Need to practice backing, but no access to a truck, Help!

a affordable way would be to get your boyfriend to teach you.

 

But probably not the most successful. The best way to get the CDL is in a controlled and structured teaching environment. Trying to stuff any sort of real training (for a CDL skills test) in an over the road, real world trucking operation is a LONG and drawn out process and is still being done (in this case) by someone who has already stated that they cannot or will not train.. and someone who probably could not pass a CDL skills test themselves. MOST drivers who have been driving for any time at all would not be successful it passing a CDL skills and pre-trip test.

 

I normally don't think of this as a proper teaching method, but there are video games with emulate the experience of driving a truck very loosely...

If you've got a big screen tv, laptop/Pc and a way too hook the two together then that may help but it can also hurt. (Which is why I don't usually suggest it.)

 

Watxh youtube vids, then play with the toy truck. Then pratice onchos hometime. Over and over. But between each attempt change the spot, or drive around the block and re attempt. If you only master 1 type of set up you will not be able to addapt

 

Also... If you're practicing the brake part of the pretrip for 6 hours... What?!

It's a 5 minute thing unless you don't have self adjusting brakes.

Do be careful practicing one thing all day. That makes it easier to forget what you learned since it's only in your short term memory.

And I haven't parallel parked since school...I'm afraid I went and forgot how to. Probably could do it if I had to, but I would hold up some traffic!

 

Listen, as crappy as it sounds, I think your just out of luck. Unless you have a family member who runs locally and owns his own rig.

If your man won't train you there's really 2 simple options both of which im sure you wont like. Either go to a local school and pay thousands of dollars to use their equipment and get "professional" training. Or sign up with a starter company that will pay for your training/schooling but will contract you to work for them for 6-12 months.

I would do schooling if i was you. Is it crazy expensive? Yes. Even if you already know 90% of what they teach, more practice will not hurt. And after schooling you can jump straight into your mans truck and start making that money back.

 

If you want to know trucks like a boss walk around one 20 times looking at every nut and bolt on the dang thing. Most drivers barely know what their herding down the road. Get on the net and study the different systems. Air, drive trains, ect. There's alot more to trucks than a steering wheel and pedals.

 

I only paid $1,600 in SoCal and I spent a month using their truck and one extra week to use it for DMV driving tests.

The best part about it is that I paid for the unlimet driving time option which let me use the truck every day.I even slept at the school in the back of my jeep.

If you pick a cdl school, you need to ask how much time you will get to practice on a truck.

If the school limits your use of the truck, then maybe they have too many students, and they will rotate everyone around so that they all get a chance. And if you pay for a 1 month course, then you better pass your DMV within that month otherwise you will be paying extra to keep practicing and to take their truck to the DMV