This Is Amazing!

Glad you're doing well on pre trip. One less thing to worry about. Now you can concentrate on backing skills. I found that working myself out of bad set ups helped me learn more about how to maneuver the trailer...helped me get more comfortable with it. I hope it helps you too.

Same here. Im thankfull for all my early screwups and desperatley trying to get lined up straight again for another attempt. I really think just trying to fix your screwups and get set correctly again might have taught me more about the actual physics of moving the trailer than the actual backings. That and being a creepy voyeur on everyones attempts and watching everything they did.

Just chiming in to say that learning to correct your mistakes after a bad set up is what will really teach you how to set it up properly. It's a simple set up once you figure it out. Also, unlike when you're taking your test, you don't have to be perfectly set up out here, just close-- /all/ that matters in the long run is not hitting anything, not how you got into the hole.

One thing that a new driver can do after he gets his own truck is to try some practice backs at some of these big new distribution warehouses. If the lot is not busy, and sometimes I may be the only one there when I do this, pick a space that doesn’t have trailers on either side and do some practice backs. What you are trying to do is get your technique to be “repeatable “. So get set up, get out and make a note of how far out you are and where the back of your trailer is. Then back up and evaluate how it went. If you nailed it, great now you can get in the same set up position the next time. Remember how long you held the wheel hard to the right on a 90 degree back-in and when you started chasing the trailer, for example. If things didn’t go so well, now you will have a pretty good idea of what adjustments to make

Now I'm just trying to figure my parallel. Any tips?

One thing that a new driver can do after he gets his own truck is to try some practice backs at some of these big new distribution warehouses. If the lot is not busy, and sometimes I may be the only one there when I do this, pick a space that doesn’t have trailers on either side and do some practice backs. What you are trying to do is get your technique to be “repeatable “. So get set up, get out and make a note of how far out you are and where the back of your trailer is. Then back up and evaluate how it went. If you nailed it, great now you can get in the same set up position the next time. Remember how long you held the wheel hard to the right on a 90 degree back-in and when you started chasing the trailer, for example. If things didn’t go so well, now you will have a pretty good idea of what adjustments to make

Good tips Bruce!

The pre-trip is a matter of repetition in going through the steps. You need to practice your pre-trip numerous times daily until doing so just comes naturally. The cab and air brake portion is crucial You cannot miss a step in the air-brake portion. Repetition is the key for learning and retaining any skill.