Mountain Driving 101: Match the truck gear and speed to the grade (Episode 4) 

"ignore that pressure from traffic behind you". a key element.

There’s a lot of drivers that run between Calgary and Vancouver that should seriously take note and watch this video! Well done gym. I run a dedicated linehaul run between Calgary and Vancouver twice a week and believe me, I just shake my head at some of the drivers that I see trying to slow themselves down in areas like Rogers Pass and the Coquihalla. I’ve seen more than my fair share of inexperienced drivers with their brakes smoking, LOL!

Great video! Thanks for the lesson

My first run ever as a new trucker was through the rocky mountains yesterday, im team driving so my partner was asleep, i was on my own and not knowing what i was doing to much. I survived it but it was nerve wrecking

fantastic demonstration for safe drive up hiills appreciate your information thas s real trucking stay safe

I have run the mountains in Canada and the U.S.A. for a bit of time. The truck I drove, a Freightliner Cascadia, did not have a very strong Jake and it certainly had its moments for sure. I gave up on mountain hauling as the headaches I got every time I got over 10,000 feet and up to like 15,000 feet elevation were severe. So I stayed more mid-west and east coast. In 2014, I had kidney cancer and had one removed. My wife asked if I could stay closer to home, which I did. I didn't do the U.S.A for very long out of my 50 years of trucking and stayed in my province of Ontario. What I have learned is that trucking is divided into groups. Territories, Mountain West, Prairies, Northern/Southern Ontario, Mountain East, and Atlantic groups. Each has its very own challenges and all are very distinct from one end of our country of Canada, to the other. Respect to all of you.

Thank you so much this help clear up a lot of things you guys very appreciated

Trucking is an artform and I can't imagine how difficult driving a big rig up and down mountains is.

How did the drivers in the old days drive these mountains without an engine brake?

Great lesson. Thank You!

I learn so much from this video thanks a lot

Very nice video.

Thanks videos came in handy

First time I tried something like this, was in early 2000s in a Renualt Magnum 440, fully loaded. It was in Germany, the Kassel Hills. They are called hills, but don't be fooled, these hills are steep and there are runaway ramps. It was also at night and it was raining. It was scary as hell. But I knew the theory, so it turned out all right. Ohh boy it was nice to get out of theese hills, but later it gave a nice feeling of have done something difficult the right way. So if you are a new trucker, just do as they do here in the truck. And as said, completely ignore traffic behind, you can't do anything for them.

Its just great to be in BC !!

Thank you very much Jim, I really appreciate your information. Greetings from Colombia, here we move with 52k kilograms in 6 axles trucks

Im always at a nice and safe speed going down any grade i dont care who gets mad behind me. One time i was driving down a grade had flashers on this car behind me then another trucker behind me he fell to the side of the grade not paying attention.

Depending on your load when going down hill what you need to check is the tilt of the vehicle in the curves. I always retain my load Depending on the weight and avoid tilt in the curves. That is I drive with no tilt.

My instructors informed me on using the engine brake levels in the mountains but told me to never put the volvo in manual mode.. So should I control the gear in manual mode as well?

Thanks for this lesson. I never been down a hill more then 5% grade. I also never knew the proper way to use the engine brake. With this lesson and many days/weeks that I’ll be studying from this video it would come together for me to get down some upcoming challenging hills in my future ; safely for the people on that road and myself. Do you have any videos on how to get down these type of hills in snow/wet conditions?

Sure wish Mack's mdrive tranny would let you do this in manual mode. Maxi brake only seems to work in auto mode.

And your eyes are off the road for how long?

I don't get it. You guys are doing it the hard way. Set cruise control and engine break in auto and let the truck do its job. Why are you using the manual mode ..idk.

Use lower great before you go down it and have your Jake break

Whatever gear you climbed with determines the gear you descend in. Never shift gears while descending. Example: If you climb in 7th gear you descend in 6th. This is basic information you're tested on when testing for your CLP.

please keep in mind that volvo has a 12 speed tranny..

Do you have a video on an automatic transmission?

Automated manual there is no point to this video you should have used a manual transmission truck

Do Break lights come on when using the Engine break ?

I never go past 1500 !!! Lol 19-2200 that’s crazy

What if your truck doesn’t have a Jake brake

Its never a race going down a mountain or grade.

😷😳😎

Let em get mad. The madder the better. They drive to fast and think they are way more important than they are. The closer they get the slower I go😂

Automatics suck

"we're going slower than we need to" -- this is when i shut this bs video off..