Trainers.......How the heck do you do it?

As a noobie, myself, I've wondered the same thing. Those trainers require an immense portion of patience, it seems. Of course, some guys (and gals) learn much quicker than others. But still, props to those good trainers out there.

 

With backing its an acquired skill of being able to see what they are doing, correcting that and all the other things that they start doing to try and learn to back. Its the most frustrating part of teaching drivers and the fact that backing is something that really is almost impossible to teach..You can draw it, make them watch films, use toy trucks and visual aids but it has to be learned and comprehended in their own brains.. until it clicks, they are frustrated and can even get ###### ANGRY at everyone.. when it "clicks" and until it "clicks" its a mess! Once the lights come on and they figure it out for themselves, its VERY relieving.

I've found that staring in the driver side mirror and not watching both sides is the toughest thing to break them off.

 

I never went to a trucking school, but, when I was learning to back trailers up (hostling them in a yard) the sum total of my training was "turn the opposite direction you want the trailer to go and learn to follow your trailer." Other than that, it was just backing them up. It's a matter of practice and patience more than anything.

 

My trainer would get his left and right mixed up, sometimes. Then he would yell at me when I turned it the wrong way.
It was a barrel of laughs when he was trying to get me in a spot.

Then I figured it out.
Don't listen - THINK, use both mirrors, GOAL when in any doubt, and go slow.

 

My dad taught me. Went something like this..............@&%#£€£ !$@!? %^€!££€!£*^> $&&!!?'$!? &$%#£¥€!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I picked it up quick lol.

 

I'm reminded of a story....

I pulled into a customer along with 2 other trucks, one of which had a student and trainer. There were 3 docks available, and so we took turns backing in. The other solo driver went first, then me, and the student went last. While I was backing in, I GOALed once.

Later, after we were all backed in, the trainer came over to thank me. He said he is always telling his students to GOAL, but they never see anyone actually do it. He said it really helps reinforce the importance of getting out to look when the students see an experienced driver do it.

 

I can definitely understand that perspective. When I'm backing into a slot at a truck stop with an oversize load (typically, two, actually, if I'm wide) it can be nigh on impossible to see where the back of your trailer is actually at. You'll have a sense and you can guage things off of the trucks around you and what not, but, typically I will jump out to check how close I am to the end of a slot at some point.

Taking the 20 seconds to check where your truck is at in a hole is a lot cheaper than backing into someone's truck.

 

i always GOAL. if its a straight back and no one else around then no i wont but if there is a truck close to me and its an angle back then its way easier to get out and check things out then to hit the shiny texas bumper next to you