If I control a Ford P1200 26 foot Fedex truck very well on a daily basis, should I feel confident that I will be able to pick up controlling a 53-footer pretty well, or do these two things have basically nothing to do with each other?
Controlling a smaller truck vs. controlling a fill-sized semi
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by McCauley, Apr 24, 2014.
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Some similarities, but completely different maneuvering control dynamics and space needs and management. Maybe you'll have no problem, maybe you will have problems. Hard to say.
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The 53 foot part is a trailer behind a tractor - not a straight truck.
Apples and grapefruits. -
Had no idea how hard skilling is, and I'm on a 28 footer. It's beyond tough. Opposite wheel effect Is very difficult to learn. If you drive a straight truck, It's on a whole diff level of hell.
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The opposite is also true. I drive a 53 foot trailer most days but was helping the company out and drove a straight truck and had more trouble backing it into a dock because I keep trying to back the "trailer" in that was not there.witch.dokta Thanks this.
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Ha i paniced one day, was tierd had been pulling doubles for a couple of weeks got a single run 45 min into the trip i freeked out wheres the other trailer! Oh @#$& nope just being a dumb ###KF7WTV Thanks this.
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Probably 70% of the guys pulling trailers into our Fedex terminal, they're pulling pups. Less occasionally, they're pulling a single. I've always thought to myself that it must be difficult to get used to that, having to be good at randomly pulling a single or a double.
I hope to get my CDL and build a year or two of experience OTR, and then come back to Fedex doing what those guys are doing. -
Sure, you should feel confident you'll pick it up quickly. There's a lot of differences but you're further along the learning curve than a person who's only driven an automatic Prius, for sure.
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It's exactly the same,but completely different.
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You already know it's going to be tall and long so that is alot of it. The pivot point ads a few factors, and it will handle differently, but you should be fine.
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