Backing Help Needed

Ok so I've been on the range 2 days now. The instructors we've had so far are nice.. I think, but I'm kinda hoping that at least one of these "borrowed instructors" won't be there next week. I need a reprieve, and I feel like he is completely confusing me.

Yesterday was our first day on the range. We learned our in cab pretrip and started straight line backing. I was having difficulty and I realized I was being too impatient and probably overcorrecting. So then the instructor that was with my group had some sort of emergency and left early.. leaving us basically with no instructor lol. There was an instructor on the range, but there were a dozen students in 3 different trucks at various stages so he had his hands full. There were 4 of us from my class who were range day 1. He had us get in a truck with him and work on our pretrip and straight backing some more. We all did ok so he told us to continue on and he went to another truck. I did well with my straight line backing yesterday after the one instructor left. We were also in a different truck, which I think was more responsive.

So today a repeat.. back in the first less responsive truck. . In cab which I've mastered and straight line backing. It was a mess.. or rather I was a mess. I did it but it was back to "first time sloppy". Everyone got 3 tries/practices, except me... got 1. Then he moves us to offset backing. That's when it completely went downhill for me.

I totally "get" the maneuver. I'd pull straight through up to the cones. Turn my wheel to start the lineup to the other lane.. begin backing slowly to the point where my drive wheels we're in line with the center of the landing gear, countersteer to put the tractor back in front of the trailer where I could see the cones I needed to get the rear of the trailer in between. But he would either stop me short of having the trailer straight. I'd tell him I needed to go a bit further, but he'd insist it was straight when it absolutely wasn't (and im looking at the side of the trailer and can't see my target at all. I'd continue and get it perfectly straight and he would stop me.. make me pull up putting it back out of alignment, then tell me to straightline back to get the rear of the trailer near the target cone. Well, with my limited skill, I couldn't correct such a poorly setup trailer. Well I did it, but hit a cone and was going to be way too close down one side for my comfort, and said I was too close! .. certainly not centered. While this was going on, another student (who had his cdl years ago) walked back there while I'm backing (to pick up the cone) grrr. That made me really made me nervous and the instructor completely confuses me. Btw, that student hit 2 cones, but still got an atta boy, while I get told I'll get it eventually. . Wtf??

I'm glad he won't be there next Friday and already dreading any encounter with him Saturday. He's likeable, don't get me wrong but im thinking he may not be the best one to help me, but what do I know.. maybe he's the best one. Im very frustrated but I know I can absolutely do this.

I'm not sure we have enough people checking the Ladies' forum to get you much help. I know people have posted similar questions in the main forums before.

Ok so I've been on the range 2 days now. The instructors we've had so far are nice.. I think, but I'm kinda hoping that at least one of these "borrowed instructors" won't be there next week. I need a reprieve, and I feel like he is completely confusing me.

Yesterday was our first day on the range. We learned our in cab pretrip and started straight line backing. I was having difficulty and I realized I was being too impatient and probably overcorrecting. So then the instructor that was with my group had some sort of emergency and left early.. leaving us basically with no instructor lol. There was an instructor on the range, but there were a dozen students in 3 different trucks at various stages so he had his hands full. There were 4 of us from my class who were range day 1. He had us get in a truck with him and work on our pretrip and straight backing some more. We all did ok so he told us to continue on and he went to another truck. I did well with my straight line backing yesterday after the one instructor left. We were also in a different truck, which I think was more responsive.

So today a repeat.. back in the first less responsive truck. . In cab which I've mastered and straight line backing. It was a mess.. or rather I was a mess. I did it but it was back to "first time sloppy". Everyone got 3 tries/practices, except me... got 1. Then he moves us to offset backing. That's when it completely went downhill for me.

I totally "get" the maneuver. I'd pull straight through up to the cones. Turn my wheel to start the lineup to the other lane.. begin backing slowly to the point where my drive wheels we're in line with the center of the landing gear, countersteer to put the tractor back in front of the trailer where I could see the cones I needed to get the rear of the trailer in between. But he would either stop me short of having the trailer straight. I'd tell him I needed to go a bit further, but he'd insist it was straight when it absolutely wasn't (and im looking at the side of the trailer and can't see my target at all. I'd continue and get it perfectly straight and he would stop me.. make me pull up putting it back out of alignment, then tell me to straightline back to get the rear of the trailer near the target cone. Well, with my limited skill, I couldn't correct such a poorly setup trailer. Well I did it, but hit a cone and was going to be way too close down one side for my comfort, and said I was too close! .. certainly not centered. While this was going on, another student (who had his cdl years ago) walked back there while I'm backing (to pick up the cone) grrr. That made me really made me nervous and the instructor completely confuses me. Btw, that student hit 2 cones, but still got an atta boy, while I get told I'll get it eventually. . Wtf??

I'm glad he won't be there next Friday and already dreading any encounter with him Saturday. He's likeable, don't get me wrong but im thinking he may not be the best one to help me, but what do I know.. maybe he's the best one. Im very frustrated but I know I can absolutely do this.

Sue it's not that we don't have enough ladies checking the ladies forum to get you an answer, its more so that most ladies who are checking this forum are still in the early stages of the CDL process or deciding to move forward with a trucking career. I am going to copy and paste this question in the main forum and see what responses we can get you. In the meantime, keep your head up and try speaking with the other instructor to find out what the problem might be.

Ok so I've been on the range 2 days now. The instructors we've had so far are nice.. I think, but I'm kinda hoping that at least one of these "borrowed instructors" won't be there next week. I need a reprieve, and I feel like he is completely confusing me.

Yesterday was our first day on the range. We learned our in cab pretrip and started straight line backing. I was having difficulty and I realized I was being too impatient and probably overcorrecting. So then the instructor that was with my group had some sort of emergency and left early.. leaving us basically with no instructor lol. There was an instructor on the range, but there were a dozen students in 3 different trucks at various stages so he had his hands full. There were 4 of us from my class who were range day 1. He had us get in a truck with him and work on our pretrip and straight backing some more. We all did ok so he told us to continue on and he went to another truck. I did well with my straight line backing yesterday after the one instructor left. We were also in a different truck, which I think was more responsive.

So today a repeat.. back in the first less responsive truck. . In cab which I've mastered and straight line backing. It was a mess.. or rather I was a mess. I did it but it was back to "first time sloppy". Everyone got 3 tries/practices, except me... got 1. Then he moves us to offset backing. That's when it completely went downhill for me.

I totally "get" the maneuver. I'd pull straight through up to the cones. Turn my wheel to start the lineup to the other lane.. begin backing slowly to the point where my drive wheels we're in line with the center of the landing gear, countersteer to put the tractor back in front of the trailer where I could see the cones I needed to get the rear of the trailer in between. But he would either stop me short of having the trailer straight. I'd tell him I needed to go a bit further, but he'd insist it was straight when it absolutely wasn't (and im looking at the side of the trailer and can't see my target at all. I'd continue and get it perfectly straight and he would stop me.. make me pull up putting it back out of alignment, then tell me to straightline back to get the rear of the trailer near the target cone. Well, with my limited skill, I couldn't correct such a poorly setup trailer. Well I did it, but hit a cone and was going to be way too close down one side for my comfort, and said I was too close! .. certainly not centered. While this was going on, another student (who had his cdl years ago) walked back there while I'm backing (to pick up the cone) grrr. That made me really made me nervous and the instructor completely confuses me. Btw, that student hit 2 cones, but still got an atta boy, while I get told I'll get it eventually. . Wtf??

I'm glad he won't be there next Friday and already dreading any encounter with him Saturday. He's likeable, don't get me wrong but im thinking he may not be the best one to help me, but what do I know.. maybe he's the best one. Im very frustrated but I know I can absolutely do this.

Sue it's not that we don't have enough ladies checking the ladies forum to get you an answer, its more so that most ladies who are checking this forum are still in the early stages of the CDL process or deciding to move forward with a trucking career. I am going to copy and paste this question in the main forum and see what responses we can get you. In the meantime, keep your head up and try speaking with the other instructor to find out what the problem might be.

Do not feel bad I just came from a Scholls that was a complete cluster f=!==.. It took me awhile to figure it out ... you can do it...I seen them do that to alot of girls this one girl we were going out to do our road tests just with the instructor she pulled out in front of a rig and almost killed us, passed hers ...I kissed a curb and he failed me I was bent and he yelled at me all day ..til oI flipped out on him.. It sucks if your doing that good already your doing great don't let the negative stuff get you there weeding out the week iny book ...seeing if your gonna be able to handle it.. I don't know if he was trying to see if he could make me cry or what but, I don't give anyone that satisfaction...lol You can do it girl Keep up the good work

We had a different instructor today at the range... love this instructor! I did a straight line back and was a little wobbly, still trying to over correct. I told him.. I know what I'm doing wrong, but don't know how to stop it.

He told me to scoot my seat up a bit and put my elbows into my ribs! He also had me use BOTH hands on the wheel vs. the other instructors being insistent that we use one hand only placed in the 12 o'clock position making onky small corrections. The elbows stuck to my sides worked immediately. Perfect straightline backing all afternoon long. 😊