Advice On Company Trainers

Susan, I agree with Errol on this. During my mentoring phase there were no cones or other warning markers used to help improve backing skills. Maybe the most prudent approach is to discuss this while you are in "Trainer" school at West Side. Find out from them recommended "best practice" on this topic. If they suggest cones Home Depot or Loews sells the mini cones, 12" high.

Best of luck in this new career path!

I bet even the yard dogs won't notice.

Can Confirm. Most of the time I'm just happy to have a working heater in the spotter. Take your time!

When I get a new student fresh out school, I like to practice backing in wide open areas first. This is when I use the windshield wash to mark the spot I want them in. After that I don't bring then out, and I don't let then back in wide open areas. I'm out of the truck and they're backing next to trucks or trailers.

It usually comes with a warning (in a fun tone) about not running over my bottles.

It seems to help them focus on the spot they should be going into instead of one if the others next to it.

But I agree with what the others have said, talk life training experience is better than bottles or cones.... After some initial practice.

Another item that you can use are tennis balls. They come in a variety of easy-to-see fluorescent colors. CAREFULLY cut them in half, and place them on the pavement where needed. Keep the can they were packaged in, too, for storage. You can run over these and they spring back to their original shape, unlike a traffic cone after like the third time it gets run over.

When I upgraded to solo in Salt Lake City they had cones simulating the truck cabs but you still backed between two trailers. I passed backing right away but the guy testing with me didn't get it after his two tries. He pleaded with the examiner to give him one last chance because he said he couldn't see the cones in connection to the trailers. The examiner had the yard dog come over and pull the trailers out to where the cabs would be and told him to go for it. The guy still didn't pass and had to go out for more training

Later I told the examiner he was a braver man then me for pulling those trailers up like that. LOL!

JJ