My 2 & 1/2 Years with McElroy Truck Lines, Inc.

MD STEELERS FAN - read and research and study on the matter all that you are able. Only make the leap into TRUCKING when you feel that you are aware and prepared for ALL of it, because trust me Brother - there is good and bad in every pursuit, and trucking has it's own very unique set of "B.S." attached to it, but it can be a "living" and it has it's rewards if it is meant for you.

banjer picker: AMEN Brother! I agree with your entire post!

 

Two of the hardest things a "newbie" has to deal with you have already experienced first hand - 1)Backing and 2)Driver Trainers.

I too was HORRIBLE at backing when I first started. Went I was going through driving school, the only backing manuevers they actually focused on were the two that Virginia DMV requires in the CDL-A test - Straight back and Curve back. There were so many of us in my class and there were only two tractor-trailers, so each day we would only get about 3 or 4 tries to do the manuever. As I had NEVER even pulled a trailer or boat behind a pickup truck, I was absolutely clueless as to what I was doing. One day one of the instructers gave me a "tip" that started me on the pathway to "getting it". So I will pass this along to you if it helps at all:

Right to Arrive, Left to Leave. So what this means is if you are looking at the driver's side mirror and you want the trailer to come towards you (arrive into your mirror's view or move to your left), then you turn the wheel to the right. If you want the trailer to move away from you (leave from your mirror's view or go to your right), then you turn the wheel to the left.

So when I first started out and needed to do a 90 degree drivers side back, I would simply say "right to arrive" and it would help me remember until it became second nature.

As to O.T.R. Trainers - you've got to remember that most of them that I have met would simply rather be driving alone. They merely do training because they like the extra $$, the bigger/nicer truck, and in the case of flatbedding - a live in tarp folder My McElroy O.T.R. trainer was a decent guy and very knowledgeable and patient, BUT he could also be a difficult person to have to deal with 24 hours a day for five days a week. All I ever asked of him (beyond teaching me the ropes of course) was could we stop at a truck stop occasionally so I could grab a shower and a cup of coffee. His answer was "only if we can't park at the consignee". Naturally, he wasn't a coffee drinker and I was going through serious withdrawls LOL! There were several times during the weeks with him that I would have to get out of the truck and call my wife and say "I can't hardly take much more of this guy" and she would patiently remind me how I only had _____ number of days left and then I will be out there all by myself. Thank God she did. I think the attitude you should try to adopt is - "I'm not going to let this guy rob me of my dream".

Best Wishes Brother!

 

I was always wanting a bit more "backing practice" too. It was the only thing that ever gave me the slightest bit of problem. I ACED the PC tests at the DMV. And I ACED the "Driving around town" part of the DMV driving test. BUT, the "backing" was a sweat-it-out deal for sure.

Another little "backing up" tip for ya: Small "corrections" only need "small wheel turns". Most newbies want to freak out and crank the wheel all the way around and next thing ya know they are jack-knifing the trailer LOL! If you are only "off" by 10 degrees or so, then only turn the wheel a few degrees in the proper direction. Also, a proper set-up is KEY. Try to get yourself a straight back whenever possible. If that isn't possible or practical, then try to set up a driver's side back. DON'T mess around with blind-side backs until you have a good handle on what you are doing.

And finally, don't try to be a "hero". Get Out And Look as many times as you need to when trying to get into tight spaces. As Ben Franklin famously said - "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".