Shifting Gears
What the exam tests
Manual-transmission control, progressive shifting, and gear use on grades.
Core rules
- Shift at the engine speed the manufacturer recommends; do not lug the engine or over-rev it.
- Use progressive shifting: go up through the gears in sequence as speed builds.
- In a non-synchronized transmission, double-clutch: clutch, shift to neutral, clutch, shift to the next gear.
- Never coast in neutral downhill. You lose engine braking and braking control.
- Before a steep downgrade, select a low gear and stay in it. Use engine braking; apply the service brake only as needed.
- Do not shift while crossing railroad tracks, at intersections, or on icy surfaces.
- Keep the clutch fully engaged while driving; do not ride the clutch.
Worked example
A loaded school bus starts down a long mountain grade. The driver shifts to a lower gear before the descent and uses engine braking. If the bus speeds up, the driver applies the brakes firmly enough to feel them slow the bus, then releases. Reasoning: riding the brakes overheats them and can cause brake fade; a low gear keeps speed controlled without constant braking.
Traps that cost marks
Coasting downhill in neutral; skipping gears; holding the clutch in at a stop; shifting in the middle of a railroad crossing; waiting until the grade starts to select a low gear.