Controlling a smaller truck vs. controlling a fill-sized semi

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?

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 ###

 

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.

 

It's exactly the same,but completely different.

 

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.