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Rick Long · 03-03-2010, 04:06 PM

Bought it and had to get it home... Only 60 miles from Pahrump to Las Vegas. That 7% down hill going into Vegas was an eye opener

desertrv · 03-03-2010, 11:26 PM

School bus driver for 5 years. Getting a school bus endorcement on the CDL makes you a better driver. The good thing about the motorhome is there is only 1 person telling you what to do instead of 50 to 60 students doing the same.

mrschwarz · 03-04-2010, 04:31 AM

When I was a kid, I was working in the family business. We had just gotten a semi. My dad pulled up in it, opened the window and asked me if I wanted to learn how to drive. I had been driving fork trucks and small tractors, so the concept of driving and shifting was not foreign to me.

I asked if we could start with something smaller with like, oh I don't know, a car? He laughed and said if I could figure this out, a car would be easy! He was right. I have been driving semis for years. I got my class A license when Connecticut passed the law that a special license was needed. Since I was already driving semis, I got on the list of existing drivers and was issued a license. I have had one ever since. Haven't driven one in quite a few years, though. The only difference with motor homes is they don't bend in the middle.

Pianodan · 03-04-2010, 12:40 PM

I drove 4 & 5 ton straight trucks for a couple of years, went in the Navy and on shore duty in Great Lakes, IL I took a part time job driving school bus and an old Greyhound MC-5 that we had for tour bus use. I also hauled big boat trailers with my truck. When I bought the RV, it was no problem, but I had to take my wife to a big parking lot so she could learn too.

AFChap · 03-04-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

good thing about the motorhome is there is only 1 person telling you what to do

Not when you have a GPS turned on ...and sometimes BOTH voices are insistently providing wrong directions!!!

exrench · 03-05-2010, 07:56 AM

Took a 2 mile trip through a residential neighbourhood with the elderly-former owner of a used 30 foot Pace Arrow,giving me a quickie driving lesson after the sale.In retrospect,that was just plain stupid,and I would have been a lot smarter with some lessons.I think the Guy looking for lessons should be congratulated for having the foresight to make that move to take a few lessons.

two2go · 03-05-2010, 10:09 AM

Drove a farm truck when I was 14. Progressed through TT's and 5th wheels. Bought this coach sight unseen via eBay and flew to Dallas to get it. Having never even been in a class A before, I let the sales guy take it to a RV site and set it up. Finally got the courage to drive it around the residential areas to get the feel of it and discovered how many low hanging branches there are in the Dallas suburbs. No problems after that.

pro517 · 03-08-2010, 01:48 PM

Interesting thread!
I like most others here and being a farm kid, I have driven all kinds of equipment over the years including grain trucks (both tandem and semi), a race car hauler, aircraft, heavy equipment, etc.

My first introduction to a large class A was after taking delivery of ours from the previous owner and hopping on I-10 and driving from southeast LA to Phoenix. At night.

We then drove the 1000+ miles home a week later after several U-turns (nav wasn't working yet) and a few choice words, all is well.

JimM68 · 03-08-2010, 06:14 PM

I used the brail method.
Hope I got it now, it's getting expensive!

johnboy545 · 03-10-2010, 03:56 AM

When I retired from the New York City Police Department I applied for a job as a Charter bus driver out on the east end of Long Island, New York......I got hired and they sent me to their training sessions for a few weeks before I actually got to work on the road.........The company instructors taught me everything I needed to get my NY Commercial Driver's License (This was before the "CDL" came out in NY State).....
I worked for them for about 2 years before I bought my first 40 foot motor home and moved to Florida......
When I worked for the company, called "Hampton Jitney" I drove Prevost, MCI, Van Hool, and Sentra buses in Manhattan and down to Atlantic City, New Jersey....
They were all wide-body 45 foot buses and I drove the Prevost 88 foot articulated bus a few times into Manhattan........It held 79 passengers and we had two stewartesses serving drinks and snacks.......
The job really got me ready to drive my own coach and I get a discount on my insurance because I have commercial bus experience.......
John

glenda1908 · 03-10-2010, 05:49 AM

We bought our first RV in 97, a 30' Class A. My DH is a disabled vet and felt he would be more comfortable driving something this large with hand controls. Our dealer drove it to the site for those to be installed while we waited for it. After several hours it was ready to go! Okay, here's where it gets good! He had never driven anything this big before...and never drove with handcontrols. They handed him the keys and said enjoy your new RV! Off we went, headed for home, about 3 hrs. away. I was following behind in our car and calling our son every 10 minutes who was with dad in the coach. Well, long story short and 4 RV's later we now have a 40' DP and tow car and he is still behind the wheel! Says it's just like driving a Corvette...only longer.

dveasey · 03-10-2010, 08:34 AM

FWIW: For Class -A driving, gas or diesel....every new driver should see the Michelin site for the handling when a tire blows out. Very good video even for seasoned drivers. Lazy -Days also has videos on backing into a tight 90 degree campsite.

..just info for those who happened upon this thread seeking roadworthy advice in-lieu-of personal accounts.

Ceratto's Grotto · 03-11-2010, 04:22 PM

Performance Driving School at Seattle International Raceway...

Big Bear Local · 03-15-2010, 01:26 PM

Earn while you learn. Lots of truck driving over the years. Construction, oilfields and heavy equipment hauling. I lost the sight in my left eye so don't drive trucks anylonger. Took awhile to get the depth perception down with just the one eye. No sweat now.