How many hours of stick driving should I get before going to trucking school?
Posted by TheHappy-Jello@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 32 comments
I was planning to start CDL A training at the start of May, and I saw that classes were offered for stick shift and auto trucks... I'm trying to avoid restrictions on my license by training with stick shift trucks, but I don't have any stick shift experience and i dont own any manual cars to practice with so my only option is to attend stick driving classes. The training website does stare that I need some experience with stick shift.
The classes are $300 for 4 hours. given the price, I'm trying to only do the minimum to have enough to attend the training and be allowed to learn on stick shift trucks. Having no experience with stick shift, how many classes should I book before starting cdl A training?
thxby@reddit
Manuals have been being phased out over the past decade. Unless you plan on hauling cement or trash or working for a small outfit I wouldn't worry about it.
IllustriousLeek39@reddit
The fairly consistent posts of guys needing to get their auto only removed would disagree.
Imasluttycat@reddit
Just watch some YouTube videos. You'll be alright
RWinvestor@reddit
Semi- trucks use asynchronous gearing while cars have synchronous gearing... sounds like a minor difference but it IS different.
Honestly, with the phasing out of manual vehicles, your next best option is to use a motorcycle as a training aid. Albeit, on on a motorcycle, your clutch is your left hand, NOT your left leg, and you're shifting with your left leg and NOT your right hand. The clutching and shifting concept is the same though.
And the answer to your question doesn't have a final number of prerequisite "hours" per se... it mostly boils down to operational proficiency. "Can you learn to clutch/shift at the same time?" is the same as "have you learned to walk and chew bubble gum?" AS a trainer, I've seen guys with 100 hours AND a CDL still not able to grasp the concept of learning WHEN to shift their equipment... and ive seen others with the ink not even dry on their license yet, be able to pick it up after about an hour of practice. Everyone learns at their own pace and as long as you learn that trucking is more of a marathon than a sprint, you should be fine.
Unfortunately, most companies are switching their equipment over to automatics because they get better fuel economy over transmissions. So, even IF you get an automatic restriction, it wouldn't be the end of the world.
BouncingSphinx@reddit
Everything I've known is that it's easier to teach someone a manual truck (at least in the USA) who's never driven a manual car. No manual car habits to unlearn.
RoweTheGreat@reddit
Ideally…..none. It is so much easier to learn the skill new than to have to be taught to undo any bad habit you’ve developed and be taught the right way.
StonedTrucker@reddit
You only need to know how a manual vehicle works. Actual experience in a manual car wont be much help because cars and trucks shift differently. Cars are easy once you start rolling. Trucks are easy to get rolling but harder to shift in motion. Youll need to learn truck shifting either way so i dont think learning how a car shifts will help much
jordanka161@reddit
Driving a manual car is completely different than driving a manual truck.
It's bizarre that they would require you to have experience in a manual car, and that really doesn't make sense. I wouldn't pay for any extra training, it won't help you at all.
My trainers actually preferred people that had never driven a manual car, easier to teach from scratch than to have to relearn.
lleu81@reddit
Can’t drive a manual car but I can float gears with the best then.
jmzstl@reddit
My CDL school instructors said the same thing. It's supposed to be far easier to teach drivers who have no stick shift experience, because they won't have to forget those habits.
QBall3577@reddit
As a former instructor my perspective is that you are correct. My better students for those that had no manual experience versus those who did.
NoCheesecake6669@reddit
Clutch in at 1500rpm for neutral then clutch in at 1000rpm for gear, for up shifts Down shift get to 1000rpm clutch for neutral, rev up to about 13-1400rpms clutch in for gear Double shifting , best way i can explain it! You get about 2-3 seconds!
LogPlane1030@reddit
I need to poop
greedybanker3@reddit
i found that out the hard way when my friend had me move his manual car cause i drive trucks. i stalled it so much in 1 ft i ended up pushing it the 6 ft it needed to go. i can float 18 gears but cant drive a car 5ft...
Larrythethird22@reddit
I can drive a manual semi I can’t drive a manual car lol
jordanka161@reddit
Nah you definitely could, the only hard part is getting the car going, and that takes like 30 minutes to get like 90% reliable. You'll probably stall at a red light a few times after that, but you'll basically be there.
TheHappy-Jello@reddit (OP)
Interesting. Unfortunately they do require it and it would still be cheaper than choosing a different school because the training is free there.
jordanka161@reddit
If you really have to, and you're not willing to just lie, then 4 hours is plenty of time.
The only hard part of driving a manual car is getting it going, balancing the clutch and throttle to not kill it.
That doesn't apply in a truck, you use no throttle to start at all. The hard part is matching revs and being smooth when you shift, and a class in a manual car won't help you there at all.
TheHappy-Jello@reddit (OP)
Everything i needed to know and more. Thanks a lot!
ChiTruckDGAF@reddit
In a car you'll push the clutch down all the way to the floor to shift, in a truck you push it partway down twice to shift when the truck is moving. Completely different muscle memory. Only when the truck is stopped you'll push the clutch in all the way.
jordanka161@reddit
And even then that's just how we had to learn because they exam required double clutching. As soon as I started driving for real I float gears, clutch is only used for starting from a standstill, and even then if I'm facing downhill I just roll forward and pop it in gear, lol.
It's such an odd requirement that really makes no sense.
geneticdeadender@reddit
0.
They will teach you how manual shifting works in a tractor. It is very different and previous proficiency can actually slow your learning.
Plus, a lot of trucks are automatic now. It is possible you may never use a manual in your professional career.
boogityshmoogity@reddit
7
MoosiePie22@reddit
Watch lots of YouTube on how to shift a 10 speed semi truck learn the patterns and the steps practice with items you have at home as far as the Rhythms go and getting the patterns down
jabber1990@reddit
0, because then you have no bad habits to break
ImShamallamadingdong@reddit
I had a lot of trouble picking up driving a manual truck despite years of experience driving manual cars. Quite a bit different and having to sort of unlearn my manual car driving habits wasn’t easy. Most people say having no manual car experience is an advantage and from my personal experience I’d agree.
HolyOrangeJuice@reddit
Zero hours. That is why you go to a school to learn. I never drove a manual anything and passed in a 10 speed on the first try with the school I went to. Then I jumped in a manual jeep and was like wow this is so much easier. Can be so lazy compared to the clutch clutch method you have to learn for the truck road test.
jordanka161@reddit
If you haven't already learn to float gears in your truck, no clutch required that way. Then driving a truck is easier than a car.
ParticularArrival111@reddit
Never heard of that before. Car trans and truck trans are completely different. The only thing that could possibily help would be the starting and stopping. Also just being in a mindset of needing to shift. But never seen anyone require it before.
FossMan21@reddit
I never drove anything with a manual transmission before getting my license.
RichCypher@reddit
Honesty may not be the best medicine in this case though I have to question the quality of their training with this requirement. Shifting a truck is nothing like a car. Ever played a racing game your can shift in? Truck sim game perhaps? Tell them you have many have many hours shifting. No one needs to know it was a McLaren in a game lol. If nothing else, who does a lie hurt?
OsBaculum@reddit
Yeah switching to a 13-sp truck actually messed me up in my 5-sp car. I have to make a mental shift every time I come off the road or I end up looking dumb lol