The time has come.....

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by ratherbtruckin, Jan 31, 2011.

  1. ratherbtruckin

    ratherbtruckin Light Load Member

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    Nov 2, 2009
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    who the heck parallel parks a tractor trailer? NOONE, except maybe the DMV. I failed the backing portion. Killed a few DOT inspectors. (cones) made me feel better. I did the setups perfect for it, then over turned and missed my marks. Totally screwed up the parallel park. Funny thing is, I aced the pre trip. well.....48/50 points. I'm angry with myself right now. I know how to back up, I can hit just about any dang dock you tell me to, but I can't parallel park......oh well, gonna cost me I guess.....

    Funny thing is, tester told me I didn't need to go to school.....and he'd ride with me in a heartbeat, I just need backing practice...particularly parallel parking. The others I was fine, offset, alley, all that......He said my setup for the parallel was perfect, I figured it was, I just over turned it and ended up over the "curb". Stupid mistake, but enough to screw me up.

    He recommends an hours practice, prior to the retest. I don't know, I'm kinda conflicted at the moment. I don't want to go off to a training company and get "schooled", but I don't want to wait a week, spend more money I don't have, and have some other "oops" trip me up. I need an income, yesterday. I've always wanted to drive trucks, and this is my chance....I'm just conflicted.

    Paying for a private school isn't in the cards for me........even with help in the funding. I've been out of work since November, and the money is running REAL slim. Who offers training? Swift, Werner, CR, Prime.......I'm not a total idiot, I know what I'm doing........I just can't afford "formal" instruction. What other way is there?
     
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  3. Rerun8963

    Rerun8963 Road Train Member

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    you know, i was going to ask if you went to school to learn the various backing skills..i see where you say you didn't as paying wasn't "in the cards" for you..

    some states test, straight back, alley dock (sight sided), blind and sight sided parallel backing...and a lane change (MASS), even at times a drop & hook.......

    yes, how often does a trucker do a parallel parking move...?? hardly ever, in fact maybe about 5 to 7 years into my career, i had to do both those only once each....then not ever since..

    it's to show that you can do the job..some states just do not have all those yard skills tests....i think they should......

    well unless you can practice those 2 maneuvers, and well enough to pass the test, you ain't getting your CDL that easy...

    you may have to end up going on with a carrier and sign on the proverbial dotted line, then pay them back...
     
  4. Mike'

    Mike' Medium Load Member

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    I had to parallel park last week at a reciever because there wasn't a dock available and they could unload me at a side dock. It saved me 3 hours just because I could parallel park.
     
  5. ratherbtruckin

    ratherbtruckin Light Load Member

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    Nov 2, 2009
    Colorado
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    I'm still thinking about things.......tester said all I needed was a little backing practice. Everything else I was golden. I just feel like I'm being milked for money on these tests now, that and the upselling on the practice time. I don't know......I know my wife isn't really happy right now either, because I'm leaning towards the trucking company training, which will put me away from home, for effectively a year. They both say, go back on the truck with the guy you've been with, take a week or two, then pay for the practice and test again. (daughter says that too)

    I just feel like I'm not getting "quality" training with the guy thats teaching me.....not enough backing practice in real world driving. No time to sit and set up something either. I feel guilty tying up his truck to practice, when it could be making money ya know? I'm so dang conflicted, I just don't know now.
     
  6. ratherbtruckin

    ratherbtruckin Light Load Member

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    Colorado
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    I keep thinking I should give up the dream and just go downgrade my testing to a B, and push a trash truck around town........I know I can handle that with no problems backing it up.
     
  7. Rerun8963

    Rerun8963 Road Train Member

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    well, can you really blame the guy...?? i mean is he a trucker that was just helping you...??? so you can pretty much forget about "quality" from this stand point....you got what you paid for, which wasn't very much to begin with...


    i will refer you back to your thread....http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...128412-anyone-ever-done-this.html#post1650641

    then look at MY response, in posting number 8.....

    i "kinda told you so".......did you not believe anything i said...???

    as a result, you really got NO ONE to blame but YOURSELF......so please get off the "quality" training gripe from the guy you had hoped to get...


    good idea, start working quicker.
     
    ratherbtruckin Thanks this.
  8. jgremlin

    jgremlin Heavy Load Member

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    Some other oops? Do you have to take the entire test again? I always thought that if you failed a driving test, the you were only retested on the portions which you failed. Why test you again on the stuff you already passed? Have they changed that?

    Regardless, you're so close to getting it done it that it seems silly to me to consider signing a training contract with a company and make yourself their servent for the next two years. Especially when you would have to spend several weeks going over material that you already know. You don't need to go to school again, you just need a little more time in the seat. Just get yourself some practice, go take the test again and be done with it.
     
  9. turnanburn

    turnanburn Medium Load Member

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    As a farmer I've had trucks for a very long time. I can drive them, fix them, and back them up. But no CDL until last year. I always kept putting it off. The farms trucks are legally registered, insured, inspected, but have farm plates. Cheap plates, but you are then limited to farm stuff only. That's why we "upgraded" to real CDL status, to be able to haul freight. But to the point--after looking over the state's CDL manual, and reading up on the subject, I attended a local school. Smart move I think. There's just so much to know. In particular, I spent a ton of time backing on the range, and practicing for the DMV test. In VT you only need to do a 90 degree alley dock. I back just about every single day, but I learned from my school experience none the less. On the test day, there was snow all over the place forcing a set-up unlike any in practice. Got it done. But only because I had a ton of dedicated instruction/practice in backing. It's always served me to approach things from the perspective that others have some things to show me--I'm glad I went to a training school.
     
  10. notezbngrn71

    notezbngrn71 Road Train Member

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    Stevensville, MI
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    Actually, knowing how to parallel park the tractor trailer is valuable. Especially if you run in the Northeast. Some of those rest stops and docks are #### tight!
     
  11. Attitude:)

    Attitude:) "Love each Day as if it was your last"

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    Jul 13, 2007
    TX NM & CO
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    I'm sure you'll do just fine! Loved the sidewalk post though, I wouldn't walk on it out of fear of how the 4 wheelers drive around here!
     
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