backing into truck stop spaces or a dock

Set up is everything. Even more so with combinations. Let's see one of those loud mouths put a B train in a hole.

 

If you're pulling a spread, especially without a dump valve, a 2 foot pull-up can be all you need to make it turn on the radius you want it to.

 

I still remember seeing a guy blind side into a loading spot in Edmonton back in the 80's. I had a hard time getting my 44' flat in & he comes along & greases it. I wanted to get out & shake his hand.

 

Thanks guys I'm trying to get back Into class A looking at system transport when that happend I was pulling reefer and I just hated everything about just open the door hot the dock wait lumper this....flat I like the idea of the challange to secure diffren loads and belive it or not actually getting out to work instead if hold a steering wheel not bashing anyone that pulls van or reefer just wasn't for me excited for the new chapter of driving. Again thanks for all the positive feed back

 

Sorry for the awful typing on my phone

 

I won't say anything during someone else's backing procedure, unless they are about to crash into something. But when they're done, if they struggled a little, I anonymously get on the radio and praise them a little. Usually changes their furrowed-brow and frown to something a little more pleasant. Patience, and being nicer to people have been two of the things I've been working hard at lately. It's amazing the difference in one's attitude when you approach them with a smile.

Don't worry about that werner steering wheel holder. We all have a tough time sometimes, and he was out of line. You didn't crash into anything, right? You win.

 

This is an old thread and I'm sure you're doing worlds better now, but if anyone is still reading this. I haven't been doing this long enough to give advice"still getting it down myself" but I have an observation. The dock I pull into for my company is a hard 90 degree dock off a narrow road. I usually have to do a pull up, I've gotten props from a few drivers when I've done well. A few head shakes and grins when not so well. But it's always the dock workers, who don't have CDL's, who feel the need to make comments or laugh. So when they give me crap I tell them to go use their CDL and experience to do it better. Shuts em up pretty quick!

 

Your right it's always the dock workers beside the ignorant truckers who got something to say. People just wont get what it takes to drive a truck.


Stay safe out there drivers

 

WHEN you begin to start your setup maneuvers is really going to depend on what kind of tractor you are driving. If you drive a Prostar or Cascadia then you set up with the tractor drives on the far side of the hole. If you drive a KW T-700 or something with a longer turning radius, then you need to start your turn away from the hole (to the right) earlier.

I would suggest you practice several times trying to get into the same parking spot, maybe pick a spot in the back of a truck stop when it isn't busy, and start putting some markers out (like flattened tin cans or something like that) to figure out exactly how your truck responds. G.O.A.L. each time at each stage of the setup (before starting the turn away, after the turn away, after you turned back left, and at final pull forward). Mark the position of the trailer tandems at each stage and then you can see the long, slow arc of how they travel as you move the tractor.

Once you have figured out the correct set up sequence and starting point for YOUR truck, then it will make it a lot easier in the future. Changing trucks from a short radius to a long radius or vice versa will require adjustments to how you set it up.

 

Recently up in Prairie du Chien a trainer had a new driver trying to back into a tricky, tight spot that's mostly for the yard goat. Very hard on trainee, embarrassing, had to let many of us by more than once. Wasn't making much progress, just tying up major facility for no good reason.

When I went in to get my bills, stopped by to tell driver that it gets better.

Very tempted to give trainer a piece of my mind, too.