Latest posts
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When Should You Downshift a Semi Truck on a Grade?
A hill does not wait until the truck feels weak before it starts taking away your options. It begins by pulling down road speed and engine RPM. If you wait until the truck is already struggling, the downshift becomes harder, the recovery takes more throttle, and the climb costs more fuel and momentum. THE DECISION…
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How to Maintain Momentum When Climbing a Hill in a Semi Truck
Momentum is not extra speed for its own sake. On a grade, it is the road speed and engine response you carry into the climb before the hill starts taking it away. When a truck enters a hill with no plan, every second of waiting can turn a normal pull into a recovery. READ THE…
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How to Prevent Gear Hunting in an Automated Truck Transmission
An automated transmission is designed to shift, but it cannot read the road ahead the way a professional driver can. When the truck reaches a hill already losing speed, the system sees lower RPM, heavier throttle, and less road speed. It may start searching for a gear after momentum is gone. WHAT GEAR HUNTING TELLS…
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How to Control Speed Safely on a Long Truck Descent
The bottom of a long descent is largely decided at the top. If the truck starts down too fast or in too high a gear, the driver may end up using service brakes to repair a decision that should have been made before the grade. SET THE TRUCK UP BEFORE THE DESCENT Choose an appropriate…
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When Should Truck Drivers Avoid Cruise Control?
Cruise control can help maintain a steady pace on open, predictable highway. It is not a substitute for reading grade, weather, traffic, wind, or the way a loaded truck is responding. ON HILLS, THE TRUCK MAY NEED A DRIVER’S DECISION A climb can ask for more torque, a different gear, or a temporary change in…
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What Really Affects Semi Truck Fuel Economy?
Fuel economy is not one switch and it is not one RPM number. It is the result of many small decisions made over an entire trip: speed, load, grade, wind, idle time, tire condition, traffic, transmission behavior, throttle use, and mechanical condition. THE EXPENSIVE HABIT IS OFTEN A LATE DECISION Holding a gear too long…
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A Practical Pre-Trip Inspection Mindset for Professional Drivers
A pre-trip inspection is not paperwork to get past. It is the first chance to find a problem before it becomes a roadside delay, a costly repair, or a safety issue. LOOK WITH A DRIVER’S EYES Use the inspection procedure required by your employer, vehicle manual, and applicable law. Check the equipment carefully and report…