Going To CDL School Soon And Nervous About Backing A Trailer!

So I guess with every new driver there is a fear of backing a long trailer..... I'll be starting school in a few weeks with ROEHL for flatbed and I'm Terrified of trying to back that big behemoth into a tight spot. Hopefully me playing a pc game called "American Truck Simulator" will help me in that area as i can see how the trailer moves without worrying I will mess something up haha... I will be watching videos on youtube as well. any suggestions?

Chris, just R E L A X !

This is something every new driver worries about. Believe me, I really struggled with it. The skill comes gradually and with repeated attempts. Over-steering was my biggest problem and I think it might be the most common problem. G.O.A.L is so important, even for the veteran drivers. You'll get it. ALL the companies and ALL the instructors and ALL the trainers know it's difficult and will guide you through the process. Once you get out on your own, what will determine your success or failure is your dedication to G.O.A.L. Can't stress that point enough.

“Get Out And Look”... G.O.A.L.

Chris, if you have never done a thing before, it's easy to be terrified about it. But on the other hand, every day thousands of brand new CDL students grab the steering wheel, look into the mirrors and start backing up.

Your first few weeks should be backing around orange cones - and they are used to being run over. Literally, you can't "crash and burn" on a backing range.

Bruce says it all: the instructors know you're new, and newbies do have a tendency to over steer.

Relax a bit, and join a club of thousands of new drivers.

Does your video game use a steering wheel or a controller. I think if I would have practiced on a decent simulator it would have helped me a lot going into cdl school.

Chris, you will get hundreds if not thousands of iterations of backing in your training. Four things i learned early on from my trainers - small movements of the wheel, visualize where you want the tail to go and put it there (like golf putting or billiards), turn off ALL distractions while you're backing, and GOAL (frequently). Oh, and wear a hat. (It keeps the sweat out of your eyes - thats from me, I needed it for the first few months solo)!

Just remember to relax, and treat it like a big 80000# 65' long puzzle. The first time you oneshot that hole, you'll be grinning like an ape!!

Appreciate all of you and the tips. Yeah for my PC game I have a steering wheel. So far it is helping me backing up on the simulator but it's a totally different ball game in the real deal, hopefully all the tip and trick on videos and learning in the game with help. Again thanks for everything!

Chris, I'm real skeptical of the value of the simulator or video games to help with backing. I did learn some good stuff from watching real life You Tube instructional videos on backing set up and technique. But the best training is the practice you get when you are behind the wheel.

Chris, they should ease you into the backing exercises. You'll start with learning to straight line back, how to back around a corner (a 90 deg back, but in a wide open area), how to serpentine back (through a cone slalom), and how to do a 45 deg back before you get to the maneuver skills exercises. Crawl it - the slower your trailer moves, the easier it is to see and correct problems. When you get to your training location, keep your phone in your pocket and forget about YouTube - you didn't sign up for the YouTube CDL school - they will have a way that they want you to do things. Watch your instructors, ask for examples, ask questions. When you aren't backing, observe your classmates and ask yourself "what are they doing right", "what would you be doing differently" if you were in the hot seat right then. Ask for a couple of chances to back between trailers, not just the cones!

Simulators are a great tool for certain tasks - perfect for teaching the basics of shifting or winter driving - but you'll need to be in and around the truck to get the perspective you need to build your backing skills.

Also, don't run the cones over unless you want an angry instructor. Cones are actually pretty expensive. If it doesn't look right, just stop the truck and check your position before you continue your back.

Yes, they are just cones!

But then again... my (main) instructor used to refer to them as his "cousins". Sometimes a student would wipe out an entire family! But he (or others) would pick them up and set them up for another round. Seems we never ran out of cones! Eventually one will get so messed up that it gets "kicked to the curb" and replaced with a new one. Guessing they buy them in quantity and get a great deal on them!

Hitting cones in class is probably the best thing you could ever hit with a big rig! Have fun!