Backing help

I felt like that my first year or two. No exaggeration, during my first year lots of my customers had locations that would be tight to back into. I didn't have a really good idea of backing, but I didn't give up. Maybe 50 or more times in that year it would take me 45 minutes of backing to finally get into the spot in the dock. Outside temperature might be in the 20-30 F and I would have the air-conditioner blowing full blast during that 45 minutes and I would be sweating like a marathon runner. Take however long it takes you and never give up. The first time you give up is when you fail. Getting backed in 30 minutes after you stop is a victory. I would warn you NOT to pull 3/4 mile in front of your spot like newbies. You learn nothing from doing it and it makes you vulnerable for backing into vehicles as "you come from out of nowhere."

If you just seem not t be able to "get into the hole" pull away from the spot, go around the lot/yard, and start over. When I have a difficult backing location, I yield to everyone before I start. I wait until everyone I can see gets past me and then I own the space I need until I'm done or see I need to start over, at which point I yield and let everyone I might be blocking get past me. When I'm backing all the space belongs to me.

 

Try a flatbed company.

 

You beat me to it! I was going to suggest the same thing.

 

Good location. How much experience do you have?

 

That's a beautiful spot, especially if you never go south.

 

It's more difficult to back a flatbed, especially if it is empty, because you don't have the vertical sidewalls of the trailer like with a van or reefer. All you have to judge by is the vertical sidewall of the trailer tires. When I switched to tanker it took me a while to figure out why I was having unexpected difficulty backing. There is not straight vertical line, like a van sidewall, and that used to be my primary reference when backing. Maybe a section of lumber sticking up out of the rub rail might help you?