Backing AGAIN!

I would rather sandpaper an alligators !#&hole in a telephone booth than backup a semi! I know I can do it but remembering how to make it easier again I don't remember. Only thing I do remember is think setup setup setup. Anybody else has any help for me before I get to schneider please please Help. Thank yall!

I would rather sandpaper an alligators !#&hole in a telephone booth than backup a semi! I know I can do it but remembering how to make it easier again I don't remember. Only thing I do remember is think setup setup setup. Anybody else has any help for me before I get to schneider please please Help. Thank yall!

Hey Bobby, I know it can seem overwhelming at first, but you can and will get the hang of it like everyone else eventually does. When I was in school, I really didn't think I would be ready for the test. Of all things, I was mainly struggling with the straight back! At some point, it just "clicked." Other people on here have mentioned the same sort of thing--they tried and tried to no avail, but then out of the blue they suddenly got it figured out.

There are a few main points to remember when backing:

--Turn the wheel the opposite direction you want to rear of the trailer to turn. Turn the wheel left to go right, and right to go left.

--A semi trailer responds to input from you very slowly. If you turn the wheel left, the trailer won't immediately start to turn right. It takes a few seconds, so plan ahead.

--Watch out for trailer swing!! If your tandems are forward, whenever you turn (forward or backward) the rear if your trailer behind the tandems will swing out and can cause an accident if you don't account for it.

And always, GOAL--Get Out And Look.

Good luck!!

Thanks Paul! I appreciate your input. I want so bad for this to work for me in the trucking industry that I am always grateful for any and all advice I can get! You helped out a lot with your comment! Stay Safe! And Thanks for the help.

Thanks Paul! I appreciate your input. I want so bad for this to work for me in the trucking industry that I am always grateful for any and all advice I can get! You helped out a lot with your comment! Stay Safe! And Thanks for the help.

No problem, I'm just paying it forward. I've received alot of advice on this forum as well.

Bobby, you just showed us how old you are! Most of these youngsters in here wouldn't even know what a telephone booth is!

You kind of made me laugh, because just recently somebody in here made a satirical post about some things that some of us had said in the past and they made some fun of me for wondering why people focus on going backwards when the only time they are going to be making any money is when they are going forward - I thought that was funny!

Backing is one of those things that we all have to learn, and I've decided that each person seems to learn it differently than everyone else. I have listened to some lady drivers explain it to each other in a way that was baffling to me, but it seemed to help them - I'm not picking on the ladies here, it was just an observation, and an example of how each person seems to grasp the concepts of backing a truck a little differently than the next person.

I actually enjoy backing - I am the kind of person who feels rewarded when I've accomplished something difficult. That is the approach I would recommend - look at each backing situation as a challenge. Always take it slow, and G.O.A.L. (Get Out And Look) I've backed into places where I would only roll six inches and then set the brakes and get out and look again - I'd repeat it again and again until I managed to get 'er in there safely, although slowly. Backing is where many rookies make their first contact with another vehicle - you don't want that, so always take it slow and easy.

I'm much more confident in my backing now than I was last year, or the year before that, and that is just the way it works. You will develop your skills and your confidence will build as you gain experience. The only way you can gain experience is to practice it. Each day you will usually get to back your truck up at least a couple of times. Often times when I was a rank beginner I would find an almost empty parking area at a truck stop in the middle of the day and go in there and spend twenty minutes just practicing backing into parking spots. I would pick easy ones so that I could practice getting set up just right and also reduce my risks of hitting any one. The thing that always helped me a lot was to focus on my trailer's tandems , and watch how they were rolling. The trailer is going where your tandems are going. If I could find a crack or a seam in the parking lot, or even the painted lines I would focus on getting those tandems rolling up next to that reference point.

Hang in there, backing is tough for everyone at the beginning. Don't let a super trucker rush you when you are holding them up at a truck stop. I promise you someone has had to wait on them before. One last tip - turn off your C.B. radio as soon as you roll into a truck stop. The last thing you need to hear is some fool making fun of you as you are trying to get it backed in the hole. The C.B. is a useful tool, but these days it is has become, for the most part. a cowards paradise to hide in and try to shame others with derogatory remarks.

Oops, I forgot there were others on here that didn't know you could get into this little booth aND put a dime in it and call somebody. Lol! Old School, you just gave me a great idea about practicing my backing skills. When I do get out on my own I'm finding an empty pking lot and practicing with lines or cracks or whatever I need to do. I don't give up , never have and never will! I want this life of being out on my own in my rig more than a shoney's fat boy wants a ham sandwich! I'll just practice practice practice! By the way, I usually tune out cowards that hide behind mama's skirt so I'll turn my cb off and let them talk away!

Phone booth! Then Shoneys Ham sandwich...🤗

Mostly just for my friend Daniel B, here is a photo of what Bobby is referring to as a phone booth. Back before the days when every poor man on the streets had a hand held communication device in his hands, this is how we managed to make a phone call when we were on the road. Ahhhh, the good old days!

Mostly just for my friend Daniel B, here is a photo of what Bobby is referring to as a phone booth. Back before the days when every poor man on the streets had a hand held communication device in his hands, this is how we managed to make a phone call when we were on the road. Ahhhh, the good old days!

We don't have booths anymore but we still have the payphones on the side of some gas stations here in Florida. At least my area lol I'm *only* 27 but I remember having to use them lol I haven't seen a Shoney's down here in forever!

Also Bobby! I know when I go for schooling backing/shifting will be my issues. If you haven't already, definitely check out Youtube videos! Some will tell you step by step as well as any "sweet spots" for knowing when to turn your wheel.