Having problems with backing

Have you hit anything? If the answer is no, then you aren't having trouble. You're learning, and as others have said it takes time. I've had my CDL for 18 years now. I've driven hopper bottoms, oilfield overweight, local delivery, and OTR, I STILL G.O.A.L when in doubt. The times I've felt too sure, those are when I've screwed up, and they were 100% preventable. Hell, after 2.5 weeks off when I parked last night I was feeling like I was in a fog, so when I got out to look I asked the driver on my blindside to blow the airhorn if I got close.

Just keep in mind that you'll have perfect days, and you'll have days you couldn't nail a straight line. As long as at the end of the day you've been safe, and incident free, it's a good day.
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If I'd asked him to blow the airport then he might not have been as friendly.

 

There's a trucker girl on YouTube that has an overhead drone video to better visualize backing and like i said there's no magic

just setting up tandems so you can see on both sides clearly

 

You need to switch to
SANKA,,,and the mirrors dont lie.





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I was there for a long time until I realized a couple things that I wasn’t taught. 1) it’s easier and safer to correct being 100 feet past the hole on my setup than to be five feet short on it (i wasnt going past the hole enough) and 2) leaving plenty of room to the right so i dont have to worry about the tractor hitting anything but still be kinda close gives me the greatest amount of space and therefore time to fix my angle going into the hole. Started doing those and while i didnt have anything mastered yet it started to feel like i wasnt shooting myself in the foot at the start.

 

I had the same problem with not giving myself enough room between the trailer and the hole on the alley dock. Learning the 45 helped me a lot too, I don't know if you know that one or not but I thought the trailer angle on the 45 was easier to track into tight spots when I had the room to do it and I usually did.

 

Well first of all being uncomfortable with backing is absolutely normal you're fine. I think pretty much everyone has been there.

As has been stated the best thing that you can do is find time to find the truck stop or something with a lot of open parking spots and just practice. That really is 99% of what it is is practice. Get your setup right and practice.

And also as has been said the very most important thing is to get out and look and just make sure you don't hit anything and also be aware of any obstacles around the tractor when you are backing.

As long as you don't hit anything you did your job and you're fine and you will just get better and better the more that you practice.

 

Practice is the best. Try driving from 2 am so you are parking earlier at the truck stops. If that is not possible, use 1pm to 3pm as a goal for training time. Pull in to a truck stop and park a few times use tha can and get back on the road. When there are a lot of empty spaces you can practice better. Just when you think it is going well you end up with a new rig that works a bit different. I schooled in an International, went to a T680 then Freightliners and Olde School Kenworth and now a long nose Peterbilt with a 53 foot spread axle on compact tires. It takes 3 city blocks to turn around and never can I jack knife the trailer without problems.

Once I tried going real slow and forcing it in a single spot. It was like a Mandingo with a Midget. I pushed real hard and pulled the tire right off the rim. I was lucky the tire tech at this loves loaned me the tire cannon and with my glad hand air hose I was able to seat the tire on the first shot. Now I avoid Pilot lots, small Loves and look for independent truck stops with dirt lots. Backing can and will always have new opportunities. One day you will suddenly see it and all will be well. Watch the trailer. Never start backing if you cannot see the corners of your trailer. Setups can make or break the deal. Bad setups are hard backings. Good setups slide right in. Watch what others are doing and see how little some of their corrections work.

As for others getting impatient, I get out and limp real bad. Make it a show of the old man that needs to give it up. When they are the most pissed I can grin and walk away. It really does not matter as long as you do not hit anyone. Eventually you will get it parked. I find if it does not work it was probably the setup and the best fix is to start over. Get the truck in position a second time and it will take fewer pull ups and corrections. Once the trailers wheels are in the box the rest is a piece of cake.

 

As a couple people mentioned watch others back. Watch the good and the bad. Watch every night. I did that for my first couple of months or so solo. It teaches you what works and what doesn’t. At some point you start to see mistakes made and know how a driver will fail while watching the attempt, or seeing that it will be a clear one shot back.

I went to a CDL mill, and proper backing was not on the list. Then my company mentor felt it was not his job to give me advise or help, only to watch. So I learned to back by watching others. It works. But it does take time. At some point the nervousness goes away, then you just start doing better, then we’ll. It’s a progression.

 

I also started at 21. I was literally a nervous wreck for my first 6 months of driving. I used to avoid truck stops entirely so I didn't have to back into a spot. But over time after backing into tighter and tighter places on the east coast I got better at it.

I'm sure we all had problems backing when we were new. Take your time, no rush GOAL multiple times if you have to, there is no shame in it.

Only thing that will help is practice and mostly just time. Just take it easy and don't hit anything, it's natural to feel nervous.

Nowadays I'm sure other drivers can agree there is no nervousness when backing after a while. Unless the place is super tight I get a bit nervous.

 

I found this channel on Youtube... called My Trucking Skills
It has dozens of backing lessons on how to back into very difficult spots at customers, truck stops, etc...
The game is called "My Trucking Skills - The Game" and it is available in the PC version, you can find it on the guy's website and download it.

Here is one lesson backing into a difficult spot at a truck stop...