I rented an 8' u haul trailer to practice backing...

Insurance may require you to do that.

 

For new drivers, even new-ish drivers, four weeks of training is a good idea. You can get a lot of info from a good trainer. Everything from company procedures, common routes, hidden parking areas near usual customers when the TS is full.

Mikeeee

 

Wow, renting a trailer was/is a really good idea! I might do that. I seem to have conquered straight-line backing, but am having a heck of a time with the Alley Docking exercises. I think the problem is, my main trainer says he likes my approach, but I lose it from there. To compound the issue, we sometimes have different trainers - and they all have different ways of teaching the skill. Nearly brings me back to square one every time.

 

When I was learning in school they wanted us to put the truck in the exact same spot every time we started each maneuver. I wanted to start in different spots to better learn when and how to make turning adjustments.

I always held the bottom of the wheel when I was pulling a trailer behind my pickup. Turn the wheel left and the back of the trailer goes left, etc...

Mikeeee

 

Next lesson, backing up doubles. Haha

 

Now that is some thing that I have not mastered, so I just cheat.

 

Its actually harder to back up those smaller trailers than the big ones!

Unless you already have a job lined you are going to pay hell trying to find a company willing to hire you having not attended a driving school!

This is an insurance thing and is pretty standard with most companies. Most companies are going to want you to have attended an accredited school for a minimum amount of hours before they will consider you for hire.

If it were that easy every driver would do it this way and avoid paying $6000 for going through a school. Personally I would go about it the correct way first time around and this will save you a lot of time and hassle.

Even if you do go this route the DMV will make you test in a commercial vehicle and these are not cheap to rent! Let alone the insurance!

 

I back mine up all the time haha

 

What is the trick