Skin Of My Teeth

My first "I may not make it" moment, happened.

My 90 degree angle backing has been sporadic, at best. Everything else I'm doing well at.

Last Thursday and Friday I seemed to have it down but on Monday, I was all over the place. We had our practice test yesterday afternoon and I flubbed it, as well as one other student. We only have four students and one quit, yesterday.

One guy is 25 and a natural at backing up. He was exempt, yesterday.

So our trainer agreed to meet us this morning at 6:30, this morning, with one last chance to keep training.

First attempt I was off, but the second I corrected my mistake and dropped it in with no pull-ups and my hand was shook and I was told I made it.

Unfortunately I have a divorce by Zoom meeting at 9AM, today, so I'm unable to make the trip to Black River to meet everyone and that's a bummer and I wasn't able to stay and support my fellow classmate on his attempt but, I am beyond relieved.

I left a good paying and secure job for the chance to start a career late in life that I know I'll be happy with and trying to sleep last night while running the maneuver over and over in my head, well let's just say I got about four hours worth of sleep, at best.

I was thinking of all of the other recruiters I had spoken with and what I was going to say to them when I called them and told them "Hey, I was good enough at everything but the 90 degree and I'm close", etc.

Now, I'm beyond relieved and thankful for Millis giving me a second chance, because I really didn't want to work for anyone else.

Thanks Trucking Truth members for your positivity and all of the information I've gathered from reading the many informative posts and comments in this forum.

Hopefully I'll meet some of you on the road.

For the majority of people backing is the hardest part when they first start

Just make sure you’re looking at the correct points when backing.

So don’t forget to look at the ground where the tires are touching, not just the back of the trailer.

Mike D, dont worry too much about it. As long as you can do it well enough to pass your CDL test with DOT you are golde! and you get like 3 attempts at that I believe. If your school is like most you are doing all of your maneuvers with the tandems fully to the rear. In real life situations your tandems can be anywhere but are rarely all the way back and you will find backing as well as turning works different based in where the tandems are. After a while you just kind of get a feel for it based on trailer location and dont use the visual cues and distance measurements to back. Just remember, the best way to keep from backing into something is to G.O.A.L. multiple time as needed. Congrats on your 2nd chance, I wish I had found trucking before putting almost 18 years in with the Post Office as I hated that job but absolutely LOVE truck driving! As for the zoom divorce...CONGRATULATIONS...if you want it as I did when I got mine in 1996, CONDOLENCES to you if you weren't wanting it.

Oh I'm wanting it but it was postponed for the seventh time until November 18th, so...

But yeah, we only have two GOALS for testing but plenty of pull-ups, if necessary.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Mike D, dont worry too much about it. As long as you can do it well enough to pass your CDL test with DOT you are golde! and you get like 3 attempts at that I believe. If your school is like most you are doing all of your maneuvers with the tandems fully to the rear. In real life situations your tandems can be anywhere but are rarely all the way back and you will find backing as well as turning works different based in where the tandems are. After a while you just kind of get a feel for it based on trailer location and dont use the visual cues and distance measurements to back. Just remember, the best way to keep from backing into something is to G.O.A.L. multiple time as needed. Congrats on your 2nd chance, I wish I had found trucking before putting almost 18 years in with the Post Office as I hated that job but absolutely LOVE truck driving! As for the zoom divorce...CONGRATULATIONS...if you want it as I did when I got mine in 1996, CONDOLENCES to you if you weren't wanting it.

Yeah I thought being able to back up a big pickup with a 16ft car hauler would make me a natural. I was wrong.

Humbling experience

For the majority of people backing is the hardest part when they first start

Just make sure you’re looking at the correct points when backing.

So don’t forget to look at the ground where the tires are touching, not just the back of the trailer.

Point being, you DID make it... skin of your teeth or not~!

CONGRATS, Mike~! Now onto the 'next' chapter~!

Welcome to Millis. I didn't get to make the trip to BRF, Black River Falls, myself during school. Enjoy the journey.

How are you liking Millis? Are you regional or OTR?