Backing In The Yard - HUMBLE PIE

In trucking....backing into tight, weird places is mandatory...and then you add speed into the mix !!! like you have to back in off of a busy road, and you are stopping traffic....or theres a ton of other trucks waiting for you...and watching you....and probably on the cb talking about you....One of the hardest things I had to teach myself was to DON"T CARE...take the time I need. And leave the cb off !!!!

I hear ya Bill! I had the same experience just today myself. Humble Pie nails it, and the challenge feels addicting. I am hoping that will outweigh my frustrations with taking so long to get it right. Good job! Boots

the challenge feels addicting.

Boots, with that comment, you just gave me 100% confidence that you are gonna make a fine truck driver! Hang in there, learn all you can while in school - trust me, you won't be ready for the big time yet when they give you that CDL , but somewhere during that first year of being out on the road it's gonna start settling in on you that you are really doing something you love. Keep it up, both you and Bill.

I love this thread. Backing was and sometimes still is my nemesis. Brett calls it clown soup. Sitting in truck stops and shipper/recievers I sit back (after I've managed to get my rig in) and watch what I call the devils ballet. It is usually pretty amusing and helps fill my downtime. My first trainer would screech like an owl, hop around and generally just freak on me when backing. I found another "Brettism" helped in those situations. Patience and Persistence. I have found those words help in a lot of circumstances. Keep at it and Bingo it will click. Good luck

I salute all truckers. After today am wondering if I will make it. Went out to learn shifting today. Up-shifting was ok. Down-shifting was hell. Did you all go through this???

Serah, downshifting is a booger for everyone, when they start...and it will be different with each truck, as they may have a different engine/transmission/rear end combination....So you will have to practice, practice, practice...its a ballet with your eyes(checking RPMS) your hand ( downshifting) and your leg ( clutching)....You can learn the dance....its a matter of TIMING.....

Serah, downshifting is a booger for everyone, when they start...and it will be different with each truck, as they may have a different engine/transmission/rear end combination....So you will have to practice, practice, practice...its a ballet with your eyes(checking RPMS) your hand ( downshifting) and your leg ( clutching)....You can learn the dance....its a matter of TIMING.....

Starcar, I think am worried coz I only have this week and the next to learn all the yard and road maneuvers. But will keep practicing evening and weekends too, thanks for your advise.

What makes me nervous about learning to back/dock is I only get a limited number of hours of practice during during school. Unlike preparing for my pre-trip inspection where I have 24 hours a day to study between now and my test date I will probably only get 12 or so hours to practice my backing skills.

Believe me....everyone feels overwhelmed and rushed to some degree during CDL training. The schools are in a competitive environment where they're trying to make their courses as short and inexpensive as possible. So they're purposely training everyone as quickly as they know how to.

Remember, many millions of drivers have been trained pretty much the same way for decades. Everyone always feels like they're being rushed and that they don't have enough time to learn everything. But in the end it all works out great and it will for you guys also.