Ready to graduate but crap at backing!

Howdy all. Just starting out in the industry myself, but family has been truckers of one sort or another for decades. Going to a good school that's taking care of all my endorsements and certs (defensive driving, air brake adjust/inspect, etc.). Getting near my test out and I think I'm ready for the pre-trip/post-trip, the road test, the straight-back, but I just can't get the other backing for nothing. For the test I have to do two offsets (driver and blind-side) and a 90-degree back into a box. I get 1 pull up and 1 get-out-and-look but just can't get it. I'm also not getting the 5th wheel centered with the kingpin without a half dozen tries. I'm just not good at backing, never have been, and these convex mirrors are only making it worse. I think I'm right on but then I hit a cone, cross a line, miss the kingpin by 4", crap like that. Getting really frustrating because I'm the only one in class struggling and this is the first time I've ever struggled with schooling. The two complaints that I have with my schooling (instructors) is that they don't spend a lot of time on backing or shifting on hills with loads (in fact, we rarely even get to haul a load).

Anyway, I just wanted to say "hi", vent a little, and hopefully have someone tell me that I'm not the only one that can't back.

 

LOL, you could be my instructor with that headshake.

I've been in school for 2 months and I've gotten to try and couple once. But I got to try the off-sets and 90-degree for an hour straight. Very frustrating.

 

I know that's what I should think, just sucks because the other students (about 10 of us) aren't struggling with it.

 

The class can go for 15 weeks, they like you to be ready for test-out by 11 weeks. The class is from 8am to 4pm Mon-Thur, then a 4 hour classroom on Fri. The Instructors are old-timers that like to talk and we only have 3 trucks going at any given time so after the time spent in the class in the morning, the pre and post trips, and the lunch break, we average 1.5-2 hours of driving time per-person a day 4 times a week. It adds up to what I feel is good over-all training but I hate the days I'm only behind the wheel for an hour and just settling in.

The college does have a 2-3 week course for those already employed in the oilfields but that is negotiated between the company and the school and not open to the general public. Those students go Mon-Sat for about 9-10 hours a day, give or take, but there are fewer of them so they get a lot more driving time per day.