Taking CDL and pretty nervous about backing

Congratulations on passing everything up to the road test. And, count your blessings; in SC if you don't pass the entire series of tests you wait a week and take ALL of it again.
Good going; you'll get it when you go back! Be safe out there once you get the CDL and land a job.

 

Well done on the backing. About the road test, yeah kaka happens. My 1st fail was my fault all the way. The 2nd time (same tester) I was cut off during a turn and brushed the curb (trailer) avoiding him. At least it wasn't an accident.

 

Just got back from MO from training. I bumped my back cone in the parallel test to be able to pull straight up. Only cost me 2 point.

 

Sorry wrong thread..

 

Lucky you, in indiana where I took my tests there were no banked tests. Instructors tell the story of the guy that passed everything, got so excited he jumped right out of the truck at the end instead of backing out. Tester failed him and he had to go back and do everything, manuvers, pti, and road all over again.

 

Yep!

One guy failed on pre-trip because he really didn't pay atention in class, or in life. Inspector asked him to turn on 4 way flashers, and he couldn't find the button!

Mikeeee

 

Works fine on the range, where the cones are in the exact same spot every time, you line the truck up the same way every time, and back into the same sized space every time.....

....doesn't always work out like that in the real world.

The biggest problem a lot of people have is just overworking the steering wheel. Rather than just making minor adjustments and letting the trailer come to them, they get to cranking on the wheel....whoops, too far.....crank it around the other way.....dangit, too far again.....crank it around the other way....

Be patient, and remember (even when going forward) that you aren't driving a truck pulling a trailer....you are driving the trailer, and the tractor is merely the steering mechanism....the steer tires, so to speak.

 

Yeah those tips were for passing the cdl test, not real life docking.

The biggest problem I saw other students doing was overcorrecting. I have been backing a 20' trailer(with backhoe) with a t plate dump truck for 17 years before getting my cdl. That experience helped me a lot. Backing a trailer with 8' axles down a winding cemetery road 8.5' wide teaches you a few things. Backing is mainly just having good spatial awareness of your trailer and it's surroundings and the only way to get that is.....experience.