My Prime Orientation / PSD Experience

Day 29 continues

First pad session from 19:00-21:00 in the bag. Taking a break to chill out. I will allow some time to practice PTI before pad session 2 starts at 23:00-01:00.

I get the Straight Line Back ok, so we moved on to the Alley Dock.

Although at one point at mid-session it fell apart for awhile. I just could not get the trailer lined up for the SLB after pulling out of the Alley Dock box.

I’m starting to get the basic concepts of the Alley Dock, but I’ve been inconsistent.

Good that I’ve got three nights to work on this.

Dennis,

We think you've got this! Don't overthink it, LoL. Tom says the SLB can be your WORST enemy ... when you lack confidence. You have 3 days to build that!

Still following, me & my trucker guy~

~ Anne ~

Thanks Anne.

I took an hour break. Then went through entire PTI fine.

Trainer and I agreed to call it a night at 23:00. We are both tired.

Will introduce the two Offsets and Parallels tomorrow night.

Looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow!

A lot of people in my class had issues with the alley back for a while. After reading your diary for three weeks, I have no doubts you've got this. You might recall my post about how well I was doing with the alley back from day one. Then, two days before my test I started having problems. Not big problems. Just two pull ups and 2 GOALs. During my exam I had 2 pull ups, one GOAL. It's a pass or fail scenario kind of like our CDL license, they don't print "barely passed" or "crushed it" on that thing.

Keep on keeping on!

Thanks Bill for the encouragement. I know that I will get this once it clicks. My trainer is confident, too. He just doesn’t want me to get over confident, to which I fully agree.

My trainer emphasized the two free pull-ups and two GOALs. He wants me to use them.

First GOAL just before the rear of trailer reaches the front cones of the Alley. Make sure the blindside isn’t going to cross the line out of bounds. See what adjustments I need to make.

Second GOAL to confirm that the bumper is in the yellow box and that tractor & trailer are lined up straight in the alley.

He also talks about the gap between outside landing gear and drive tire, to maintain it during the arc. I’m having trouble seeing or keeping that gap. It is easier for me to stick my head out the window and watch the tandems and rear corner of the trailer.

I’m going to ask him to explain it again and also to point out at what position should I be when start the tandem arc to follow it.

After he walked me through my first Alley Dock, he told me to do it on my own and he would watch (I think he took a video).

I actually did it and put it in the box and aligned straight without too much problems by following the tandems. I used one pull up to set up a SLB in and did one GOAL to verify the bumper in the box.

He acknowledged that I did it on my own, but that is when he stressed to take the first GOAL as already mentioned.

He has a good point because on my next attempt I was coming into the alley too tight to the left cone. I did the GOAL and figured out an adjustment and eventually got it in.

He also gave me the marker line to use for determining when the bumper should be in the box. A couple times I went just a freckle too far, but was only just outside the box once. With the GOAL I just pulled forward a few inches to get it inside.

I’ve been drawing diagrams in my journal this morning. Trying not to over think this, but to visualize it.

He may dig out his toy truck & trailer as a teaching aid to see an aerial view of the tractor and trailer pivot points and how it snakes around.

Anyway, finishing up laundry now. Then chill out all afternoon until pad time tonight.

Right on Dennis!

Thanks Bill for the encouragement. I know that I will get this once it clicks. My trainer is confident, too. He just doesn’t want me to get over confident, to which I fully agree.

Day 30 -03/01/22; Day 18 with PSD Trainer

Short notice trip To the practice pad at 15:00 to grab a trailer and practice PTI. I’m ready to go.

Backing practice from 19:00-21:00 on Pad 4.

Day 30 continues

So, I worked on PTI from about 15:30 - 17:00. Went through a complete PTI first, then repeated the In Cab several times. My trainer is comfortable that I have it down pat.

Took a two hours break in the driver’s lounge to relax my brain prior to backing pad.

Pad session #1 from 19:00-21:00 started with a SLB, then introduced the two Offset backs.

I grasped the Offsets rather quickly on my first attempts. Started in the “middle” lane. Pulled forward, then Offset Back Right. So now I’m in the right lane.

Pull forward, then Offset Back Left. Now I’m back in the middle lane.

Repeat by pulling forward and Offset Back Right.

Pull forward to Offset Back Left to the middle lane and have a big brain fart. I got totally disoriented looking in the mirror or out the window as to which lane I was going into and got the trailer out of whack.

Salvaged it by using my free pull-ups and utilizing all of the space available to me (this is a point that my trainer is drilling into me. Use my pull-ups to my advantage along with my GOALs).

If I get into trouble, pull-up fully and start over!

Then I went back to Alley Dock. Got them in with some help. I was trying to straighten the trailer in the alley before I had the tractor/trailer aligned straight to set-up the SLB.

I get it. Stop over thinking it.

On a two hour break before second pad session from 23:00-01:00 to introduce the Parallel parks.

Day 30 wrap up

Worked on the Parallel Left and Parallel Right from 23:00-01:00.

Day 31 - 03/02/22; Day 19 with PSD trainer.

Since I returned to Campus Inn on Monday, I’ve been in double room with a roommate. This is normal now that the Covid surge has ended at Prime facilities. My first roommate checked out Tuesday morning and a new roommate checked in while I was at the Plaza until 01:00.

Trainer said to meet him at the Plaza pad at 09:00. We have a pad reserved for 11:00-13:00.

I woke up about 07:00 (alarm set for 07:30). After breakfast I head to the Plaza arrived about 07:50.

Used my time to write out the maneuvers for each back. Then went out to see if can watch any backing on the pad. Not much helpful going on.

Enjoyed being outside on a beautiful morning.

My trainer arrived at 09:45 (he over slept). Sitting in his truck waiting for an opportunity to grab a trailer for our pad time.

Day 31 continues

It is now 11:50 and still waiting for a trailer. I can see why my trainer prefers working at night because access to equipment is better.

All trailers are tied up in morning either for CDL exams and other trainers.