Schooling Without Docking Training.concerns

I am looking into attending a private school, possibly starting Monday. I spent two hours going through the school on Tuesday and liked everything I saw. My only concern (other than the money lol) is they do not do docking training. It is a three week program, first week is classroom work to obtain permit which I already have.

My concern is hiring on with a company and being put with a mentor without having any practice alley docking or any other type of docking. Is a mentor typically going to have time to work with me on docking?

They have several around 28 companies that higher through them, so I assume these companies are used to it, but I'm just a little concerned.

Woody

I never had any alley docking experience when I got on with my mentor. But I got a ton of other backing practice through my company's academy. You just take what you learn backing from your school or company training and put it into practice against a dock. It's virtually all the same as far as a back just sometimes you will have all the room in the world and no trailer next to you it you could have it like I did the other day out in California. I had to 90 blindside it into a tight dock with a trailer next to me. You never know what our going to get but as long as you fall back into the training you got from your school or academy and what your mentor is telling you, you will be just fine.

Yeah, I agree with Logan...as long as major companies are hiring their students you should be fine.

And honestly, most Truck Driving Schools don't actually teach you how to back up in a way that applies once you get out into the real world. What most schools do is teach you to memorize a procedure that will allow you to make certain maneuvers you'll be doing for the CDL exam. They'll use things like orange cones, lines on the ground, telephone polls, and other markers to teach you to memorize certain procedures so you can pass the exam.

For instance...with alley docking they might tell you something like:

"Back up until the 3rd cone is blocked from your view by the trailer. Then turn the wheel hard 3 times to the right and hold it until you can see the 5th cone in your mirror. Then turn the wheel hard left until you can see the landing gear on the trailer. Then crank it back all the way to the right and you'll be in the spot"

...and they're right. If you do what they say it will work. Then you'll take the exam in the exact same place you've been practicing and naturally you'll ace it. Then you'll go out on the road and realize you have absolutely no idea how to actually back up a truck!

So don't sweat it. As long as major companies hire from the school then you're ok. You'll get out on the road and you'll have no idea what you're doing just like everyone else. That's just how training has always been done.

All schools teach you the alley dock. Which is essentially backing up to a dock. Alley dock is a requirement that you must pass to get your CDL. In school, you'll likely be learning the alley dock with 4 cones. You basically get the trailer between the first two cones and stop the back of the trailer between the last 4 cones. Almost every school does this.

When you go with your training you will have no idea what you're doing on alley docks, you will have no idea what you're doing with almost everything. The trainer will not expect you to be a good driver, they will not expect you to know how to back up, and they won't expect you to be good at anything really. That's why you're in training. To work alongside an experienced driver and be taught all these maneuvers.

You will learn the very basics when you go out with your trainer. You will learn slightly with your trainer. But you'll really start learning how to back up when you get out on the road all by yourself.

So really, just go with the flow. Learn all you can to pass and get your CDL. You will be horrible at backing up when you go with your trainer but they are there to teach you and ensure you don't hit anything. So don't be afraid of not being perfect out there. Not backing up to a real dock during your schooling will not stunt your growth as a driver.

Eh, beat me to it Brett. I was trying to give you nothing to do!

I like how we both say almost the same thing but in a completely different way. Hehe

Thanks for the replies. I figured that was the case.

Woody

Late comer to the fun here, but I just wanted to add that I concur with everything that has been said. Schooling is really just there to get you the license. Learning to handle a rig in all the manifold situations that you will get into takes a couple of years to get a grasp on. I've always maintained that the road is the best teacher you will ever encounter. It can be a harsh master at times, but it will always be there, continually bringing new lessons to the forefront.