SWIFT Student Driver with a backing incident on my 4th week of training!!

Sorry to the OP for his backing incident. There's been some good comments regarding G.O.A.L. and having clean mirrors.

One side issue I have with mentor/trainers is to ask whether they have any training regarding how to train and what hand signals or communication they need to give when a trainee is backing? I must admit to some frustration with my trainer, because his hand signals are all over the map. What exactly does a frantically spinning or waving hand mean!? He spins his hands clockwise and gets frustrated because I don't turn the wheel clockwise. The next time he's frustrating because he meant I should be turning the trailer clockwise.

After this morning's jackknife backing session, where my trainer was spotting me and doing the typical micromanagement step-by-step instruction thing with vague hand signals (and nearly causing me to back right into a trailer parked across from the slot I was trying to get into) I finally told him to basically "Stop giving me instructions and just let me finish the job, THEN give me a critic after the fact". Once he shut up I was able to get into the dock right away with a single pull up.

The thing is there are different ways you can get correctly set up for backing, and different strategies for getting the trailer straight into the dock. If your trainer is fixated on one method... well that's fine... learn that method, but if you have a different method that works better for you then have a talk with your trainer.

I'd much prefer for a trainer to say, "Okay, there's the dock (or the parking space) I want you to get into. Figure out your strategy, have a plan, and execute the plan. I'll shut up now and observe and stop you if I see anything going wrong during the process.".... or... "There's the dock (or parking space) to get into. What is your plan or strategy for doing it?" This method of training would go a long way toward helping trainees figure out their strategy for getting into tight spaces. Make suggestions for alternate strategies, but let the trainee pick the strategy and execute the plan step-by-step.

It would also be a BIG help if the trainer would have consistent hand signals. Frantically waving hands or vague hand signals do nothing to help the person behind the wheel. If you have a trainer with this problem you need to have a talk to iron out hand signals. When I was teaming with my brother before starting with Swift we had prearranged hand signals that really helped each other getting into tight docks or parking spaces (especially when using two glow sticks at night or in dark docks). Work out the signals as a team.

 

your trainer failed you. maybe he needs to go back and get more training. any mentor that sits in the truck while an inexperienced driver is backing should not have CDL to begin with.

just my 2 cents.