Humbling Day
Topic 31100 | Page 1
Backing a trailer is more like a backgammon (no pun intended), there is always some luck involved :-)
Backing a trailer is more like a backgammon (no pun intended), there is always some luck involved :-)
Hey Andrey, please don’t get offended, but I respectfully disagree with you on that one. I don’t think luck has anything to do with backing, it’s 100% a skills maneuver. Concentration and focus. The occasions where I got sloppy were when I was tired, in a hurry, or overconfident.
Glad you got it in OK, Davy. Thanks for sharing. Great that you had guys there who were helpful. We’re all humbled from time to time.
It seems like every couple weeks I get a little too big for my breeches and start getting a bit ahead of myself with my backing. Did a dock this morning that was pretty tight and a pain. I just went at it, without thinking it out and giving time and thought to where I wanted the trailer to go, and the path I would take. Ended up with some experienced drivers spotting for me and got it in ok, but it was ugly, no finesse. Talked with the guys for a while, learned a good bit, mostly to slow down and think, recommit to fundaments and stuff. I didnt hit anything, more was just kind of embarrassed, but mostly realized that its easy to do, especially after a lot of easy backs. I was grateful for the help and the advice from the guys. I slowed the rest of my backs down, and concentrated a bit more the rest of the day. Went better. Onward and upward.
Davy, I always appreciate your willingness to share all of your experiences because it is helpful to me as a future driver to learn things to consider once my opportunity comes. Really glad that you had a teaching moment for yourself without hitting anything.
Davy...thanks for always putting yourself out there so that those with less experience have somewhat of a "heads-up" on what to look out for. I just wanted to make sure that you know it is appreciated!
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Wait till you struggle backing in a 28 foot trailer in a wide open lot with the safety guy and his CDL class watching you snake side to side.
That was me a few weeks ago.
Most of the terminals I go to now are new and have plenty of room, when I get to smaller one I look like a newbie since I'm a bit out of practice. It is very humbling and frustrating.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Wait till you struggle backing in a 28 foot trailer in a wide open lot with the safety guy and his CDL class watching you snake side to side.
That was me a few weeks ago.
Most of the terminals I go to now are new and have plenty of room, when I get to smaller one I look like a newbie since I'm a bit out of practice. It is very humbling and frustrating.
Aren't those 28's harder to back anyway? (Like 1/2 your set, once you drop the rear trailer, right?)
Just wondering!
~ Anne ~
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Wait till you struggle backing in a 28 foot trailer in a wide open lot with the safety guy and his CDL class watching you snake side to side.
That was me a few weeks ago.
Most of the terminals I go to now are new and have plenty of room, when I get to smaller one I look like a newbie since I'm a bit out of practice. It is very humbling and frustrating.
People often don’t appreciate how much the length of the trailer affects response of the trailer to steering. Ok, definitely not saying that this was you in that truck. Really mentioning this as an overall talking point.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Https://youtu.be/-K2ewZkj-5s
That video (link wouldn't work) helped me the most with my backing. The way the guy breaks it down & the language he uses to explain the steps involved were huge for me.
The hardest thing for me as a rookie was to slow my brain down. It takes so much less effort to get the job done.
I don’t think luck has anything to do with backing, it’s 100% a skills maneuver.
I would like to treat baking as a pure skill maneuver too, but taking luck out of this equasion I cannot understand those moments when I struggle one day, and easily do the trick on the other. When I drove local, I had to back my trailer every evening into the same hole, and still there was a difference between days!
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
This topic has the following tags:
Advice For New Truck Drivers Tips For Backing Trailers
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
It seems like every couple weeks I get a little too big for my breeches and start getting a bit ahead of myself with my backing. Did a dock this morning that was pretty tight and a pain. I just went at it, without thinking it out and giving time and thought to where I wanted the trailer to go, and the path I would take. Ended up with some experienced drivers spotting for me and got it in ok, but it was ugly, no finesse. Talked with the guys for a while, learned a good bit, mostly to slow down and think, recommit to fundaments and stuff. I didnt hit anything, more was just kind of embarrassed, but mostly realized that its easy to do, especially after a lot of easy backs. I was grateful for the help and the advice from the guys. I slowed the rest of my backs down, and concentrated a bit more the rest of the day. Went better. Onward and upward.