Failed Road Test Again (2nd Time)

You weren't fired?

 

Wow that sucks...Did your school give you enough practice and did they think you had the maneuvers down to the point they thought you could pass or did they just say, it's your turn, good luck?...

For parallel parking, maybe I just had a good teacher as me and the one other guy in my class hit them everytime from day one...Here's how we do it...

Start with end of trailer at the first cone with about a body width from the cone...

Cut it hard right to the stop and back up until first piece of DOT tape on trailer is covered...STOP

Cut it hard left until you're tractor is straight with trailer...STOP

At this point the center cone should look like there's about a 1.5ft from your trailer...

Back up straight, keeping that gap until the end cone is at your battery(or between back of tractor and trailer)...STOP

Cut wheel hard left until the first cone is even with your shoulder as you sit back in the seat...STOP

Cut wheel hard right and back until your tractor is in the box...STOP

You may not need to do anything other than pull forward a few feet at this point if at all...

That procedure works like clockwork for us, I hope that helps you...


Straight backing...

If you pull out straight, it should back up the same way with only minimal turning of the wheel...I find looking at my driver's side mirror is all the aide I need making very small movements of the wheel...Without watching you and seeing what you're doing, it's really hard to offer more advise but I hope those tidbits help...I wish you the best of luck...

 

Rather well all things considered, I hate to be cruel or crass but with what he had me do as far as unsafe and illegal things go(he was the "trainer") my grieving process was rather quick. I came within three feet of having my head permanently removed. The seat belt saved my life. Had he had his bunk restraint on he would have lived too, no doubt. Instead he was ejected and was dead at the scene, they didn't even attempt CPR.


There is enough stuff that can happen without a trainer taking advantage of a trainee out there, it's dangerous enough to begin with.

Somehow for three months plus I drove at night 90% of the time, he made it work out that way. Plus everything that happened was my fault, this guy had never had a pallet fall over on his shift.(Insert BS here). Someone so perfect should have known to use the bunk restraint in the sleeper, wouldn't you think?

Did they ever show you how to switch drivers in motion by setting the cruise at 60 MPH and swapping the driver seat at your school? Neither did mine, I learned out on the road. Not to mention not being allowed to stop for any reason unless 400 plus miles had been covered. I caught him in so many lies and contradictions it wasn't even funny. Do as I say not as I do. But I bit my tongue because I needed the job and I feared what he would say to the higher-ups if I went against his wishes. Yes, I know it was my license on the line but I kept my mouth shut because I was making money and getting experience. When I finally called my safety man after I was told to run with a significant air leak to make our app't that was the last straw, he threatened to leave me at a truckstop, because he knew the jig was up and he would have to face safety and answer serious questions. As it turned out he never had to have that encounter as he was killed in the crash on the same trip.


Sorry for the rant, but I have no problem being the one who survived the wreck relatively unscathed and being back out on the road. The other way around wouldn't have been fair. At all.

 

How did you roll the truck?

 

-double post-

 

If you can't pay it, worry about getting a job first as without one, you definitely won't be able to pay...

 

No offense, but not everyone gets to be an astronaut when they grow up!
We had a guy spend a considerable amount of money and pass on a steady job to travel to FL to attend school, and he left after 7 days, couldn't back straigh, or shift. Sometimes, just wanting isn't enough! Hell, I want to be an NFL quarterback, but that ain't gonna happen (well...maybe for my hometown Jags right now, but I digress lol)
I understand the stress, of your situation, but honestly, not everyone can drive a truck. If it was easy, they wouldn't have schools for it, and everyone would drive them! BOL to you, but I don't see this ending well for you!

 

Don't be so discouraged. My boss made me take my 1st test after 1, yes 1, week of driving a big truck and I never went to school. I passed my road test (barely), but failed my skills test. After 1 more week the boss made me go test again, and again I failed my skills test. The following week I set up my own course for the skills test on company property after work every day and practiced for hours. The examiner also gave me a great piece of advice. He said there was no time limit on the test and I didn't need to rush through it. I took my time and passed. I also had to re-take my road test and passed with only 1 point against me. It also helped me calm myself during the road test, by making small talk with the examiner while I was driving. I was going to give it up if I failed again. That was a little over 16 years ago (October 1994). If you want it bad enough you will get it. Prayer doesn't hurt anything either. Good luck to you!

 

Actually, you can. Look at the side of the trailer in your right mirror. Look at the side of the trailer in your left mirror. If both sides look the same, you are ok. If you see more of one side, turn the wheel until they look the same.

Rinse, Lather, Repeat...

This has been six pages of why you can't. So far every piece of advice given you has been responded to with a reason why it can't happen. Look, Mary... Do you want to drive a truck or don't you? Get out there and practice until your fingers bleed. You are paying these people a fortune, MAKE THEM EARN IT! THAT IS WHY YOU ARE PAYING THEM! Get one of them to get off of their lazy ##### and get in the truck with you and figure this thing out.

This is your life and no one is going to live it for you. No one is going to do the work for you and no one is going to cut you any more slack than they would anyone else. It's all up to you and you gotta do it or waste the 6 grand and time spent and go flip burgers or something...

When I first started driving, I almost failed because I couldn't shift. I mean I sucked BIG TIME. There was one guy worse in the class than me, and he did fail (he actually tore up a transmission). On the last week before the test, the instructor told his partner before I got in the truck (when he thought I couldn't overhear) 'I guess I'll go out here and try to make something happen.' That was probably a lot more insulting then than it sounds now. But I got out there and I practiced. Every lunch break, every coffee break, every time a truck was not in use, I hijacked it and got in. Eventually, I got to where I could shift decent enough to pass the test and what I lacked, I learned later on the road.

Only you can turn this #### around and no one else, so quit whining and go do it...

 

Lots of people don't have what it takes to be a car driver much less
A truck driver. You either have a talent or you don't. Some people will
Never be good drivers. Unforunately we see them all the time on the road.