Hello
This is my first topic and my first day on the forum...I am excited to find out about you!!!

I am coming from higher education and have no natural driving genes! I am doing this to be with my husband, but I am learning that I like this job. I am doing pretty well except backing...I am finally getting straight backing...but the alley docking is screaming for help!!!


I am practicing ...did I say I am practicing? I will think I have some concept until I try the following time with no success.

I tried for my cdl once...only to fail on the alley parking...everything else is manageable!!

Any Ah-Ha pointers? Plans or suggestions? I am able to get myself to the same place after preparing to begin back up. I have my drive tantums at the end of the spot I want to enter (perpendicular) before I begin a strong right for 1001 seconds (ten times) and then a quick left to prepare to begin the backup!!

I am over-steering and underestimating the travel time :sad: that will continue even if I am turning in the other direction. How do I get all this conceptually in my head.

I want to try for my cdl on Monday...but may not be ready!!

thank you for all and any advice....the ak of the takmarriedteam :roll:

Have you practiced the alley-docking? (Set up some cones the exact same way they'd be on the test?)

The most important thing to remember is that neither education or genetics will help anyone with backing. The only thing that helps is practice.

I would advise against ''learning the course'' or memorizing, counting and all the other little ''tricks'' that will get you into that one spot every time and instead suggest getting out to look to see where you're steering and when you need to pull up to get it in there. There's a difference between learning to back and learning to back into one spot to pass a test; you can guess which will help more in the long run.

Best of luck to you.

Relax......that is the best pointer I can give you. The more uptight and stressed you get the harder it becomes.

To be honest, we could give you pointers all week long and until it clicks for you by doing 99.99% of what we might suggest will be Greek.

Just take things slow, and while practicing and in the real world there is nothing wrong with getting out and looking things over 1000 times if need be to get a different perspective of what the truck and trailer are doing in relation to what is around you.

Backing is the most dangerous maneuver you can execute. Remember to have a GOAL. That means Get Out And Look. If in doubt, set your brakes, then get out and look at the situation, left, right, center, overhead. G O A L!

Make small corrections of steering as you back. Be patient. Wait to see what's happening at the back end. Normally, you should expect 8 to 12 feet of movement before you can see what the tail end of the trailer will do. You WILL NOT see immediate response from the trailer as you do in your car at home!

You movements of the steering wheel should never be more that 90 degrees from center. The more you move the steering wheel, you will have to be able to move double that movement when trying to correct for over steer.

I've seen experienced (15 years or more) drivers cranking that wheel lock to lock and having problems. Make small corrections in your steer. That leaves a lot or room to correct steering error by steering in the opposite direction .

You will occasionally have to pull up out of your backing maneuver to try to correct. Pulling up too far is just as bad as not pulling up far enough. The objective it to get the tail end aimed correctly, the bring the rest of the rig in line with the tail end.

That requires small movements of the steering wheel, to Jockey the front of the trailer (and the back of the tractor) into line with the tail end of the trailer. Then bring the front of the tractor in line with the rest.

Finish with a straight-line back to the dock.

Piece of cake, after a few months practice; early in the day; you're not tired out from a day of driving; etc.

If your home terminal is easily accessible, and you occasionally drive by on your way to somewhere, take a few minutes to pull into the trailer drop lot and practice in an empty slot. That practice (good weather or bad) will come in handy somewhere down the road.