Getting Good at Backing

What a worthless trainer. Mine wasn't much better. Find yourself a big truckstop and practice in the back row when no one is looking. And when you are sitting in a dock or in a parking spot, pay attention to all the other trucks. You will learn a lot about what to do, and what not to do, just by watching others. Good luck!

 

And make sure your company is aware of how your trainer did you. They may ask you to go out with a trainer for some more backing practice. Or not. But if you say nothing then that guy is going to keep producing sub-par drivers. No offense intended. And that doesn't look good on the company. Sounds like he has trainees just to pad his wallet and couldnt care less what you learn.

 

Practice backing and do not worry who is watching unless there is money on the line

 

I guess that would muddy the water a bit. Practice whenever you can. You'll get it.

 

I agree with the above post #2. Observe others backing any/every opportunity you get. Learn to see how different drivers setup different, and learn how some setups seem to work, and some don't. There's quite a few drivers with poor backing skills and I suppose you might even be able to learn from watching a failed back. Things always look different from an observer POV then they do from the driver's seat POV.

The key is developing your depth perception and your "3d thinking" ability. Be able to see early on in the back that things may not go like they need to, making a corrective pull up, then adjust and start again ... before getting flustered and finding yourself in an unmanageable situation. If you get flustered, pull out, circle the lot (slowly), and try again. Try and imagine where you may have gotten a bad start and how you might try to do something different. Go back to what you saw others do that looked easy. Can you duplicate a setup you observed?

The guys who make it look easy have been doing it a long time. Just try to not get flustered. If you do, things will probably not go well and maybe you should seek out other options that may exist. Then when you do get parked, go over the problem back in your mind and try and visualize what you may have done wrong.

I've observed some who seem to have no "sense of angles" and their perception of their orientation in relation to the other trucks just seems to be off. This has to be counteracted somehow. This is why it's good to observe others as they back to help you visualize what you may be doing [right or wrong].

Try and end your day mid afternoon if possible. Truck stops are not overly jammed. Try and seek out empty 3 hole spots and then try to target the middle spot. Do this as often as possible and you'll see yourself getting better with every back.

 

To add to those really good posts above, it also helps (helps me anyway) to watch other trucks pulling out of parking spaces. Watch the line the trailer follows on the way out. The reverse of that is what you need to do in most cases. Easier said than done though. Just like being an armchair quarterback.

 

Search the forum, there's numerous good threads on backing. Read all of them that you can and stick it in the back of your mind. The reason I say that is 10 different people will describe it in 10 different ways, something in one of the threads will click for you.

Beyond that, you know the concept but it sounds like you may be putting too much pressure on yourself. That makes it harder. Relax, be patient and don't overthink it. It doesn't matter how long it takes, it just matters that you don't hit anything.

Just don't avoid it or you'll never learn. You can circle the truck stop all day waiting for a nice easy pull through but you'll pay for it when you get to a shipper and have to get it done.

One day you'll back in without even thinking about it and then realize you've got it!

The next day you'll struggle.

 

Are you pulling 53' trailers? If so and you can, try and run with them somewhere near or just a few clicks longer then "California Setting". Point is, try not to back all the time with the tandems ALL the way forward, or far back near the bumper. Seek out a happy medium in terms of tandem position and try and keep them near this position as much as possible. Having excessive "overhang" can get you in trouble, and having them slid most all the way back can make it more difficult then it needs to be, especially where working space is at a minimum.

Trailer tandem position has more affect on backing dynamics then many realize so until you learn the finer points of dealing with different tandem positions, try and make your job as easy as possible by keeping things somewhat consistent if possible.