Rent A Truck For Backing Practice

I'm almost finished at Trainco but I have to make up 1.5 days. I still have not learned parallel parking or alley docking. The test center here is booked 3 weeks out. I am looking for a rig I can rent to practice backing while I'm waiting. I live right outside NE Philly.

Phillip, are you aware of what kind of daily revenue a big rig can produce? I think it's out of the question to go that route - the price will be exorbitant. You need to start a dialogue with the school. Most of them allow some extra time when they can work you into their schedule.

To pile on with Old School...

besides the costs I would be surprised if you could rent a rig with a learners permit.

Good luck and as always 'Be Safe'!

The problem is I live 500 miles from the school.

Phillip, are you aware of what kind of daily revenue a big rig can produce? I think it's out of the question to go that route - the price will be exorbitant. You need to start a dialogue with the school. Most of them allow some extra time when they can work you into their schedule.

Haha, yeah, that's a problem! Two nights in a hotel would work if you can coordinate some sort of schedule with the school.

You could also look for a local school that will let you pay by the hour to use their trucks, but that sure isn't going to be cheap either.

Truck Driving School In New Jersey

Truck Driving Schools In Pennsylvania

Another reason why we recommend Paid CDL Training Programs. They invest in your success. Good luck.

I left school early today before receiving a certificate. I mean, the certificate certifies that you have completed the skills training. It seemed futile, after 12-15 hours of offset backing practice and some parallel parking practice, that I would complete those skills and alley docking by the end of the day, my last at the school. After two weeks of hour upon hour upon hour of practice...I was only getting offset right maybe 2 in 10 tries and parallel was 1 in 10.

The owner of Trainco said I am welcome to come back any time. (I live outside Philly and it's a 8+ hour drive.) I can also take my test their at the CDL testing facility attached to their property. There's an $85 fee for using the test pad that I would not have paid if I tested Monday with the rest of my classmates.

Some people simply don't have, and may not be able to develop, the skills for handling a truck. I was fine with straight line backing but as soon as the wheels started to turn I couldn't get it: I turned too fast, I turned too slow, I held the turn too long or not long enough, I was going to fast and the cones to signal straightening out flew past my mirror. I understand the steps but somehow it didn't translate into my hands when the trailer started moving. At times I'd get out and look and have to tell myself, "Ok, I want the trailer to go right so I need to turn the wheel left." After two weeks I think I should have at least learned that much without planning it out.

I nearly quit last week but decided that I would give it my best. After another week of miserable misses I was done. I still want to believe I can learn it but I need way more time on the range. At some point Trainco would probably charge me.

A friend said her county tech school might work with me. They're in central PA but I will look into that.

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Phillip, are you aware of what kind of daily revenue a big rig can produce? I think it's out of the question to go that route - the price will be exorbitant. You need to start a dialogue with the school. Most of them allow some extra time when they can work you into their schedule.

Did you ask the instructors for extra help? It takes most people more than two weeks to get the backing maneuvers to pass the test. What did they expect of you for that first test? Why would you not at least try? The CDL test is in three parts, pretrip, backing, and road test. In most states, once you pass a section you don't have to retake it. Also, most states give you three tries per section. That's 9 potential tries. Is the school only 2 weeks long? Did you know that quitting is not the answer?

Phillip, I think you have to realize that you let the one thing that nobody is proficient at as a student defeat you. I remember Rainy, one of our top professionals in here, actually paying people to back her trailers into place on occasion when she was a rookie. She was that terrible at driving backwards! We are all terrible at backing when in school, and for many of us that continues on for at least our first year, maybe longer. We've got a member in here called Unholy Chaos, and you can tell from some of his posts that backing his truck just strikes fear and panic in him, and he's been out here for a while.

You don't need to be proficient, nor do you even need to look good on the test. You just have to get it in there. You will spend the next two years learning how to do it right. I'm not sure what advice to give you, but have you considered the Paid CDL Training Programs? They are a great way to get started without costing you a fortune and they will spend some time with you one on one.