats the way i learned it dont worry u will get better good luck man

I think, in general, slipping or feathering the clutch is NOT a good idea in these rigs.

I have had GT Mustangs for decades and I am desperately trying to un-learn all the high performance shifting I used to do.

Non synchro'd gears are completely different..

Just let out the clutch slowly, with no gas, in the proper gear for the application, then hit the gas when the clutch is fulling engaged.

I think, in general, slipping or feathering the clutch is NOT a good idea in these rigs.

I have had GT Mustangs for decades and I am desperately trying to un-learn all the high performance shifting I used to do.

Non synchro'd gears are completely different..

Just let out the clutch slowly, with no gas, in the proper gear for the application, then hit the gas when the clutch is fulling engaged.

I agree 100%, I was in my 06 GT yesterday after driving a truck for the last week......and STALLED my Mustang!! In the big trucks you don't throttle up when letting out the clutch like you do in a car.

I think, in general, slipping or feathering the clutch is NOT a good idea in these rigs.

I have had GT Mustangs for decades and I am desperately trying to un-learn all the high performance shifting I used to do.

Non synchro'd gears are completely different..

Just let out the clutch slowly, with no gas, in the proper gear for the application, then hit the gas when the clutch is fulling engaged.

I agree 100%, I was in my 06 GT yesterday after driving a truck for the last week......and STALLED my Mustang!! In the big trucks you don't throttle up when letting out the clutch like you do in a car.

Yes !! ... I took my '95 GT out for one last winding road sprint up through the plateau going to East Tennessee yesterday before I put her up for a while because of training and basically not being around much this first year.

I could barely shift !! lol

I did, however, have a feel for how LITTLE clutch I need now to get into gear... when before I was going close to the floor every time. I was practicing 1/2 of my double clutching !! lol ...

It is amazing the difference is technique and mechanics ...