Needing Some Training Advice...

I'm in desparate need of someone's advice. This is my 3rd week in CDL training at the tech school in my hometown and I can't grasp some of the maneuvers.My instructor told me that he may have to drop me from the course because I have not gotten some maneuvers right before going on the road in two weeks.My question is if I am dropped from the class what other options are there left? I work a full time job and my permit will expire in February. If I allow that to happen I will have to go through the testing process all over again. My instructor advised that I could come back for Winter semester and take that portion again but it will be cutting pretty close to my expiration date. Any advice ya'll got for my situation will be helpful. Thanks!

What maneuvers are you specifically having trouble with?

I'm having trouble with parallel parking,blindside and alley dock.

Backing is very challenging for sure. Everyone struggles with it for months after company training even, so you certainly aren't alone.

Go to the main/general forum and do a quick search on backing tips. I know you'll find so much to help you.

For our parallel, we used the center of the landing gear as a marker. We lined up the passenger side rear tandems (between 4th and 5th axle) with the outside cone at the front of the box. We cut the wheel hard to the left and slowly backed up til the front of the box was even with our catwalk. Then we cut the wheel hard right to maneuver the tractor back under the trailer, following the trailer into the box, and then turned the wheel to the left again to straighten the truck and front steer tires.

At the end/back of your box right after you do your first cut, the trailer should be diagonal pointed out and away from the box. If you're set up right, you should not see the cones at the back corner of the box, but see the center cone at the back and the cone on the passenger side just up from the back of the box.

I hope this is making sense.. I'm not always the best at explaining and for me it'd be much easier to show you. Others here are awesome at explaining this stuff in the forums.

I'm assuming you are talking about blind side parallel? Or is that blind side alley docking?

Anyway.. an alley dock. Pull up close and perpendicular to the space or dock you need to be in. In other words the docks or spaces are on your left so pull straight in front of them. You want the rear of your trailer just as close.

When your drive tires are centered in front of the space/dock you need, .(stopt stopfa stop12oclock) stop. Turn your wheels very hard right and then slowly go in a low forward gear. When the front of your truck is facing directly away from the dock (3 o'clock), stop. (Incidentally ,You've used about half your setup space).

Cut your wheel quickly to the left until your truck is facing that 12 o'clock position again. Creep forward and let your wheels straighten a bit.

If you get out and look, you'll notice you are set up in a kind of banana shape and the rear of your trailer is headed directly for the space you need to be in.

Ease back making tiny adjustments to steer the end of your trailer into the box. One the end of the trailer goes in the box, never pull completely out. Just make your minor corrections.

To do a blindside alley dock the row of docs or spaces is gonna be on your right side. Center your drives in front of the targeted space or dock. Turn hard left til your truck is facing away from the dock. Stop. Turn hard right til your truck is facing the same way as it was when you started, creep forward and straighten your wheels. The end of your trailer will be aimed at the dock/space you need to be in. You'll also be in that banana shape (just facing the other direction). Start backing slowly turning your steering wheel slightly left and steer the back end of the trailer into the dock/space.

I hope this helps and I'm sure others could explain it a bit differently than I do.

You can do this.. it just takes practice. Nobody is born knowing how to back a 53' trailer so don't feel bad.

Our general forum us much more active so if you post there you'll get a whole lot more help.