As you suggest, there are certainly different (equally acceptable) techniques for climbing a grade. It really boils down to how much driver interaction one wants as well as how robust the engine cooling system is.
I prefer to use economy mode and use the down/up arrows to TELL the transmission what I want done. It is equally acceptable to leave it in either economy or power mode and let the Allison "do its thing".
I think we both agree, but want to make VERY clear about one point.
You said, "Repeat until you are comfortable with the speed the coach is holding." For those new to driving heavy vehicles, we need to point out that the "comfortable speed" has little to do with how straight or curvy the road is, and EVERYTHING to do with holding the vehicle's speed in EQUILIBRIUM. You will see just as many truck runaway lanes on straight descents as on curvy ones! Once a heavy vehicle's speed gets too much over equilibrium speed, the brakes are truly inadequate to "regain control".
This is something everyone operating a heavy vehicle has learned-- you need to know how to use your exhaust brake/Allison transmission along with perhaps an OCCASIONAL use of the service brakes to safely descend a grade.
If in doubt start slower-- it is always easier to speed up. And watch the 18 wheelers. You should be faster than the loaded ones and slower than the empty ones.
Once you get the hang of it, you can use ALL these things to control speed:
Exhaust brake on/off
Up/down arrows to lock the transmission in a gear
Service brakes.
Example: You are on a grade where 4th gear with the exhaust brake on provides too much braking. But turning it off/touching the throttle allows not only the brake to turn off, but the transmission to up-shift, causing you to accelerate. Here you may want to use the down arrow to "lock" the transmission in 4 gear and merely toggle the brake switch on/off to fine tune your speed.
Mountain driving
in Type A motorhomes
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