How often do you find yourself backing up into tight spaces

Tight spaces do not bother me since I can back into any truck dock in the country. Blind side during NYC rush hour traffic np give me 20 seconds at the most to get it in perfectly. I think about competing in the truck championship but I really hate fame. I became popular once in my old town and couldn't go out to buy a loaf of bread without having people run up to me wanting to talk. I like being low key but to answer your question maybe twice a week.

 

@TruckRunner don't be to ####y buddy remain humble and do G.O.A.L. too much confidence will get ya hurt.

 

I only GOAL one time and it was during a tight blindside inbetween two trucks at night during a strong thunderstorm and my mirrors kept beading up and the dock door had no paint lines.

 

Go flatbed and docks will be rare, though you still have to back at truckstops usually. That said, flatbeds are actually harder to back than dry vans/reefers as they usually have spread axles. I've got a tight truckstops thread I'll look up and post.

Here you go:

Truck stops with tight parking

 

Basically every load for me. I’m delivering to plants that were built in the early 60s, and every dock is inside a building and we have to back in from an alleyway between 2 buildings. In the blinding sun you literally cannot use the mirrors to back up. There are a few docks that are set up blindside, and even seasoned drivers are getting out 10-15 times to check back there while trying to wheel in.

I took my dad in the truck back in October for a week while my wife took a trip down south with her mother. My dad is a civil engineer and he was flabbergasted at the tiny spaces they expect the trucks to squeeze in.

For the record, the plants I’m referring to are not in the Northeast. While I agree there are many (MANY) tight spots in the Northeast, these are all in the Southeast and Atlantic Canada.

 

Used to deliver appliances for MOKAN. One drop over near Bennett Springs,Mo...had to "blind side a sleeper with 53 swing door...off a gravel road around mailboxes and a ditch.The appliance store was a "Restored Barn".out in the country.Another store in Lebanon Mo...you had to pull up to the drive thru speaker at a KFC and back across a side street down an then down an alley.It was new places everyday.Small downtowns with brick sidewalks.LOL. Nowadays about 1 tight spot to back in daily.Dont worry? After a month or so of "chasing the trailer around",sweating profusely,holding up traffic...youll have more skill and confidence.Dont be afraid to "GOAL". GET OUT AND LOOK. Sometimes you notice things you didnt see on the initial approach...(like an over hanging roof,higher than your mirrors(but lower than the top corner of your trailer,or a light on the wall of an alley.Or even a bonehead 4 wheeler"that pulls up right behind you (cant seem to figure out that "your backing up".Yes,it Happens.JMO

 

All day. The real question is how often do we get lucky and get to bump the easy dock? Answer- rarely. If there’s a really crappy door, just expect to be assigned that one. It’s easier once we accept the fate that awaits us

 

Exactly! But lots of practice makes perfect...just try not to hit nothing while you’re doing it!

 

Three times a week at this one, at night. With another truck at the dock, we will have about 2" between us at the back end:

 

That's one of the best things about switching ftom 53 vans to tanker. Tankers are 48 foot and no tail swing. Backing in to truck stops is easy. And I can nose in to save my hood without blocking trucks beside me.