New drivers: What's your biggest challenge related to backing?

Seems to me a lot of new drivers haven't the slightest how to make a constructive pull up. That and oversteering I'd say are the two biggest mental blocks.

 

Im a yard jockey. 2 years driving experience. My biggest hurdle is not focusing at times on what i am doing and proper set up at first. Sometimes takes a few extra mins to get into a door.

 

The set up. Of the last few backs I've had the tractor had to miss two beer trucks, a fortified hydrant, and a shack; not to mention a blindside into the last open slot right by the exit. I spend Waaaaay too much time trying to get setup before being able to get it done.

 

I backed over my tractors mud flap the other day. Got caught under the tire and ripped the whole bracket off. Couldn't believe it, I have something new to watch for when backing uphill now.

 

Oversteering. also my biggest problem is running at cali legal for a few months then having to slide my tandems to the back or front messes up all the angles .

 

This is without question the gold medal winner.


Lucy you got some splaning to do. The very best part, aside from tossing all the tractor parts onto the embankment, is the driver finally calling for help when the tractor is disabled and won't move any more, mercifully for the tractor.

Keep your head. GET OFF YOUR ### AND GET OUT AND LOOK.
There was a place in Clearfield Utah I loaded at a lot, where you truly had to jack knife into the dock, so that you missed the bollard ( that had every color of paint in the spectrum on it ) in front of you by about 6 to 8 inches. A few times when I was fatigued, it took me a good 10 to 15 minutes to hit that door. It was either perfect or you hit the bollard or missed the door, no in between, and the #### in the shipping office always gave me that door. One time after loading, I was strapping and sliding, and this guy comes up and asks, " Man how the F did you get in their?" I helped him. Told him ( he had a green tractor ), " See they already have green paint on that bollard, no point in you getting some on it." You had to disconnect, and park next to the trailer while it was loading also. You can get in a hurry and F/U, or you can take a few deep breaths, get out a lot, say The Lord's Prayer a half a dozen times, and keep your head.

 

Your tandems are all the way back so they react a lot quicker and a lot slower at the same time rather than watching the overhang of a van/reefer. Shorter trailer also plays a huge part as well.

I came from tanks and for about the first month of backing 53's and 48's I looked like I didn't belong in a truck what so ever. It was horrendous. Haha.

 

I can assure you that the Lord's Prayer wasn't coming out of my mouth when I became flustered with a back when I was a rookie.