i've been with my company for two years (also my first two years driving). right when I got hired on fresh out of school, the company switched to automatics, just as i got good and comfortable with shifting. so i haven't shifted a truck in two years. well now im ready to find a good local work company, but im afraid to take a road test and make an ass of myself when it comes to shifting. i know i can do it and it definitely wont take me more than a day to get it down again, but i know if i have a guy in the passenger seat watching, im gonna screw up.

should i be up front with employers and will they understand or will they take that as not having enough experience? I dont want to f up a road test and not have a chance of getting hired by that company again.

can i rent a truck somewhere (ohio)?

any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

I know Ryder and Penske rent tractors short term.....The company I work for rents from one or the other when one of our hunks o junk breaks down,(frequently)...


Don't know the price though.....

 

Most truck rental places will, in fact, rent by the hour, It can be expensive, but may be well worth it.

I think, tho that most of your worries are, in fact, just that. You are pysch'ing yourself out, setting yurself up to fail, because you are afraid. Shifting like learning to ride a bicycle is something you don't "forget". Don't ask me why...no idea.

I have been trucking for almost 30 years now, & there was one time when I was pretty inexperienced I was injured & could not work for nearly 2 years, believe me I was bloody nervous when I went back. I was rusty to be sure, but in a short time it all came back.

Best is to go rent yourself a truck for a couple of hours, find a vacant parking lot & practice shifting till it comes back again. Just remember if will be a bit different with a trailer that without.

Good luck to you... & DON'T worry so much...you'll do just fine!

 

Do you have a friend who drives a manual and a few vaction days?Maybe you can run with him a week or so before you take the test and get back in the groove?

 

Penske won't rent big trucks to individuals.....Don't know about Ryder.

 

call a few local truck schools................they should pro rate you per day

.....it might be 100-300 for two or three days it would be well worth it......
(as long as it's a school with 1 on 1 or no more then 2-3 students per truck)...............BOL 2 ya........!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8) 8) 8)

 

why not inform the company before the road test that you have been driving automatics...the will probably forgive a grind or two. fi you are that nervous about shifting gears then maybe look into another profession.

 

They don't either...

 

If you were good at shifting a couple years ago, you can get back into it. It's like riding a bike.. it stays with you. You just need a couple of hours of refreshing your mind. If let's say you've been out of work for 3 or more years, then yeah, maybe you'd need to be retrained. Go for a couple of hours of training or rent a truck for a day

I'm assuming you drove a 13 or 18 speed.. if you drove a 9 or 10, it's a whole different game than driving a 13 for instance.