A Rant/Looking for Advice after Switching Fields

Say to anyone who is insulting; "I'm sorry I ask you; unlike you, I didn't pop out of the womb with a cdl in my hand." Then turn your back on the person and walk away.

 

Nobody knows your life story when they offer to help you. Be grateful for the help.
Back into a parking space every time you stop that truck for non-customer reasons. You need to learn backing, not avoid it until you can't avoid it any more. Be mad you didn't spend any time until recently learning the fundamental skill of this job. Take responsibility. It's hard work but the rewards are priceless.

 

Everyone who has ever driven a truck has received help from another driver. Apparently some have forgotten. You be different. Always remember your start. Always remember those that helped you or mentored you. Pay it forward. If someone wants to act like a wiener, walk. Don’t speak to wieners. Speak to the rookies after you instead. Time is more important than money and you most certainly don’t give anything valuable to wieners.

Don’t worry about the dignity. It will care for itself.

Luck in battle.

 

Vent away.

OK, you set yourself up for better than dry van.

OK, I don't get the graduate school thing, I find an American education is rather worthless now-a-days. But that's my educated experience opinion. Oh unless it is ... an agriculture degree.

Yep, great.

Why?

you have experience in ag related transportation, not enough money or you like the stress (just kidding).

yep I know.

Of course, dry van work is really the bottom of the list.

I think Tscott said it best -

Screw them, I bet they had beat a few trucks up trying to back up.

Well at least he helped, if they had a yard dog, I would have tracked them down and asked for some help, they may have told you to drop the trailer and they'll stick it in the slot. If they do, hand them a Jackson and thank them.

Well degrading? Yeah it is but get a thick skin because this industry has been a mess for the last 15 or so years.

it takes practice. Take some time to learn how to do it with cones if you can.

I hate traffic and try to avoid it as much as possible. I like my open spaces and nice two lane roads where I live and work. I was in NYC recently, I flew in and had to pick up a vehicle. I could not stand driving across Manhattan at the morning rush hour because my scheduled meeting took place at 7am. After the meeting, I was so stressed by the time I was outside of Philly, I could not sleep.

That's good, thanks for doing your best to get the work done, that's unique. And it is great you have a goal and a backup.

Just remember this crap doesn't last, take one day at a time, one problem, one traffic jam all one at a time.

 

When I can let them go by, I do. Otherwise they can cool their heels until I get it in there. If they get lippy and abusive, you have a middle finger, load it and use it. Not the way it use to be, but now everyone is short tempered and in a hurry.

 

First, no one likes being that guy at the loading dock but we all have our moments.. Your dilemma is just not having enough experience backing and it won’t just happen overnight.

Next time you got some free time in the day pull into a half empty truck stop and practice…bust out some moves Just recently I watched a Knight driver do just that. Spent hours backing and trying different techniques. Nothing but respect for drivers who spend time practicing.

Watch how others setup, you’ll learn a lot. GOAL as many times as you need to.
If you mess up a setup, realizing that you won’t recover from it just circle around or start over somehow. I’ve done it and it can be embarrassing but it’s all part of the learning.

I’m the type who will screw up if given 10 football fields of room but put me in a tight situation and that’s where I shine…I guess that I just think about it more in tight situations.

If anyone asks on the CB, you’re just practicing for a truck rodeo, lol. Seriously, just keep it real and don’t go low if someone is taunting you. You may even get a driver or two interested in sharing some advice. Not so much anymore because English speaking drivers are becoming a minority.

I had zero experience backing when I went solo so I just spent hours watching others. You’ll understand how to and how not to quickly.

If you want to keep your dignity you got to practice every chance you get. Don’t rush, plan your setup ahead of time and use all the space available.

 

More weiners not to be.

 

Know how you feel buddy, we've all been through it though when starting with a new company and they expect you to do a training run, there will always be someone that gets picky with you, why are you doing this or that driver, you just have to go with the flow, if it is annoying, but you're right drivers who are training should understand that you are new, and be a little patient with you, unfortunately if the company have picked them to do the job of training should of put some consideration into who qualifies to train. Yes backing onto docks is far different to driving out on the corn fields of Iowa, but like anything you have to learn to adapt, with time you will get the backing perfect, I'd hadn't done any dock work for over 10 years, but had not forgotten how to reverse a trailer, fortunately so never had an issue with my trainer, the great part about most docks is they'll have a yellow line painted on the pavement to guide you onto the dock. Wait till you have to learn how to operate a road train, I had no experience driving a 60 m (190') super - quad set up, fortunately with road trains your not required to reverse, so it's rather important to not miss a turn, as you can't just do a U-turn. Anyway just stick with it dude, stay the course and you'll be fine. All the best for the future.