Hints & Tricks to help with parallel parking & alley docking

Parallel was my weak spot. What helped me was when the instructor told me to not focus on just the trailor. If you focus on the trailor only by the time you have to put the tractor in the hole the nose of the trailor will be way too deep. Once your trailor tires are starting in the hole focus on parking the truck and forget about the trailor. Think about it, you can have the trailor square as can be in the hole but when it comes time to put the truck in the hole you have pushed the nose of the trailor out of line. Rule of thumb, dont forget about the tractor!

 

I remember when I asked the same question to another truck driver. The best advice he gave me is patience and practice. There is not secret trick. YOu need to get the reps in. Learning isn't always a constant rise in improvement. There are pitfalls. It's normal for a student to get frustrated and can't understand what he or she is doing wrong. When I was sin school. I was so nervous and clumsy behind the wheel. My instructor asked me if trucking was really for me. Now, I can easily alley dock and back in from any angle, around obstacles and in super tight spaces. The moral of the story is it's totally normal for you to make MANY mistakes and feel uncomfortable. Like me, one day, you'll look back on your training and laugh on your past frustrations.

 

have them use pallets instead of cones for the course markers.