Nervous About My New Career..
Topic 10502 | Page 1
Hello Christine, and welcome aboard!
Take a deep breath and relax - they know you're a rookie, and that is why they are going to put you with a trainer. Rookies can't do it all, in fact I've seen some folks out here struggling with backing who've been doing this for a while. I have days where I can barely drive forward sometimes! You just have to take it all in stride and realize that learning to drive a truck is a lengthy process. You have just barely started that process.
Hang in there, be diligent, and remember this: it will honestly be about a year and a half before you will begin to feel you've started to get the hang of this stuff. It's all worth the effort!
Christine, I'll echo O.S. here. That 90 degree back-up exercise is most new drivers' bugaboo. Good news: in my 6 months experience, so far, I have never had to to a full 90 backup, though my mentor had to back in to a right hand (blind side!) one.
It's tough to not be nervous, but if you simply focus on what you need to do (as opposed to worrying about the people watching and the fear of failure), you can do it.
* Depending on what you are allowed to do, 1) roll down the window & stick you head out; or 2) move the mirror so you can watch the back; or 3) just twist your neck and see as much as you can.
* Keep mentally drawing a line from the tandems to the target spot where they need to go. That's the path you need to get to.
* If you turn the wheel and are not sure which way the back of the trailer will really go, just let the clutch out a tiny bit to roll back "1 inch" then stop, watching the front end of the trailer (right behind you) to see where it turns. Adjust accordingly.
* Any time you tense up, take that big breath, then only think of what is the next thing you need to do.
And, as happens often, the heavens may open up, and smile, and you will not have to do that maneuver!
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Many States CDL driving tests no longer have a 90 backing maneuver anymore, so don't let it get to you.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Many States CDL driving tests no longer have a 90 backing maneuver anymore, so don't let it get to you.
I 68 & I 79 - I travel that periodically when hauling hazmat that can't go on the penna turnpike. Any reason you chose that name? Those folks in cumberland MD must be used to the smell of brakes....
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Many States CDL driving tests no longer have a 90 backing maneuver anymore, so don't let it get to you.
I 68 & I 79 - I travel that periodically when hauling hazmat that can't go on the penna turnpike. Any reason you chose that name? Those folks in cumberland MD must be used to the smell of brakes....
It's the secret location of my town, for those who know what city those two Interstates intersect. I don't actually reside there anymore but it's home to me.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Many States CDL driving tests no longer have a 90 backing maneuver anymore, so don't let it get to you.
I 68 & I 79 - I travel that periodically when hauling hazmat that can't go on the penna turnpike. Any reason you chose that name? Those folks in cumberland MD must be used to the smell of brakes....
It's the secret location of my town, for those who know what city those two Interstates intersect. I don't actually reside there anymore but it's home to me.
wheeling Wv
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Hello Christine, and welcome aboard!
Take a deep breath and relax - they know you're a rookie, and that is why they are going to put you with a trainer. Rookies can't do it all, in fact I've seen some folks out here struggling with backing who've been doing this for a while. I have days where I can barely drive forward sometimes! You just have to take it all in stride and realize that learning to drive a truck is a lengthy process. You have just barely started that process.
Hang in there, be diligent, and remember this: it will honestly be about a year and a half before you will begin to feel you've started to get the hang of this stuff. It's all worth the effort!
Thank you I appreciate that
Many States CDL driving tests no longer have a 90 backing maneuver anymore, so don't let it get to you.
In missouri On the actual test have to do 3 out of 4 maneuvers Straight line Offset Parallel Or the 90 The computer pulls which maneuver you do for the last test 4 times I pulled the 90 I finally pulled a blind side parallel I put that moths right in the box and got our and took a bow it took me less than 3 minutes.. I was estate But thank you for the info Because I've been thinking maybe I shouldn't be a trucker Because it isn't making any sense that maneuver Thanks
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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My name is Chris I just graduated C1 trucking I'm having a problem with alley docking.. O.K. I'm really freaked out that I am not able to do it yet .. I leave for orientation at US Express on Oct 12th Will they not hire if I cant