Any other similar experiences starting out like I've had in 2014? This has been hell

If a person can do everything there is to do when flying a plane, except land it...they are not gonna get ONE chance, let alone 3 or 4 or 5 or 6.

 

You wanted to save 10 seconds by not checking your trailer height before hooking? I'll assume you were in a day cab. It doesn't take much to look out the back window to make sure you don't high hook the trailer. Even with a window you still managed to damage the truck? My opinion is trucking isn't for you. You don't come off as a focused person. Self admitted ADD. Try a line of work where focus isn't 90% of the job.

 

As a trainer for a "mega" I see unprepared students coming into my truck, and backing is one of the big issues schools aren't adequately teaching. Then they expect trainers to teach backing in real world situations.

Let's face it, it in the real world there are some pretty ridiculous backing situations caused by infrastructure and idiots that can't figure out how to plan the layout of a yard to make it more efficient for drivers to get in and out of the docks. It's something we have to deal with and in order to do that we all need to learn some basic strategies of how to work the trailer into position and get 'er in there.

ss98032, you've taken a lot of heat from some pretty experienced forum members and I'm on the fence about it. You've bounced through a few opportunities and told us you've had issues with backing from the first opportunity and haven't improved.

If you really want this job, then at this time it's really on you to go and learn it. There's ton's of videos on Youtube on how to back. You can buy one of those remote control tractor/trailer rigs and practice with that, which helps visualization from above. You can rent a U-haul trailer and hook it to your car and try backing that, which is a lot harder because the trailer turns faster.

The next job you apply for you explain how you screwed up and how you went out and taught yourself.

One other thing you mentioned in your OP is you were "slow" making deliveries. Reading between the lines that seems like you are still very very hesitant getting up to speed, maybe taking LOT'S of time making right turns on city streets, trouble shifting gears, etc. I see that all the time with new trainees, but by the third or fourth week they are starting to drive more comfortably.

Being late in this industry isn't an option unless something beyond your control happens. If on a regular basis you are much slower making deliveries than other drivers, there's going to be heat on you. Learn to work and drive safely and efficiently.

During your training at your first company how many hours of actual behind-the-wheel (BTW) experience did you get?

 

That is why they make simulators, hello, do not make it like you just knew how to do this out of the womb. Someone had to teach you, maybe you learned quicker, but everyone is not you.

 

I have improved, in backing, but not nearly enough for my comfort and liking. I am still inconsistent in that, but, haven't hit anything to cause damage to a fixed object that mattered, like another car or a sign (while backing the trailer, the high hook, is a different situation and it was in the terminal, only involving Reddaway property, which isn't as bad as damaging a car or another company's trailer). I do drive very cautiously, and if some outfit, preaches safety first, but then talks out of the other side of their mouth by any driver, particulary brand new, being "too slow" that's an outfit that one may be better off not working for.
Most of the reasons, why Local City Drivers may be slow and/or are delayed for deliveries, are something that the driver has very little control over, like a load that shifts all the way to the door when it's only 6 inches from the door and it jams the door (happened to me), a load that was misloaded, (happened to me too) or a delivery with a wrong time on it, that I went to, after they were closed, paperwork said 1230p appointment, I didn't even get the paperwork until 300p.
All I want to know, especially since some of the responses have been kind of demeaning and holier than thou, is has anyone else experienced such a rough start, but eventually, got it together and is now a solid professional, CDL driver?
I know that on the surface, one could (but not should) say, that "man, you're just not cut out for this". I wonder about that myself, but IMO, that would equate to quitting, which I basically did before and don't want to do again (when I worked outside trucking from 2010 to 2013). It's not like I have a physical ailment or 2 DUI's or something that is screaming don't get behind a big rig. It's most likely upstairs in the head and most professionals, will tell you that's it's not that common that that CAN"T be fixed.

 

I actually did rent a U Haul Tralier,to practice backing, on the 1st weekend of my Reddaway employment, which started on a Friday, but I wasn't behind the wheel that day.

 

While I admit I didn't look the whole way, I did see the fifth wheel touch the apron, maybe it barely touched it, I don't know? In those older day cabs, you don't even have 1 second, if it overshoots the kingpin, before, your cab, at least, almost hits the trailer.
If I get another chance, well, like the company who's training I went to this summer mandated, no choice, I will stop, when the plate hits the apron and get out to look, even if it's a day cab and will check the kingpin lock. I was way more concerned about that, than I was about a high hook. I naively thought, that with Reddaway, all the trailers where pretty much set to the same height off the ground, thanks to inexperience.

 

I will tell you now, you are not going to find many drivers willing to admit they had doubts about if this was right for them, since I have been out here I have found a few but that is not very many out of about 100 I have talked to. And, I am a woman so some will admit it to me more than they ever would another man and especially not on a forum. Your going to have to keep your pride and ego out of it, you have already learned what happens when you try to not listen to your gut. Google anything and everything you can, get on this forum etc. I will tell you now, a trailer height is always different because some raise too high, there are videos on YouTube to show you how to figure out if it is too high. If you are backing, you should always get out and look(if your with a mentor that is not allowing you to do that, it is your call if you decide to ask for another one or just deal with it and risk it. There are a lot of good mentors but there are also a lot who only do it for the extra money and only want basically another driver making miles for them. You will have to decide if you will listen to the negativity or not, I chose not to and I am now driving safely because I chose to do how I was taught to do and not cut corners(Well as much as possible). If I did not ask questions more than once to be 100% sure when I was giving medical care then I could hurt someone, the same goes for driving a truck, and because I asked questions I ended up being the one patient's came to because I was the only one in the clinic that could draw blood on some that were hard to do and usually had to be sent to the lab.

 

So you don’t Hi Hook a pin you back up till you “kiss” the plate to the front of the trailer or if the trailer is too high the end of the truck frame is just under the front of the trailer, you should be able to see this in your mirrors.
Once you “kiss” but do not flatten the plate, you shut off the engine and get out the check “HAL”
Height - The front of the trailer should be half way up the plate from end of plate to the pivot.
Alignment –pin in center of 5[SUP]th[/SUP] wheel opening
Locking jaw open.
If that all checks out ok hook up air & elect. Lines. Charge trailer count to 5 and listen for leaks then set the trailer brakes you can now back under and do the “hook & tug”. You should know the rest.

As someone said and you said you did, rent a trailer for a weekend and practice, practice, practice.
Also as some said some people are just not cut out to drive a truck be it a class B or class A, just like some cant drive a stick shift even with practice.

Yes I know it says I am a student (for my class A) but I have had my class B since 1983, drove only that summer but kept it good all this time. I also have been towing different size camp & car trailers (35 ft 2 car the largest) since I was 16, now 54.
I am looking forward to ally dock & parallel parking in school as the straight back is cake.
BTW to pass the state road test you have to do all 3 backups & a road test.

Best of luck to you
Dave ----

 

I made mistakes when I was new. I had 2 accidents in 2 months before I even hit the 6 month mark. Went to fast on a skinny bridge and the bridge kisses my side step then a month later, I was at the pilot in Ogden ut and tore the whole side of my truck up on my own trailer.. Haha.. Good times. Then my company says if you have a 3rd accident.. Your fired.. Oh btw.. Here's your new truck.. A w900L. That long nose taught me worlds about backing and maneuvering. Those accidents were a blessing in disguise. They made me who I am today.
In all honesty.. I think you should maybe just go back to a training company and spend time with a trainer. Like a full month and a half. Really just grasp everything again with no interruptions or anything. Looks like maybe only pti or western would take you with a accident and all those jobs.
I really do think you should start from the beginning and if it doesn't work.. It's not meant to be. I mean.. I kinda wanna pilot a giant robot and fight monsters but some dreams just don't pan out.
Good luck with whatever you do.