Attn. tscottme?
Trucker
my questions about the company you drive for. I had just about given up on
going to work there in the truckload division when Tuesday I get a call from
a guy not 3 minutes from my house that represents Averitt. He is a team
leader I believe over a dedicated account for American Water Heater Co. here
in Johnson City. Anyhow on a 5 minute notice I went to talk with him about a
position running to Strawberry Plains (Knoxville) 2 times a day to bring
back steel for the water heater company. The position is part of the Supply
Chain Solutions..I think thats what he called it. It sounds like a fine
opportunity and yesterday (Thursday) I got a call that I was accepted for
the position pending drug test, road test, and physical. I am now scheduled
to attend orientation on Monday and Tuesday. I will leave here Sunday in
time to get to the service center off of exit 288 for the road test. I am
very excited about the position and can't wait to get started. My question
is on the road test. I have heard from a friend and maybe you mentioned it
also that they use trucks equipped with super 10 tranny's. I have never
driven one of these but after some reading up on how they work I have a
general idea. Are they (the tester) real sticklers on the road test? I ask
because they have been very formal on everything so far. I have never
worried about a road test before but, they are not like all the rest in many
ways. Every road test I have been on has been real casual..just don't run
over anything..lol. just wondering about it. maybe worrying over nothing. I
didn't know if they actually test you in one if you had never driven one
before. I heard they also have some straight 9's and 10's and didnt know if
ya got your choice. They emailed me some info with everything I needed to
know and do as I prepare for orientation there. The paperwork even listed
the guys name that I will be road tested with and the time on Sunday to be
there. Anywho let me know what ya can and again I appreciate all of your
detailed answers to my numerous previous questions. Good Day Sir,
Mike
tscottme
Trucker <mur...@petro.com> wrote in message
news:u9KdnUw-Sa2...@giganews.com...
Relax. The company seems to buy trucks with 9, 10, and Super 10 by
random chance. Every single driver that switches from one to the other
makes music for a few weeks. I can't guarantee you that the people in
your part of Paradise will be exactly like the Avrt people over here,
but I know of no driver hassled about grinding, especially on a road
test and in a different truck. When my brother took his road test he
had experience with a 9 speed and nothing else. He took his company
test in a Super 10. He stopped before making it back to the front gate
and asked if they should park the truck since he obviously wasn't doing
a good job shifting. He was told they fully expect you to grind when
switching trucks. What they look for on a road test is how you drive,
not how you shift a foreign tranny. Just don't get flustered and stall
in an intersection or on RR tracks. The guy that tests you is likely to
be just a senior driver at your location. As with probably most road
tests, the one skill that every concentrates on is backing. He may note
if you snake a little while backing, that won't fail you, I do it every
day. Without knowing the testing driver I would guess it will be mostly
a formality unless something obvious pops up.
The company does take its image seriously, especially around customers.
So don't expect to kick off your shoes and unbuckle your belt once you
close the doors. They really don't want Billy Bigrig but they don't
expect everyone to be a Boy Scout. But if you think being a Boy Scout
is OK, that will get you points. I don't get the impression you might,
but don't expect to make Avrt into your trucking company working to your
rules. While I have my days when I wonder why they don't get more
strict over some mostly minor things, they are fairly strict on many
things. The main thing to keep in mind is impress the customer by being
professional. Also expect anything another Avrt driver sees you doing
will make it back to the boss, so it's easier to just assume the boss is
always watching.
The pay and type of work you might do, especially in Supply Chain
Logistics, formerly known as "Dedicated". depends entirely on the
account you work for. If you hire into an SCL account your pay,
schedule, equipment, etc will be set by that account's requirements. If
you can't sleep at night after you hear a rumor that another SCL driver
on another account is making a dollar an hour more or 3 cents per mile
more than you, you might want to just avoid hearing that news. Each
account is separate and pays its bills and sets its pay. If your
customer is low-paying you may go a while without a raise. It is
irrelevant that drivers on another account have had 3 raises since you
started or that OTR truckload drivers just got another raise.
As you've found out, they take forever to hire. I promise they talked
to your previous employers. There are drug tests after hire and it's
not unusual for a driver to get randomly selected a couple of times in
short order, especially if he's suspect. I like them because they are
pretty big, most things are decided by policy and not personality. They
have numerous wives working in Admin, as well as just about every
college grad within a 200 mile radius. Sometimes the distinct gulf
between new college guys in the office and drivers is a problem, but
they are willing to listen and if something is screwed up they will try
to fix it.
You mentioned moving steel. I would be curious if it's one of our few
covered wagon trailers or a dry van. I would ask as much about that
account as possible. Don't think that your choice is to take that job
on that account if you don't think you want to do it. It may be that
you are filling a position on an account that requires too much work.
We have one of those type accounts that goes to the customer I've been
working with for nearly 5 years. It's just running a covered wagon
about 60 miles south of Nashville, several times a night, but the hours
are long, the pay is only slightly more than what I do, and I just have
drop and hook 6 trailers and go home. They have significant turnover,
and I wouldn't do it, now that I see how easy my job is. But there are
a couple of guys that will stay there until they turn out the lights.
When I got hired they put me on a "hospital run" which had multiple
stops from Nashville to Owensboro, KY. I did that for about a week,
after the first day I asked to move to another account. Evaluate what
the job is and find out what is available. Company policy after you
hire is for you to stay in place for a year. They will let you move
after a year and they will let you move sooner to another position if it
keeps them from hiring off the street. What I'm saying is if the
position you test for seems out of the question for you, don't just walk
away, ask for something else and above all don't just disappear. OTR is
always looking for more drivers so if worse comes to worse you can go
OTR, although in your part of the world that might mean east coast more
than us over here in God's time zone.
They aren't looking at you like a drill sergeant waiting to pound on
you, but they try to hire above average employees, or at least you seem
to be comfortable with shoes that tie. Not a day goes by that I or
others complain about something but some of us couldn't get through the
day without our fix. But this company seems to have more long-term
drivers than any other place, except for union companies. It's not
Paradise but they seem really fair and willing to compete for customers
on something besides price.
--
Scott
--------
The French, God bless them, are finally joining the war against Islamic
extremism. Their targets, which will now confront the full force of
l'état, are schoolgirls who wear Muslim head scarves in French public
schools.
Wall Street Journal
Joyce
You are really a nice guy,,,,,,,,
helping Mike that way, some would just
give a name and tele#.
You have gone way beyond helping this
trucker, and i am sure he will appreciate
what you have told him,
As it is very important to make at least
a good impresion, and it helps to know
before you start what to expect from the
people you will be working for...and you
have given him some very good advice.
joyce
Trucker
pulling a normal 53 Ft. van. I am under the impression that this is rolls of
steel that are used to make the outer cover (jacket) of water heaters. The
teamleader that represents Avrt at the water heater company told me that
they needed more drivers because business was booming at the water heater
company. He told me that the hardest thing I really had to do was open my
own trailer doors when I get back with a load. I will be running approx. 370
miles a day. Leaving here empty and returning with the steel..unload go back
empty and get another one. He was honest about the possible wait times to
unload. He said that there might be times when I would have to wait my turn
to unload at the water heater co. if there was a line of trucks..The good
thing is that he said it only takes a few minutes to unload most of the
stuff going in there. Thanks for the reply. I really apreciate it. Makes me
feel like I am going in with a little more understanding and knowledge about
the company. Have a good day.
Mike
"tscottme" <blah...@blah.net> wrote in message
news:uL6dnSbU-cS...@comcast.com...
Trucker
here. I have nothing but respect for him because if he takes the time to
answer, you can rest assured he will be detailed and straight forward. If
everyone on newsgroups was like Scott it would be a much better place...no
doubt about it. I skip alot of garbage in here and I do not post much but, I
always read Scott's posts..It is to say the least educating and
enlightening.
Mike
"Joyce" <JoyceI...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:22051-401...@storefull-3253.bay.webtv.net...
Trucker
good start.
Mike
"Richard" <anon...@127.000> wrote in message
news:bvdub...@enews4.newsguy.com...
> First thing you do is tell them you know nothing about other shifting
> methods other than what you were trained on.
>
> It took me all of 15 minutes to get used to a super 10 shifter.
>
> In a supepr 10 you have the pattern of
>
> R-----3/4------7/8
> ..........|..............
> 1/2....5/6.......9/10
>
> The splitter selects which of the two gears you want.
> Moving the stick full to the right engages the split axle which used to be
> the job of the splitter.
> Outside of an auto, a super 10 would be my preferred choice.
>
> Most times you can start off in 3rd gear, so in a super 10 you only move
the
> stick 3 times.
>
>
>
>
tscottme
>
> You are really a nice guy,,,,,,,,
> helping Mike that way, some would just
> give a name and tele#.
>
Thanks Joyce. I really enjoy helping when I can.
tscottme
> I really believe that Scott goes more than out of his way to help
people
> here. I have nothing but respect for him because if he takes the time
to
> answer, you can rest assured he will be detailed and straight forward.
If
> everyone on newsgroups was like Scott it would be a much better
place...no
> doubt about it. I skip alot of garbage in here and I do not post much
but, I
> always read Scott's posts..It is to say the least educating and
> enlightening.
>
Thanks very much. Too bad I have no social skills. I grew up expecting
to have a career in one or another very technical field. Being pretty
shy, I thought I would deal with people a lot less than I have wound up
doing. I always thought it was more important to find the answer to
something, anything, than to fit in or support someone if they were
wrong.
I recognize that I often get rude, and am embarrassed by that.
Virtually all of that, what doesn't come from difficulty working nights
and sleeping days, comes from having spent many hours looking into
things and arriving at what seems the best answer and then sometimes
people rejecting that answer because what seems to me to be petty social
reasons, they don't like the answer or who has an interest in or who is
opposed to that answer. Although my sense of humor is what many people
know of me in real life, I recognize that I often come across with a
personality like the "computer guy" on Saturday Night Live. The radio
show host Neil Boortz has a funny line, "turning a personality disorder
into a very profitable career." Mine is more like "freed from social
skills he's looking for an answer." I am firmly convinced that almost
everything is knowable with hard work and a willingness to learn.
I've been thinking about my behavior in here and elsewhere in the last
year and am trying to do better, starting today. When I go out of
bounds, being told I'm not setting a good example would probably be a
good way to get my attention. But everyone should feel free to "go
nuclear" on me as I've done.
tscottme
Will you be on the clock, or paid by mile? I've been on the clock for
almost 5 years and it is a real change from CPM. While my schedule is
now more tight than anyone would ever imagine as OTR, 5 minutes extra is
like a bugle blowing in my ear, getting paid to wait is a real help. I
can tell you within 5 minutes where I'll be at any time. I do three
turns a night, and when I leave the customer I know when I'll be back,
when I'll leave again, and when I'll be back again. I had always
thought this type of driving would be boring, I've found that it lets
you really perfect your technique. I can anticipate so much on the same
old road, and at both ends of the trip that I wind up avoiding problems
before many other people would notice there is a problem developing.
It really helps immensely that I learned how to download radio programs
from the internet and take them with me every night. So while I often
wish I was flying a DC-10 freighter from Seattle to Memphis or being
paid to write programs, I can learn every night and pay my bills.
Trucker
waiting I am getting payed. Everything sounds good about it but, I guess I
will know more once i start. The guy that handles the water heater company
account (team leader) made a comment that he would like me rolling by
Wednesday..other than that nobody has told me what to do such as what time
to show up Wednesday or anything. I may call one of the ladies at the office
and see what she says about it as I won't get back home till sometime late
Tuesday night and that depends on how long that orientation lasts in
Cookeville. I don't believe anyone has mentioned what time those classes let
out and its about 230 miles from me so, I will have the drive home too and
have no idea when I will arrive back home. On another note I went down by
the water heater co. and looked around to see where trucks go and all that.
The place has really expanded since the last time I was in the area. and I
have no idea where to go. the area is full of one way streets and no truck
signs everywhere you look..lol. I am hoping someone will be able to give me
the scoop on where to go over there. I was also wondering if I will be
required to carry a log book since I will not be going over 100 miles from
here. Other than that I am looking forward to all but the road
test...nervous about it. Funny thing is I have never been nervous before and
don't know why I am this time. maybe its just been to long since i have had
to do it. If you want more details on pay or whatever email me personally at
mur...@earthlink.net. Thanks for sharing information with me. Hope you have
a good night.
Mike
"tscottme" <blah...@blah.net> wrote in message
news:wNidnTxzm_K...@comcast.com...
tscottme
<snip> My question
> is on the road test. I have heard from a friend and maybe you
mentioned it
> also that they use trucks equipped with super 10 tranny's. I have
never
> driven one of these but after some reading up on how they work I have
a
> general idea.
All of the ones I've seen in Avrt trucks are the same way, just like a 9
speed pattern but with the air splitter used differently.
Put it in the first position, with the splitter down. Accelerate and
when the RPMs hit about 11-12,00 move the splitter up raise off the fuel
and then right down on the fuel pedal again. Once that gear is working
"pre-select" the splitter down and get ready to throw the lever when the
RPMs hit 1100. Put it in the next position and "gas on it". Just
after you press the fuel pedal each time, pre-select the air splitter to
the next position and wait for the RPMs to climb. Just like any other
transmission upshifting comes to me quickly but I have to think about
downshifting, this is really important when moving to the Super 10.
What I've done is to only downshift one gear at a time until I become
comfortable with the new transmission. If I try to jump more than one
gear I can easily get lost because both the splitter and lever need to
be moved, or the splitter may not be moved. The splitter is what gets
most people confused, moving one at a time helps. One thing I do when
pre-selecting is to keep my hand on the gear lever and my finger where
it is pressing the switch in the direction it will need to go, or needs
to stay in. That sounds more complicated than in real life. Think
about the 9 or 10 speed. I'm in the last gear in low-range. Just as
soon as the RPMs start increasing in that gear, I flip the splitter to
high-range and my right hand is on top of the gear lever and my middle
finger is applying light pressure to raise the splitter. When I shift,
I know I just move my arm, not my finger. If I tensed up while
shifting, I would only squeeze the splitter in the correct direction.
When I downshift from the first gear in high-range back to the last in
low-range, after pre-selecting the splitter down, my hand is on top of
the gear lever and my finger is lightly pressing the splitter down.
The key for me is to do everything a lot slower in the new truck, and
only go as fast as you can think. I seldom think about what I will do
next in my current truck but have to concentrate when I get the Super 10
or am still having occasional grinding now that I am in a 10 speed after
several years in a 9. I think I remember using a different right hand
strategy when in a Super 10 for short periods. After moving the lever
to the next position, take my hand off the shifter and "pinch" the
splitter. That's a reminder that the next move is splitter only.
When I was flying, and really poor I learned to practice some things by
flying my chair. Sit in a quiet spot in a chair and just practice
making the hand and finger motions. I don't just mean think about doing
it in your mind, but physically shift through the gears. 1st, lever is
upper left, splitter down. With your hand on top of the imaginary shift
lever, give it some fuel, and pull up the splitter, raise off the fuel
and then "gas on it." Imagine the RPMs climbing and down with the
splitter. There's 1100 and back with the shifter. As soon as the RPMs
start increasing, up with the splitter, raise your foot at 1100, and
then gas on it. Practice this through the full pattern. Once you "get
into high gear" start the downshift procedure. The splitter is up and
the lever is far right and back. Raise off the fuel, drop the splitter,
and give it a little fuel. Once the RPMs increase, up with the splitter
and stand by to move the lever to the far right and forward. Raise your
fuel pedal and move the lever. Once the RPMs start increasing down with
the splitter. If it helps you to say the gear number, go ahead. I'll
predict that if you just do everything much slower and tell yourself
what you going to do next, you won't have any more problem than the rest
if us when we do it. Of course it's guaranteed someone will pull out in
front of you and you will miss a shift and forget what happens next.
When it happens just take a breath and start trying gears until
something good happens. I know some people freak out if the truck rolls
while it's not in a gear, I don't. As long as I can stop the truck,
it's under control, whether it's in gear or not for a brief instant.
You might ask the other driver if he minds floating the gears or not.
I'm not sure what you do, but try as much as possible to do that in the
test. I'm confident that it seems like a bigger deal than it will be.
Remember, they need a driver, Cookeville has wasted a lot of time
checking you out. If nobody dies, the worst outcome is probably a day
of practice before they assign you. I don't know of anyone, certainly
never in my location, that hasn't been hired due to a road test unless
they were obviously dangerous. Right now we are using a few lease
drivers at my location. These guys not only look like they just broke
out of prison, but there is no way they are familiar with the red sled
and they get lost going to our JIT customers. They have to break
something before they aren't asked back.
If doing without a beard, and giving up a mullet haircut doesn't scare
you off, I know you will do fine at Avrt. You wouldn't be asking
question if you were a bad fit with them. Oh yeah, you may or may not
have a Jake break on the truck, I would leave it off, especially during
the test. If you have one in the truck, the switch will look like an
engine within parenthesis, flip it up to turn it off. Ask the test
driver anything or you might say what you are going to do before you do
it, not like you are asking permission, but so he has a chance to stop
you if he thinks it's a bad idea. You're in command, he's just watching
and answering your questions.
You may or may not even be tested in a Super 10, we have 9, 10, and
Super 10. When it comes to drive look for the shifter pattern, often on
the sun visor, and you might run through pattern with the truck off.
They aren't expecting you to be perfect, just willing and safe.
Trucker
gears..I can not remember the last time I actually double clutched. Were you
saying that during the road test it would be better to float rather than
double clutch? or did you mean that I should ask the guy about floating
before I just go and do it? In the past (been a long time) I always double
clutched on a road test..maybe because I seem to recall someone telling me
not to do it on the road test and I assumed that some/most companies did not
like the idea. I know that ODFL does not care. Mechanics have told me that
they felt it was easier on the tranny/drive train and I know from experience
running team that its easier on the poor tired soul in the box. I am a bit
nervous yet anxious at the same time. I just can't wait to get the
Cookeville ordeal over with and start working. So far everyone has been very
pleasant to talk with at Avrt. All of my questions have been answered in
what I feel are honest answers by reps of the company. I beleive they just
may be the best I have worked for. I am a meticulous type person. I try to
be neat, orderly, and organized. I like plans and back up plans. Sounds like
Avrt has the plans on paper and they go by it. I don't forsee any problems.
I appreciate all of your detailed responses and help..especially the
confidence boost! If you think of anything else or want to shoot me some
mail that is fine. there are some things I wouldn't discuss publicly (pay).
Take care and enjoy your weekend.
Mike
"tscottme" <blah...@blah.net> wrote in message
news:y8ednRu3c4s...@comcast.com...
tscottme
I really think you are much too nervous about the road test. It's not a
formality, if you kill someone you won't be hired, if you run over
something, start walking. But I think the worst possible outcome, other
than that, is they make you practice backing or going around a corner if
you are really bad doing that, but not if you just happen to be less
than perfect. As for the tranny, you might not even use a Super 10
unless they mentioned "their" trucks have them. I'd say most of the
fleet is probably 9 and 10 speed. But no matter, within a week you
could drive a truck with controls from an Etch-a-Sketch, it would just
be a matter of practice. I had to take a course in aviation history as
part of my previous life. If you saw what pilots did before controls
were standardized it would amaze you.
Ask about a hotel room for orientation. I live less than 100 miles from
Cookeville and we were offered a room (double-occupancy) if we needed
it. I don't remember what time you finish up each day, they provide
lunch, but I'm thinking 3-5ish. If you can't start the day after you
finish orientation, tell the team leader or boss, as they were called in
the old days. They aren't going to not hire you because you start a day
or two later. As long as you don't sound like a smart-ass when you tell
him you can't start until X ("you're full of crap if you think I'm
driving back from Cookville and working the very next day"), they will
be happy to have you as soon as you can start.
Yeah, if you are on the clock, you're paid from clock in to clock out.
If you don't go out of state and they work on the 100 mile exclusion you
won't need a log book. I haven't done a log page in years, pretty nice.
I would ask a driver when you get to your location what and where to go.
You could ask for them to have a driver call you so you an ask questions
about the customer location. Often at our dedicated customers we are
concentrated in a few doors, or we use all of their doors. Heck, if
you've been OTR, and you must've or they wouldn't be hiring you, you can
get into a new customer for the first time. I'm like you, I want every
scrap of info available, and I'll decide what is unnecessary, the other
drivers will be happy to help you because you will probably be dropping
and hooking trailers they leave and they getting trailers you leave. If
you do it the way they want it's easy for everyone. One good thing
about the whole industry is one driver helping another driver,
especially when face to face, and I usually have little good to say
about much of the industry.
It seems to me you will fit in OK. The guys that have trouble here are
the guys that expect Avrt to give them a truck and leave them alone.
You're alone most of the day, but they expect you to wear the clothes
they allow, and other stuff like that. To me having a place where the
rules are in place and if you follow them you are left alone is pretty
nice. If someone had a personality that had them think long hair is
happiness and it's fascism to require short hair, this ain't the place
for them. If you're willing to work the Avrt way you can stay here
until retirement, if the money on your account is suitable. My account
is probably the lowest paying account, and I'm happy. Some days I can't
decide which Hummer to take to work, I guess it's good they both fit in
my coat pocket. Even if you find you don't like working on your account
you can transfer into OTR, since they are always hiring. You can't
transfer into another account until after a year in place, unless that
second account also is short handed.
Your benefits and vacation is handled in a pretty nice way. Other
places I knew of before Avrt did everything by anniversary date. If you
start Feb 1, your vacation length and 401(k) enrollment was determined
according to that specific date. For example, I think you get one week
paid vacation during your first year at Avrt. You don't have to wait
until Feb 1 to become eligible for vacation. Anytime after Jan 1 of the
year in which the target date arrives you become eligible. For example
I hired on in May. The very next January I was able to take my
vacation. On my account they shut down for a time in the summer and at
Christmas so almost all of us don't take vacation other than those
periods. We don't get paid during shutdown except for holidays or
vacation pay.
You still have to look out for yourself, they often forget to give you
directions, truck assignment, fuel card or directions, etc. unless you
ask. But if they didn't tell you something, they wouldn't punish you.
I was lucky that my dad started in this account before I did, he's #2
seniority here, and so I had a good idea what might be forgotten and
stuff like that. My boss almost never tells the new driver what time
his loads are to leave a customer, so when a temp driver or new driver
covers a load it's not unusual for them to show up as soon as they can
get there. Being JIT the loads can't leave too early, so they have to
wait. If they had known in advance they could have hung out somewhere
better than the customer. It's minor stuff like that they might drop
the ball on. Nothing to worry about.
I've never hear of anyone failing a road test, since they require
experience and they are selective they will give you the benefit of the
doubt if they have an option. You would have to do something bad enough
they can't afford to wait for you to improve, not likely I'd say.
tscottme
All through school the instructors kept emphasizing that "we don't float
gears". Ok, whatever that means. I drove most of my first year never
floating gears, except my accident. That was until, I though I broke my
left foot. Then I remembered hearing something about shifting without
the clutch and matching RPMs and so I figured it out as fast as possible
rather than go to a hospital in Deeeetroit. I figured the further south
I could get the better I would like it. You know how those Yankees
steal your kidneys when you're not looking.
I don't think I've ever heard anyone at Avrt say anything negative about
floating gears, but because of my initial training I still only admit to
floating gears around people at work after I get an impression if they
dislike it. So far I don't think they care. Maybe it's my old engineer
aspirations haunting me. Why have the clutch if it's not required or
the best method of shifting. I've never had a clutch replaced or a
tranny repaired in one of my trucks. I have been give trucks with the
clutch worn out and they were replaced, but I've had trucks for a few
years, and none of those have needed either a clutch or tranny. As much
as I expect to be perfect at work, I'm not and I don't feel like a
slouch when I miss a gear or have to pull up when backing, and trust me
my natural inclination is to be highly self-critical when I make a
mistake. It happens that I feel bad about some mistakes that are too
small for others to notice.
In flying, before I got into trucking, that was the expected behavior.
Nobody would say they expected you to be perfect, but there were
techniques and practices that you had to follow and those would
double-check everything. And rather than everyone being happy just to
not kill someone or to get the big parts of the truck to the right
location, any small discrepancy was to be taken as a chance to figure
out how even this small detail was missed, could it be a sign of
something dangerous just being uncovered, or just simple slip up.
Whatever the cause let's all think about how he can change so we don't
let this small thing happen again or snowball. I admit that I'm a real
hardass. There are people at work that don't care much for me, because
I don't think just getting it done is good enough. For example, we used
to have a location to drop trailers and you often could find a pull-thru
spot. But people had to walk among those trailers looking inside them,
two rows of trailer parked back to back. I had numerous discussions
with drivers about the benefit of backing into a spot rather than
driving down what was essentially the world's most narrow alley and
popping out the other side. People that were walking between trailers
to do their job had no option but to be there, the pull-thru drivers
didn't have to pull-thru, so why take the chance of running over someone
or popping out the other side and getting hit by another truck. I
didn't have a problem reporting dangerous driving to the boss if a
personal encounter with that driver didn't do any good. Safety
shouldn't be just the one word we all practice saying, and in my prior
life it was the absolute minimum required by everyone all the time. So
Avrt is much better than most, as far as I'm concerned, but there are
some things I would like to improve, but if someone called me a hardass
about it, I wouldn't disagree or think that an insult. It doesn't make
me better than anyone, I just don't think a lot of people in the
industry take this hurtling metal business as serious as they should.
I'm sure all of that is due to the complacency we can develop due to
many years driving like teenagers. I doubt there is anyone that has
started driving a truck that didn't realize they were probably a pretty
lousy car driver until they had this new perspective.
Leon
>
<<<<<<<<< section deleted >>>>>>
> All through school the instructors kept emphasizing that "we don't float
> gears". Ok, whatever that means. I drove most of my first year never
> floating gears, except my accident. That was until, I though I broke my
> left foot. Then I remembered hearing something about shifting without
> the clutch and matching RPMs and so I figured it out as fast as possible
> rather than go to a hospital in Deeeetroit. I figured the further south
> I could get the better I would like it. You know how those Yankees
> steal your kidneys when you're not looking.
>
> I don't think I've ever heard anyone at Avrt say anything negative about
> floating gears, but because of my initial training I still only admit to
> floating gears around people at work after I get an impression if they
> dislike it. So far I don't think they care. Maybe it's my old engineer
> aspirations haunting me. Why have the clutch if it's not required or
> the best method of shifting. I've never had a clutch replaced or a
> tranny repaired in one of my trucks. I have been give trucks with the
> clutch worn out and they were replaced, but I've had trucks for a few
> years, and none of those have needed either a clutch or tranny. As much
> as I expect to be perfect at work, I'm not and I don't feel like a
> slouch when I miss a gear or have to pull up when backing, and trust me
> my natural inclination is to be highly self-critical when I make a
> mistake. It happens that I feel bad about some mistakes that are too
> small for others to notice.
>
Just thought I'd throw in a little info. The present truck I drive has what
is call a Electronic Sync System. It is a Eaton 10 speed that the on-board
computer will match the RPMs with the ground speed when you float the gears.
You use the clutch only when you are stopped. In fact you will get yourself
in a whole bunch of problems if you try to clutch while the ESS is in
operation. There is a over ride switch that you can use that make the
system a standard 10 speed tranny.
The only real problem I have with this system is it will not allow you to
skip gears. Which is something I have done in the past when empty or
bobtail.
I might also note that pro road racers all float the gears while racing. A
driver explained it on a TV program as the reason they do it is it keeps
RPMs higher than clutching does.
Leon
tscottme
Leon <kc...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:W5idnXktPcG...@gbronline.com...
>
>
> Just thought I'd throw in a little info. The present truck I drive
has what
> is call a Electronic Sync System. It is a Eaton 10 speed that the
on-board
> computer will match the RPMs with the ground speed when you float the
gears.
> You use the clutch only when you are stopped. In fact you will get
yourself
> in a whole bunch of problems if you try to clutch while the ESS is in
> operation. There is a over ride switch that you can use that make the
> system a standard 10 speed tranny.
>
> The only real problem I have with this system is it will not allow you
to
> skip gears. Which is something I have done in the past when empty or
> bobtail.
>
> I might also note that pro road racers all float the gears while
racing. A
> driver explained it on a TV program as the reason they do it is it
keeps
> RPMs higher than clutching does.
>
> Leon
>
Very interesting, thanks.
Sarge
s...@comcast.com:
>
> I've been thinking about my behavior in here and elsewhere in the last
> year and am trying to do better, starting today. When I go out of
> bounds, being told I'm not setting a good example would probably be a
> good way to get my attention. But everyone should feel free to "go
> nuclear" on me as I've done.
>
> --
>
> Scott
> --------
>
and for the most part tried to keep at least one foot out of my mouth.
I'm not, yet, a driver and this group serves as a source of information.
Part of what life has taught me is to listen. I hope by now I know who to
listen to and who to ignor. You're in the listen to column. I don't
always agree with everything you say but I listen to it to see if there
is something there of value. It would be a boring place if we all agreed
on everything.
Thanks,
Sarge
--
If it walks like a duck .... you know the rest.