My Trainer Isn't Letting Me Practice Backing

like it or not, she controls your destination with the company. the company will believe everything shes says, and not a word of yours.

you can be fired either during your training, or when you are nearly done and both of you have to return to the terminal.

she may have "sized up" the situation well enough that you did not have to get out, or maybe you get out too much?

that "can show" a trainer you have a lack of confidence in your self and ability.

just do as you are told.

your training may be getting done in "stages"...the next trainer may make you do more

if you are "lucky" to graduate from her and you get your own truck, then you did well enough.

otherwise, keep your bags packed, for that ride home.

too many newbies think it's a picture perfect world out there, and it just ain't

 

You Do Perform Backing At Night Correct or is your "whinging trainer" not allowing You to do such?? (whinging is New Zealand speak for Whining)
At Night I've MANY TIMES done GOLDen G.O.A.L.ing for MY Satisfaction especially at Unknown (never bin there) locations.
I got Out as MUCH As I Felt I Needed because I was usually a Gigabit* worn out by Nightfall. >>Nanobit is not as tired<<

YOU Need To Honor YOU!! YOU Are Worth Whatever YOU Require To SUCCEED!!
Get Out And Look Regardless Of what "she" wants or comments about.
CALL SAFETY And Chat With Them and I'll Bet They'll Back You Up Because You Want To Preserve The Equipment, not kow-tow to some forgotten queen of a nut farm.
Your "trainer" sounds like she's just a control freak.
- - - -
I've done, seemingly excessive to some chatterers, MANY Forward Pulls to get to a dock door as well a tricky truck slop slot, especially Right Side Sighting in RAIN @ NIGHT.
There is ZERO requirement to how many Pull forwards are "allowed" as well G.O.A.L. for Reverse Thrust Maneuvers.
"I did 7 pull ups before I could get the trailer lined up" = SO WHAT!!
Some Locations REQUIRE SUCH like in Jersey, PA, Chiraq (namely Cicero Ave), 100's of thousands of other locations that REQUIRE Getting Out To Look.

>>Just for Fun: IF she ever gets outta the truck at a tricky truck stop and wants You to stay In it, Just MOVE To another Fuel Lane or another Location at the trucker stop.
No One Has Ever Thought Of That, yeah, sure, uh huh.

Thanks Dear!
CHEERS!!

 

Btw OP, it could be worse. Your trainer could of crapped themself. Imagine being in that small, confined space and having doo doo commit assault on your nostrils because your trainer crapped all over their under trousers.

Then, you’d be afraid to step or sit anywhere in the rig out of fear of getting a recycled chili dog on yourself. Just imagine touching the steering wheel and feeling a little squish. That ain’t chili anymore friend! It’s butt gravy! Eweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I’d be like “get me the hell out of here!!!!!!!”.

Then, you’re all traumatized for your God knows how long. You likely will have weeks, months, maybe years of chronic constipation because the mere thought of being in close proximity of “dookie” immediately ruins any thoughts of having an honest to goodness, get your morning started right, satisfying morning constitution.

Believe me friend, trainer crap is not something to take lightly. I’ve read first hand the devastating, and lasting, effects that doo doo infested trainer under trousers can have on a person.

It’s a hell of a thing to do to a man, or woman, as the case may be.

 

Same deal. 1st trainer didn't let me back at all and only let me drive <300 miles a day, at night. Offered absolutely no help. On the 3rd day he took a 34hr reset at a terminal. Perfect chance to pratice backing. Wide open area with cones already setup.
Do you know what he said when I asked about getting some pratice in?
"Nah. I don't feel like moving from my spot."

Yep.
After a week he dumped me in Wisconsin and told dispatch he could not train me without telling me anything. I never backed. I drove less than 900 miles. The times I did drive he didn't say anything. No clue what his deal was. I should've requested someone else much sooner considering all the red flags.

2nd trainer was a screamer. keep threatening to send me home if I didn't get backed up properly. complained constantly and legit called me stupid. tried to embarrass me as much as possible. he quit 2 weeks in

3rd trainer was awesome. said he had no idea why the other trainers had problems with me. I got my cdl on my first try with him and got in my own truck without a single complaint.

Some people should NOT be training. If you feel she is not suitable, then request someone else. Training was by far the most stressful and awful thing I've experienced about trucking which I'm glad I'll never have to repeat. All those ######## saying I was never going to pass. Well #### now I'm running local and doing 10x backs a day, easy peasy.

 

As someone who once was a trainer ...

Go to your company and ask for a new trainer.
If you next one sucks too ask for yet another one.

If you aren't trained the right way you are setting yourself up for stress in the future and possible disaster.

 

My experience was almost exactly the same. First trainer did most of the driving, second trainer was a screamer, and my third trainer was a calm, friendly, encouraging guy who had me do everything.

As far as backing goes, I had such a bad experience with the screamer that I almost quit. Fortunately, I got a chance to spend an entire day practicing by myself in our terminal lot, and that made all the difference in the world.

 

So, you have a crappy trainer. What would you rank her as a driver on a scale of 1-10? If she is decent in driving, you should be able to still learn from her.

Do you understand the mechanics of backing? If you do, then watch her setup, and what position the trailer is in when she starts turning the wheels back left to get back under the trailer. On the rare occasion when she has you back, notice the position of the trailer when she tells you to get back under the trailer.

One more thing…someone suggested that you play the female card whenever you need a truck backed into a hole. DON’T ever even consider doing that.

Luck in battle.

 

The trainer doesn't have the power to fire you. Call the person in charge and get another trainer.

I was going to tough it out with my first worthless trainer when he dropped me at the yard and said don't come back. Walked into the office and had another trainer in 10 minutes. This guy was pure gold. Put me in every nasty, tight spot he could find and if there wasn't one handy he made it up.

When I did the write up at the end of training I got chewed out for not reporting the first guy as it happened.

It's my CDL on the line and I need all the knowledge I can get before I get out where I can kill someone.