Still having problems with backing

The only thing I can think to add is:
Do not hesitate to ask someone to be your spotter. Not to tell you which way to turn but to stop you before you are about to hit anything. Our depth perception will be off sometimes and having someone else to use as a gauge is invaluable. Give your spotter clear directions on where you need them and what hand signals you'll be looking for. Ask them to leave the rest up to you. Also make sure you use only one spotter. To many people gets distracting fast. Good luck.

 

here's the advice I got from this forum that I found to be most useful

1. it's (mostly) all about the setup

2. use all the space

3. get out and look (I was already doing that, otherwise I would have put it higher)

what I've learned on my own that I believe is the most important:

1. take your time and GO SLOW. If you accidentally make contact or are about to make contact, it is way better if you are going slowly. Its not a race.

2. blind side isn't as difficult as it seems imo (ymmv)

 

Stop pay. Short load pay. Detention pay. Layover pay.

Make certain you understand all the different ways you should be getting paid, and how it works.

 

I'm about 19 months in or so and not confident backing. I do back in docks sometimes. Its tricky because of the perspective you have from the driver seat.

 

It comes with experience. One day at a time. Doesn’t matter if it takes you 2 minutes or 20 minutes. As long as you didn’t hit anything and you got it. I call that a job well done.

ive been driving for 11 years bought a w900 5 months ago and I still struggle to back it in at places

 

Wait till you start looking at and evaluating where and how you're going to manuever in tighter areas before you even get to where you're going. It doesnt happen as often with dry van, but if you ever run flatbed you'll end up going to construction sites, supply houses, etc.

 

Ya I do tanker work so not much backing between things. Funny thing is I had to drop my trailer today instead of the usual live unload. Guy assigned me a spot between two box trailers and tight front area. It took me 10 mins to back it in. Got out to look 2 times. Yard dog guy looking at me the whole time thinking this guy must have just started. If only he knew!

 

Remember, the best judge if you are straight in the dock/parking spot is looking out of your passenger-side mirror down the side of your van/reefer trailer. The bottom rail of the trailer is parallel with the line on the ground. Doing the same looking at driver-side will cause you to be nose left in the dock/parking spot.