What exactly are they teaching trainees?

When I took mine, 90 degree backup on the side of your choice. As long as the trailer was between the first set of cones you could do 1 pullup.

 

High hooking is a time-honored technique for helping local state and city institutions dust the underside of bridges.

 

I was once parked next to a CR England driver who was a woman. For whatever reason she disconnected her trailer at the pilot truckstop and bobtail somewhere. She came back in about an hour to hook back up to her trailer. No obstacles in her way but it still took her over 30 minutes to get the trailer hooked.

I’m not joking, 30 minutes. The last 10 minutes were with me guiding her. And she kept getting out of the truck asking me if she was on target. Lol

after she finally got the trailer hooked I taught her how to do a quick test tug, then got back in my truck, and into the sleeper berth. About 20 minutes go by and I can still hear her out there fidgeting around. Finally there’s a knock on my door. She can’t figure out why the brakes won’t work and the trailer won’t move. I go out there and she has the airlines reversed. LOL

Many of these drivers go on to figure things out on their own and become safe drivers, unfortunately many don’t. While they’re in that transition. They’re out there on the open road with you. It makes you think and wonder who is teaching them!

 

I learn sum'n new every day!

 

I don't think the OP means the school but the company trainer.

But I did learn from here to "wiggle" your rig/trailer when straight backing

 

I am sure there are good trainers out there, but when companies put somebody in the position to be a trainer with a year or less experience that's part of the problem. About 2 months ago I was at a receiver, and there was a truck trying to back in. The guy was struggling, almost hit the truck next to him. The driver of that truck got out and went to the passenger who was playing on his phone and asked him if he was the trainer. The Passenger said yes why? I am sure that you can see the problem here.... I think some carriers are rubber stamping these guys just to put a driver behind the wheel

 

Think there's a lot of rubber stamping going on, and letting any knucklehead be a trainer is their most brilliant idea yet.

 

Precisely why Bendix, Meritor et all will sell the crap out of every nanny system they can invent..
Needed or not.

 

When I was in driving school, we spent plenty of time on backing/docking, but we only spent one day on swapping trailers. Hook, unhook, landing gear, slide tandems, weight, and axles. That's all. Schools really should spend some more time on these things, along with strapping loads and correcting problems like missing the kingpin, getting the 5th wheel unstuck, (avoiding and getting out of) hang ups, fix-its, etc.

 

About 2 months ago I saw two morons try and blindside back out of a dead end street THROUGH a stop sign after getting their coffee from the Tim Hortons partway down the street. A guy in a straight water truck rolled up next to them and ripped the 2 guys a new one for their stupidity. I just laughed and watched. Like really, the lazy #### in the passenger seat should have gotten out and spotted/watched for traffic. I mean yeah we all do stupid stuff now and then but you've got a guy right there who can help out and turn a potentially bad situation into a safer one. Utilize the tools at your disposal.