Am I Ever Gonna Getthis Backing?

Getting very near my 30,000 miles of tnt training and still can not back. Obviously I don’t know what straight is . My trainer keeps telling me to get my truck straight with my trailer. I’m getting totally frustrated.

It takes 6 mos for it to click and to this day I still drift to the left. On your truck you won't have to listen to the trainer. put it as crooked as you want. Others will get scared and stay away. easy out for you in the morning

There is hope for a lousy backer!

Does Backing Scare and Frustrate you? Of course it does

On your truck you won't have to listen to the trainer.

^^This^^

The added pressure of a trainer likely isn't helping. But don't sweat it.

You'll get it. Until then you just do whatever you need to do. As long as you don't hit anything, you win.

Donna, remember the pad, the markings, the whistles? This ain’t it.

I agree with Turtle, as long as you don’t hit anything, you win. And I agree with Rainy, once you are on your own truck you won’t have to listen to your trainer. I’m terrible at backing.

Just take your time, do as many pull ups and GOALs as you need. Breathe woman. You are doing amazing!

6 months as Rainy said and then a year later there’s that one day at the truck stop when ya forget everything and it takes 15 minutes to get into a spot 😂😂😂

It takes 6 mos for it to click and to this day I still drift to the left. On your truck you won't have to listen to the trainer. put it as crooked as you want. Others will get scared and stay away. easy out for you in the morning

There is hope for a lousy backer!

Does Backing Scare and Frustrate you? Of course it does

Donna, your backing into a spot skills will come with time/practice. It can take six to twelve months for it to click...but you can speed the process up by taking advantage of any spare time you can find mid day when at a large truck stop....just find an area where no one is around and practice practice practice. You could buy some cheap small cones to set up both to mark the spot you're aiming at and to alert others that you're practicing there.

But...you need to learn to straight line back right now! Easy way is to think of this as you back: look for, and turn toward, the trailer tires. When you turn, just turn a little and quickly return the steering wheel to the straight position. Not sure if the wheel is straight? Look at the steer tires. Then check your mirrors again....and look for, and turn toward, the trailer tires. You'll be straight line backing in minutes.

Getting very near my 30,000 miles of tnt training and still can not back. Obviously I don’t know what straight is . My trainer keeps telling me to get my truck straight with my trailer. I’m getting totally frustrated.

Donna, straight line backing, as Dave pointed out, is the foundation for more complex maneuvers. If this troubles you, focus on mastering it physically and mentally before moving on to anything else.

My suggestion is this...

When straightline backing; grip the wheel at the bottom/center, both hands next to each other, palms up with your arms tucked against your sides.

This position makes it virtually impossible to over adjust and over correct the wheel. Your adjustments become less overstated and controlled.

Try it...to this day I still use this technique if I need to straight line back greater than a truck length of distance.

Here’s when it’ll click. That day when you’re just so damn tired that you’ll pull up & GOAL even 100 times to get in that spot (that you think is the last one) at that truck stop (that appears full to the gills) just because you don’t or even drive any longer that day. This happens mostly when you either drive 600+ miles in one shift or 250 miles in a full shift cause of all the stop & go traffic. Either way you figure it out & it gets done.

I’ve had other drivers sit there waiting for me to give up & leave so that they can take that spot even though I’ve stopped to let them go by. I’m like ain’t no way I’m giving up this spot!!

Something that Errol V. told me back when I was going through school was turn towards the trouble. Try not to beat yourself over it too much. It will all come in time.

You will get there.. Even as an old so called pro people can mess up.. Once on own the pressure will be more off.. I have always said that I can back one up better then pull one forward.. It was something that came natural to me cause I backed many trailers up on a farm as a kid.. The funny thing is you have good days and bad days.. There is times when I can hit the hardest dock in the world with one lovely go at it.. Then times when there is 100 acres and nothing around and 50 empty doors and it takes me 900 times to get it in there straight.. lol.. Point is take your time.. Its not a race, do not worry about the other eyes on ya.. (they all have the same issues from time to time), And never forget to Get Out And Look... Being over confident and guessing you are ok is the biggest mistake a trucker can make..