So, I Can't Get The Parallel Or Alley Dock

Been at Prime for 2 weeks now and my trainer feels my pre trip and driving is good enough to test. We spent 5 hours backing yesterday (straight back and offset are no poblem). Alley dock and parallel park have me so frustrated though. I can't get it. No matter what I do. Mostly, I can't seem to 'see the solution' to fixing it when I mess up.

This is quite literally the hardest thing I'be done in my entire working life. I don't know if I'm looking for advice or what. I guess I'm just discouraged and not sure what I can do to make things less frustrating. 🙁

Well I'm not sure about what you have been told about alley dock, but for me all I did was put the landing gear post in the middle of my mirror and then I just worked it back slowly until I had it in place

We're going off gap between the landing n mudflap. Larger gap and im too close to the near side cone. Smaller gap and I'm too far out.

Well I'm not sure about what you have been told about alley dock, but for me all I did was put the landing gear post in the middle of my mirror and then I just worked it back slowly until I had it in place

Okay when you get to close to the inside wall. stop turn your wheel hard left pull up about 4 feet. Then turn your wheel hard right and pull up right next to the outside boundery. once you have done this put about a half of a turn right and start backing up. After you see your tralier start going in the hole straten your wheels an push the tralier back just a little more. after you are sure your going in turn you wheel left hard to get back under your tralier. At this point you should be set up for a straight back.

Pull up until rear drive tire (backside) is just touching white line, turn wheel completely to the right until have gap of 3-4" past 2nd leg of landing gear, stop. Turn wheel all the way back left and release, once wheel (turning) has stabilized, turn to the right until center is slanted (upright) but in line between 10&4. Begin backing while watching gap, making slight adjustments to maintain it. When rear trailer tire crosses the first cone line begin turning wheel completely left to get back under trailer and straight. Check mirrors and adjust, pull up if necessary. Good luck

I got through the alley dock at test time by asking the Lord to park the truck, and He did so. I'm not kidding. I survived the first few months of driving with a lot of luck, a lot of patience, a lot of drive around and set up again, a couple of $10s to yard jockeys, and just perserverance. Now I can finally back into most any spot anywhere with the tandems in any location...but it took several months for me to be able to see the articulation and cope with it. My point is this: hang in there and you'll get through it. Nearly everyone has difficulty with backing at first. Just take your time, get out and look, don't hit anything, don't let anyone rush you, don't rush yourself, and you'll be fine. If you can't get into a particular spot safely, don't - find another way. Memorizing tire positions, landing gear positions, or any of that rot might help you pass the test but it isn't going do do anything for you in the real world because docks and parking lots seldom have the space to perform the setup that the tests provide.

Dave

Been at Prime for 2 weeks now and my trainer feels my pre trip and driving is good enough to test. We spent 5 hours backing yesterday (straight back and offset are no poblem). Alley dock and parallel park have me so frustrated though. I can't get it. No matter what I do. Mostly, I can't seem to 'see the solution' to fixing it when I mess up.

This is quite literally the hardest thing I'be done in my entire working life. I don't know if I'm looking for advice or what. I guess I'm just discouraged and not sure what I can do to make things less frustrating. 🙁

I'm on TNT training now and am having so much apprehension over the backing. My trainer, unintentionally I think, makes me feel so stupid and incapable. I'm secomd guessing everything about the entire decision to come. I know there are some terrible trainers, I don't think mine is terrible, i just think I might be a little too soft 😂 Add that to the fact that I miss home, miss my dog, and have the flu, just a recipe for all of those negative thoughts.

I got through the alley dock at test time by asking the Lord to park the truck, and He did so. I'm not kidding. I survived the first few months of driving with a lot of luck, a lot of patience, a lot of drive around and set up again, a couple of $10s to yard jockeys, and just perserverance. Now I can finally back into most any spot anywhere with the tandems in any location...but it took several months for me to be able to see the articulation and cope with it. My point is this: hang in there and you'll get through it. Nearly everyone has difficulty with backing at first. Just take your time, get out and look, don't hit anything, don't let anyone rush you, don't rush yourself, and you'll be fine. If you can't get into a particular spot safely, don't - find another way. Memorizing tire positions, landing gear positions, or any of that rot might help you pass the test but it isn't going do do anything for you in the real world because docks and parking lots seldom have the space to perform the setup that the tests provide.

Dave

Been at Prime for 2 weeks now and my trainer feels my pre trip and driving is good enough to test. We spent 5 hours backing yesterday (straight back and offset are no poblem). Alley dock and parallel park have me so frustrated though. I can't get it. No matter what I do. Mostly, I can't seem to 'see the solution' to fixing it when I mess up.

This is quite literally the hardest thing I'be done in my entire working life. I don't know if I'm looking for advice or what. I guess I'm just discouraged and not sure what I can do to make things less frustrating. 🙁

In my schooling I found out it worked way better for me to literally stop and think what my next move was going to be. Our teacher allowed us to take as long as we wanted to do a maneuver. I was trying to emulate a student or two that could alley dock or offset without stopping. After I stopped trying to do the skills without stopping, I put it in the box cones almost every time. Even today I may stop and think "okay, now I need to do ______" I still may even do a pull up (not inside the box) because it doesn't matter as no one is scoring or watching me.

Been at Prime for 2 weeks now and my trainer feels my pre trip and driving is good enough to test. We spent 5 hours backing yesterday (straight back and offset are no poblem). Alley dock and parallel park have me so frustrated though. I can't get it. No matter what I do. Mostly, I can't seem to 'see the solution' to fixing it when I mess up.

This is quite literally the hardest thing I'be done in my entire working life. I don't know if I'm looking for advice or what. I guess I'm just discouraged and not sure what I can do to make things less frustrating. 🙁

i just think I might be a little too soft 😂 Add that to the fact that I miss home, miss my dog, and have the flu, just a recipe for all of those negative thoughts.

You know, I'm not kidding - my dad used to always tease me and say, "Toughen up buttercup!" and now I finally get to say it to someone!

Toughen up Buttercup!

Listen, everyone has highs and lows out there. This will pass. If your trainer is making you feel like you're terrible at what you're doing then he/she is just being too honest. Trust me, you're terrible! We were all terrible during training or we wouldn't have needed training!

Just keep moving forward one day at a time. Keep the faith. You'll get it, and this will soon pass. You know, the whole "It's darkest right before the dawn" thing? That's where you're at. Before you know it things will be fantastic, and you will appreciate that more than ever after enduring the tough times. That's how it works.

So keep at it! Above all else, make yourself think positive. Stay positive. Be strong. You absolutely do have it in you. Don't settle for anything less than being successful out there. You'll get there.

Hang in there!

I want to remind you of something you said earlier...

This is quite literally the hardest thing I've done in my entire working life.

That is true, and we try to warn people about this all the time about this.

That is why you'll see us speak of people having unrealistic expectations going into this career. There are so many things about trying to break into this career that completely blind side people - that is part of the reason for all the whining and complaining you'll see online about trucking.

The gestation period for a successful career in tracking is just difficult, there's no getting around it. Hang on, it will get better.