Can truckers back anymore?

[HWD]

I know the title was a bit all-encompassing, but really...can anyone successfully drive a big truck in reverse anymore?

I now have a job that is not trucking related. I was out today in an area of the county that has alot of winding two-lane roads. I turned up such a road and followed a nice Volvo pulling a 53' box...I thought to myself "I hope he doesn't go any further because there's no place to turn around". Well, he stopped, I pulled around and approached him because I just knew he was lost. He was, but not by much...he had just passed where he was supposed to be by about a mile or so. Anyway, he showed my the receiver's address and I told him it was just back there, he made a wrong turn. He thanked my and asked if there way anywhere to turn around, I told him last chance for turn around was a gravel construction entrance about 1/4 mile up, nothing past that. He followed me to it, I told him I would stop cars, he then proceeded to back into a construction entrance about 50' wide. After his third try at backing in, he mumbled a few profanities and I told him I used to drive and could back it up for him. The look on his face was one of total relief! I back it in, pulled it onto the road and he got in, thanked me and took off.

He indicated that he hadn't been driving long. It was a company truck belonging to a large OTR carrier.

[Double L]

Was it SWIFT? Saying the truck was a Volvo is a dead give away.

[ben45750]

I'm calling Bravo Sierra on this story.

[matcat]

50 foot wide, HELL a 1st day guy with his trainer should be able to hit that blind folded.

[HWD]

Was it SWIFT? Saying the truck was a Volvo is a dead give away.

No...but if you hit on it I won't say "no"!

[HWD]

I'm calling Bravo Sierra on this story.

Call it whatever you want, doesn't matter to me, it happened. It also happened about a half dozen times when I was driving, too. Whatever.

[Trukrswyfe]

One guy according to you can't or didn't want to back the truck up.

And you think that is enough to ask if "Truck drivers know how to back up?"

Even if it happen half a dozen time while you drove, What is that six?

So now we have 7 drivers who can't or won't back up in what time frame are we talking?

I think your question is insulting.

Calling it bravo sierra is kind.

[Drew10]

Im not sure how to take that story. From what Im gathering, he was to back into the contstruction site. (50' wide entrance).
Why was he to back into the construction site? Was the site not large enough to go into and do a uturn inside the site? also...
From what I gather from the narrative, he was to back into the 50' wide entrance....from off the road. How much swing room did he have to get the trailer and tractor around to successfully back into the entrance?
From what Im visualizing. It was probably on a small 2lane road, probably with soft shoulders. also.....
why would the driver, take your word for it that you are a driver and allow you to do the back for him? This question is probably reitoricale. Presuming the incident happened as you describe.
I know Im questioning your story...but there does seem to be some "Loopholes".

He indicated that he hadn't been driving long. It was a company truck belonging to a large OTR carrier.

It would also appear that you answered your own question. Everybody has started somewhere, sometime. They have to gain there own experience as they learn the ropes of driving. I presume you never got yourself into a position that had you so utterly frustrated that you wanted to just giveup.

[Fredog]

I was thinking the same as Drew. although I have no problem backing up, if I had a 50 foot wide space, I would just make a u turn, much easier and safer.

[Fredog]

One guy according to you can't or didn't want to back the truck up.

And you think that is enough to ask if "Truck drivers know how to back up?"

Even if it happen half a dozen time while you drove, What is that six?

So now we have 7 drivers who can't or won't back up in what time frame are we talking?

I think your question is insulting.

Calling it bravo sierra is kind.

To quote Bubba the love sponge. I call shenanigans on the deal

[MartenDrvrCA]

One guy according to you can't or didn't want to back the truck up.

And you think that is enough to ask if "Truck drivers know how to back up?"

Even if it happen half a dozen time while you drove, What is that six?

So now we have 7 drivers who can't or won't back up in what time frame are we talking?

I think your question is insulting.

Calling it bravo sierra is kind.

To quote Bubba the love sponge. I call shenanigans on the deal

yea I think it was a WORk,shenanigan jones on the back side.

[Jumbo]

Maybe the story is true. Picture your self as a new driver. You are lost and frustarted because you are lost. Someone tells you there is a place to turn around so you are glad. A fifty foot wide enterance can seem small if the heart is pumping 500 times a minute. Almost every gravel pit I have ever seen has a gate at the enterance. Was the gate closed? Maybe that was the only option. You are a new driver trying to back off a small two lane road, cars and another guy watching you try and you still aren't where you need to be. I might need a couple pull up also.

[Mr. Ford95]

Jumbo, it wasn't a quarry. It was a construction site with a gravel entry way, had it had a gate blocking it, no way do you even get halfway turned around from a 2 lane road unless the gate is 100 feet off the road.

If the story if true, at least the newbie tried then realized he couldn't make it happen and when offered some help, took it. It has been shown time and again, not everyone can back perfectly when the pressure is on and/or they have a large area to back into. Some of the best backers can get into holes most wouldn't even attempt, put them in a wide open slot and they can't back worth a flip.

[Malaki86]

You mean not everybody out here in a truck was born with a steering wheel in there hand and could run a truck across US-250 in WV before they could walk???? God forbid that someone has had a bad day and couldn't get turned around. My God, I've had trouble backing at times, especially after I've had a few long days and not enough sleep.

I could care less who they drive for as to why they couldn't back up. It doesn't matter in the least. I've seen owner operators of 20+ years have trouble getting into a hole. I've also seen student drivers that are still with their mentors hit some of the toughest holes on the first try.

[Roadhog]

I've seen owner operators of 20+ years have trouble getting into a hole. I've also seen student drivers that are still with their mentors hit some of the toughest holes on the first try.

...you like to watch too? :mrgreen:

[Windwalker]

I've been driving for a number of years now. There are days when I can back into the worst place you can imagine, and I don't have to pull-up even once. Then, twenty minutes later, I can go into about the most ideal location you can ask for, and I can't hit the dock to save my... life. We've all had our good days and our bad days.

If a driver is having a problem backing in, just get out of your truck and help him/her back in without hitting anything, or doing any damage. Doesn't matter if they're new at the game, or if they've been at it for years. One dock, recently, there was a Volvo trying to get into the dock and pulled ahead about 4 times. I got out of my truck and help him get in. When he shut the engine down, HIS TRAINER GOT OUT OF THE BUNK :shock: :shock: :shock: and it was NOT a (not so) Swift truck either. I've also helped O/Os that have been at it for years, to back in safely. No, we do not get paid for it, (and we also do not get paid for "rolling down the parking lot"). But it should be an inherent part of our fraternity.

[HWD]

Drew10,

You critical analysis of my story was exceptional.

To be more specific, he was on a winding 2 lane road. drainage ditches on both sides, no shoulders. The construction entrance was gravel, about 50' wide, but the gravel ended less than 60' in and turned to red mushy mud due to our recent rains. On one side was a pile of 5' diameter culverts 20' long, on the other side a deep ditch and an old tree. The deep ditch and the old trees were on his blind side. He said he'd rather knock the pile of culverts over than to put the trailer off in the ditch past the lone tree. After talking about it, he decided he'd better let me try!

You people can still call it what you want. I could have headed up the road, not helped, and the poor dude could have continued up and put himself in a position from which he would NOT have been able to extract himself without the help of a large wrecker and local law enforcement. I decided that would have been too painful to watch so I stopped to help him. This is a road that NO trucks ever go on, except dump trucks driven by locals...since they are now building giant luxury golf course number seven for the county out there, there are now trucks going out there and the place they are supposed to be going ain't all that well marked. Anyhoo...

I too had problems starting out and I was grateful for the help I received. I remember a large distribution facility in north Florida where I couldn't get it backed to the dock door between two other trailers for the life of me. An older, more experienced driver helped me then...I will continue to "pay it forward" in the future, whenever the opportunity presents itself, whether I'm currently a truck driver or not; I just won't come on here and tell anybody about it. Sorry for wasting your time.

[golfhobo]

HWD: The one thing I can't picture from your account, is which side of the road the construction entrance was on. i.e: after pulling past it to back in, was it a blind side or sight side back?

A 50 ft. wide entrance, with 60 feet to go back is more than enough room for this maneuver EVEN from a two lane road.... and even if it was on the blind-side.

And to someone who asked, I think it would be pretty hard to do a U-turn with a 53' trailer in a 50' entranceway. Maybe, with the tandems all the way up, and nothing for the trailer swing to hit.

With HWD blocking traffic, a simple setup with the tandems near the edge heading into the entranceway, and the other side of the steers on the other edge of the road, there should have been plenty of room to jack the tractor enough to pivot on the tandems with them only about 30 ft in, and then turn the steers and pull out going the other way.

Whether HWD should, or has a right to question the backing skills of other drivers is not my concern. But, I have to agree with him that there are far too many drivers out here that can't back worth a dang!

But, that's just my opinion, and I'm sure the Rev will be along shortly to tell I have no right to have or share it!

C'mon guys..... a 50 foot wide entranceway?? I could do that stone DRUNK!

[belpre122]

10-4

[HWD]

Whether HWD should, or has a right to question the backing skills of other drivers is not my concern.

I didn't question his backing skills. I judge no one. He was frazzled, he verbally indicated he was nervous, and I offered to help. He accepted.

Simple as that.