Not Looking Good For Me....

I have fir the most part tried to be positive through this whole training experience. However these last few days I'm riding an all time low. My TNT phase is almost over as far as miles are concerned. My trainers attitude has been better. All things considering I should be elated to start this new adventure. However I have yet to figure out or impress my trainer enough with my backing maneuvers. I'm starting to think my training will continue, and financially I don't think I can continue if that's the case. I am spread pretty thin and bringing home just $1600 a month is not something I can do for very much longer.

The backing problems I have all start with the set up. If I get a good set up which is rare, I usually guide it too far to the blindside. To date this has been ok since all my backs have been empty on my blindside.

I honestly just don't know if I will get this. My trainer has done all he can do. But my brain does not get what he is saying. I have yet to hit anything, and I do eventually make it into the hole, but like I said I'm either not straight, not centered, not aimed right, there is always something I have done wrong. I just can't get it right.

It often takes a good 6 months solo to get comfortable with backing, and then there are some days that ya couldn't hit the side of a barn. What I tend to find is that the more room I have, the more all over the place I am. When I was new I asked a very experienced driver about that, he told me it was common, because you don't have the reference of the other trailers and because you have so much room, you tend to be not as precise. Where I tend to shine is the crazy tight spots lol, however a few mins ago.. 3 open docks with me going right in the middle-- I could have rivaled the "short bus" post yesterday.

Calm down, go slow, take your time, goal, don't hit anything.. you'll be fine. Some trainer's are not to be impressed so don't worry about it.

Hang in there. You basically just described most people's training experience. You're in one of the toughest phases of becoming a driver. It will get easier and the money will come. When I was training, I had similar experiences, had a baby on the way as well. Talk about pressure. Most people tend to improve when they don't have an audience or trainer telling them when to turn, how to cut it etc. It's a tall order to finish training but it's definitely doable.

Eric hang in there like everything you will get better with practice and more practice . SOON you will be a MASTER of backing into any dock . One thing you can do is talk with your trainer and on say some downtime maybe he can help you practice in an empty lot with markers for dock etc.. If you show him you really want to get that down that should impress him that you want to take the extra initiative.

I remember when I was first training way back in the day I tended to overthink it when I was backing and I was frustrated like you and once I quit doing that I got SOOOO much better . So when ya do back just relax and don't overthink it and you will do great.

I have yet to figure out or impress my trainer enough with my backing maneuvers.

Eric, very few trainers are impressed with their trainees. There are no natural born truck driving protégés. We all have to work at it for a good long time. You have barely scratched the surface my friend. You are as green as they come at this point. You haven't damaged anything yet, so you are doing quite well actually.

Backing accidents are one of the most common problematic incidents rookies have. Therefore you should realize that backing is a skill that is a long time in coming. Personally, it took me a good two years to begin to feel confident that I could back a trailer into just where I needed it to be. There are still days that I end up laughing at myself.

Stop stressing yourself over what is clearly a difficult part of this to lay hold of as a rookie. Backing is something no one is any good at when they go test out for their CDL. This job is a long term commitment. Remember you've only just begun the adventure.

Never let yourself be embarrassed to G.O.A.L, or feel pressured to not G.O.A.L. Knowing exactly where that blindside rear corner of that trailer is will definitely save you from having to make that dreaded call to the Safety Director.

Hang in there. We all understand the frustrations, but also know you're going to get past them. You've just got to keep persevering at this point.

IT WILL GET BETTER!

What they said, plus, I've never heard of anyone not finishing TNT because they couldn't back. No one is good at backing at the end of TNT unless they came into it with a CDL and prior experience.

Which means something scarier, actually. Pretty soon you're going to be in your own truck, and your check is going to depend on how many miles you safely run each week. But that's a good kind of scary, at least for me.

Also, you're going to be backing into docks and at truck stops and rest areas by yourself, with no trainer there to complain. It's going to be totally up to you to figure out a good setup, remember to GOAL, and get the truck in there without hitting anything.

Remember that last part -- it's the only part that really counts. There is no extra pay for getting the truck backed into a spot quicker or smoother or without GOALing. There is a big penalty for hitting things. Do what you need to do to make sure you don't hit anything. And be extra careful when you're tired.

Finally, and hopefully as a little encouragement, I just realized yesterday that I finally have no fear of backing at all (other than the healthy fear that makes me GOAL when I can't see something). I finally know that I can get the trailer into any spot as long as there's room for it.

That took 2 1/2 years to accomplish. I didn't get as much practice as many people here, since I was a flatbedder for most of that time, and it helps a lot that I now pull a short trailer (42' roughly) with tandems instead of spread axles, but unless you're doing something crazy like bumping docks six or seven times a day, it's going to take quite a while. You just don't get that much practice backing as compared to cruising down the interstate.

Thank you all. You all have been a lot of help for me so far. I'm just having one of those days.

Everyone has been in the EXACT place you are. At the end of my training, I hadn't successfully backed into a spot without my trainers help; I honestly got extremely depressed and had serious doubts that I could handle this job. But 6mo later, I still suck at backing!! But I learned that no one cares how long you take, as long as you don't hit their truck. It doesn't have to be straight as a needle, but as long as it's in between the lines or the dock plate goes down, consider it a win.

Backing will become more natural once you start doing it on your own without a trainer watching you. I'm in my second month solo on a dedicated home depot account. 90% drop and hook and I swear 70% of my backs are blind side 90s. Like others have said take your time, get out and look..

Backing will become more natural once you start doing it on your own without a trainer watching you. I'm in my second month solo on a dedicated home depot account. 90% drop and hook and I swear 70% of my backs are blind side 90s. Like others have said take your time, get out and look..

How's navigating the maze of random crap home depot stores have scattered across their lot?