Woohoo, passed knowledge test and got my permit.

Slowly but surely, alright.

Good job son.

 

Good job. Next time they give the test in Pig-latin so don't forget to udy-stay.

 

Thats pretty much where I am right now.. Just started practicing skills. Backing up straight or lane changes are an ultimate nightmare. I'm told it will come with some time though

 

Congrats on passing your written.

On the driving. Remember that a tractor trailer is likened to a Dragon. The Head (tractor) maneuvers ten times more than the rest of the Body (trailer). The body is really long, and follows whatever the Head commands.

 

straight backing and lane changes aren't hard. It's just a matter on learning what to look for and learning when to do them. Think of juggling. It's just a matter of practice and timing. It takes some people longer or shorter times to learn them but it's not a matter of smart/stupid.

In a dry van you can use the vertical sides of the trailer, especially the passenger side of the trailer, as a parallel line. If it's parallel with the line on the pavement it will stay parallel. If it moves toward the line on the ground it will cross it unless you correct it. When you see the backing trailer headed toward the line on the ground, stop, think of what you need to do to correct it, then do it. I got confused listening to people say things like put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. If you want trailer go left, do X. If you want trailer go right, do Y. This helps some people. I also like to use driver-side and passenger-side instead of left and right. I find D-S and P-S less confusing than left and right, especially if someone is standing in front of or at back of trailer yelling instructions. You might prefer something else.

When backing I like to think of pushing the nose of the trailer to the driver-side or passenger-side. It's the only control you have and it's how you move the back of the trailer. Off-hand I can't even tell you which way I steer when backing.

 

You’ve been a member here a long time. What’s the holdup in you getting a trucking job?