Need Help With Backing

I'm in Tulsa, OK...I keep hearing from others that 1 or 2 attempts per day is not enough, unfortunately there are so many at the school that's all I get, yet I'm reminded of my hours invested. Yes I have the hours, I just don't have the proper truck time. There are cones set up for straight back, parallel and offset in 1 small area,facing the offset I clearly see what I have to do, when I get my turn and look at it through the mirrors, all I see is a sea of cones and loose my middle cone for offset. I'm practicing I. My head daily and try to apply what I know but fail. I really do think I could get it if I had more opportunity to try. I will try the inch by inch and see if that helps. One of my classmates who had some experience because his dad was in the industry so long kept insisting that the trailer was "dogwalking" I'm not really sure what that is, but he said it often. I'll try again and use some of the info that all of u have provided. I'll try to stay as focused as I possibly can and hopefully I will get it. I might be panicking since my PTI score is at 98 and one of the instructors says I drive pretty good, at least I avoid hitting curbs. It's hard to think about not being able to test til I get those maneuvers right.

Panic and frustration are there for nearly everyone so don't feel bad in that respect. That's why I suggested to drop all that from your mind, and just focus on what you're doing, to the point that you concentrate on just how much to let the clutch out.

I still.ask myself two questions:

1) where do I want the back of the trailer to go? Then turn the oppositie direction.

2) where door I want the front of the trailer to go? Then turn the same direction.

Look 10 feet passed the tires, and pull forward if you need to.

The school I went to taught us to put our hand at the top of the steering wheel. (steering wheel being a clock, the top being 12:00). When we start to see trouble, turn toward trouble. Trailer going too much left, turn to 9:00. Too much right, 3:00. Small movements is all that's needed. "Turn toward trouble" they'd say over and over.

Heidi wrote:

One of my classmates who had some experience because his dad was in the industry so long kept insisting that the trailer was "dogwalking" I'm not really sure what that is, but he said it often.

It means the trailer was offtracking. It's caused by a misaligned axle on the tandems from repeatedly cracking the curb. If it's only an inch or two not that big a deal and should not factor into your ability to back. It can be problematic if trying to hold a lane on the highway through a cattle chute. I think your school friend is making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Funny story on trailer offtracking...I was deadheading north on PA-61 headed back to the D.C. At a traffic light a fellow Swift/Walmart driver and his passenger stops at the same light, blips the horn rolls down the window and the young lady in the passenger seat proceeds to tell me that my trailer was offtracking. I'd been with this wagon for 10 hours through tight roads and construction zones and only noticed a slight bit of curbside drag, maybe an inch. I said; "hey thanks, most do" and let them pass. Never saw them before, assumed they were new, green or both. As they got ahead of me I noticed they had no lock on their door, which is a no-no on the Walmart account. Tried to call them on the CB...nothing. So I called the terminal office and let them know before they reached the D.C. and got written up by security. Sure enough their truck was parked on the shoulder a mile later...afixing their lock on the door.

I found this humorous since for miles they were dogging me up 61, and then made a point of informing me of a non-issue with my trailer...when their own matters weren't in order,...truckers, what an interesting bunch.

I had a trailer the other day I could have sworn was rolling behind me more right than centered but wondered if it was just my imagination. So that's what that is? It was off tracking? Hadn't seen this til that day. Thought I was losing my marbles.

Tim wrote:

I had a trailer the other day I could have sworn was rolling behind me more right than centered but wondered if it was just my imagination. So that's what that is? It was off tracking? Hadn't seen this til that day. Thought I was losing my marbles.

Yes, no marbles lost on that wagon.

Here is a quick and dirty way to determine alignment during the PTI, check the gap on each side of your tandems , the space between the front and back tires should be close to the same on each side, where they're at their closest point. I'll check this on each WM trailer every day, running with it but if it's really bad, when I return (if I still have the same trailer) I'll park it in the K lot at the D.C. and give the shop a write up on the problem. If I don't have the same trailer I still give the shop the number so they can place it out of service when it eventually makes its way back to the D.C.

Usually a trailer will off track to the curbside, because of the greater frequency of curb strikes on that side. But I've had a couple over the years that dogged to the left. When it's so bad that you can't see the drivers side rear trailer marker light from your mirror, time for the shop to make things straight again.

Thanks.

Thank you all for such great advice!! I'm soooo determined to get this and thank GOD, I'm a fighter not a quitter!!

Had the same experience as you. I was still so bad at backing by the third week, I didn't think trucking was for me. Got about two tries a day, but stuck around for lunch, and after school to practice. By the 4th and final week, it finally started to come together. A post from this site really helped me on the offset. https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/Topic-3855/Page-1/how-to-complete-the-offset-backing-maneuver-for-the-cdl-exam-as-done-in-missouri. Right,left,right, then adjust. Or reverse for the opposit direction. Was able to pass the driving test today, after thinking it was impossible. Take it one day at a time, or you'll be overwhelmed. Stick with it, and good luck!