Parallel Parking A Tractor-Trailer/Basic Skills Test

How important is the skill of correctly parallel parking a tractor-trailer? What does it prove? It's the only maneuver on my basic skills that I cant seem to get right. Actually, when I am practicing by myself, I have done it correctly a few times. But every time I get tested on it, it's the only one I consistently fail. Straight backing? No problem. Offset? Not a problem.[I have not been tested on the alley dock maneuver, though I have practiced it]. Is this parallel parking only a one time school thing, or is it something that truck drivers in the real world have to do all the time? Well, I just need more practice, that's all. Thanks for any tips you can give me on this most difficult of all backing maneuvers.

Is this parallel parking only a one time school thing, or is it something that truck drivers in the real world have to do all the time? Well, I just need more practice, that's all

It's definitely not a one time thing but you won't be doing it often. One thing about being really awesome at backing is that you can get into spots most people won't try at a truck stop or rest area. And if you're trying to find parking at night there are very few spots available. So the difference between getting parked for the night versus driving around for another 45 minutes could depend upon your confidence at backing.

Also, you're going to wind up in places where you literally wouldn't believe you could fit a truck. I've gone to customers numerous times and been told to put in a particular dock and I asked them flat out, "Are you telling me that trucks with sleepers and 53 ft trailers have been in that dock before?" .....and of course they always say "yes". If it could be done, I could do it. And of course I did. But some of them are so tight that even after years of driving you're not really sure if you'll physically fit in that space or not just by looking at it.

So you definitely want to arm yourself with the best backing skills you can develop. Watch everything that everyone else does. Think it all through. Plan out ideas in your head for tricky maneuvers you may have to try someday and how you would approach em. Every single time I backed a truck I tried for perfection. I mean I wanted everything to be immaculately centered and lined up straight. 99.9% of the time you don't get it absolutely perfect, but you always learn something in the process. That's the key......get better each time. Keep learning.

Keep PRACTICING. There's a rhythm to it.

IT IS A REQUIRED SKILL - both for the skills test AND for the road. You may, or may not actually get one of these in your actual test. While it may be rare to actually have to parallel park a rig on the street - you have to be prepared for the possibility of having to do this.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+parallel+park+tractor+trailer+

There's a ton of videos of how to do this on youtube - watch a few, maybe you'll find a method that helps you out.

You will get a straight back and offset (either right or left), and either an Alley Dock, Driver/Blind Parallel Park. You odds are 2/3 of having to do a parallel park - so you'd best be prepared to do either one (Drivers/Blind).

If you've got alley, offset and straight back down - hop back & forth between the driver/blind parallel trucks in the yard. I'm sure Ken will be accommodating if this is where you're having issues.

TAKE YOUR TIME - GET OUT AND LOOK - TAKE THE PULLUPS if you need to.

Whether or not YOU THINK it's important - it;s a REQUIRED SKILL. So when it comes time for your skills test - BETTER BE ABLE TO DO IT.

Copy/Paste that link I put up - watch some of the video's.

Rick

RT, I'm more than half way through road training, I finished Swift's Academy in mid-January. Yes, those exercises you do in school are a pain.

The first backing maneuver my instructor had me do (this is real life, in a yard full of trailers and tractors) was essentially a parallel park - drivers side, but to place the trailer along a fence to the right (the blind side). Yes I sweated it. Yes the instructor watched my every move. Yes, I got the trailer where it was supposed to be.

I've been back to this location about seven times, so far. And every empty trailer gets dropped in this spot. Day and night. Now I'm comfortable with this.

In the four weeks I've been with my instructor, I have had to back and dock trailers using all the techniques I learned in school: 90°, parallel, and offset. Just with real situations, not little orange cones.

The most important single thing I've discovered for me is that when you set up any back/dock you need to do, is to have that little bend between the tractor and trailer right at the start.

Agreed ^^^.

It's not so much the actual maneuver that you'll use a ton of (which I actually do) but the overall skill of moving that trailer where you want it when you want it.

I seem to have to parallel park almost anytime I take a break at the Charlton rest area on the mass pike because almost no truck parking. The only spots that tend to be available are on the guard rail. And like Brett said before being able to put your trailer where others don't dare can be a huge advantage. I've gone in there so many times behind another truck that literally passed up a spot on the rail and just left the area. I can only assume it was because they didn't have the confidence to back into that spot.

I love the parallels and they are just extensions of an offset...same angles. You need to master all the skills as in Florida you must do straight line and one offset chosen by the evaluator. Supposedly the computer picks either the 90 or a parallel..it's "random" but I believe weighted towards the 90. At my last attempt three of us had 90s and one guy got parallel.

I love the parallels and they are just extensions of an offset...same angles. You need to master all the skills as in Florida you must do straight line and one offset chosen by the evaluator. Supposedly the computer picks either the 90 or a parallel..it's "random" but I believe weighted towards the 90. At my last attempt three of us had 90s and one guy got parallel.

I was one of the lucky ones that ended up with a "blind side parallel" - did it with one pull-up. FAILED my first road test on SHIFTING (they put me in a truck I had never driven before and wouldn't even let me do a lap around the inside course). My buddy that tested with me - missed a shift on an incline and had to sort to find 1st again - INSTANT FAIL. I passed the next day.

Rick

How important is the skill of correctly parallel parking a tractor-trailer? What does it prove? It's the only maneuver on my basic skills that I cant seem to get right. Actually, when I am practicing by myself, I have done it correctly a few times. But every time I get tested on it, it's the only one I consistently fail. Straight backing? No problem. Offset? Not a problem.[I have not been tested on the alley dock maneuver, though I have practiced it]. Is this parallel parking only a one time school thing, or is it something that truck drivers in the real world have to do all the time? Well, I just need more practice, that's all. Thanks for any tips you can give me on this most difficult of all backing maneuvers.

I'm having issues with passing my exam with the parallel too. I failed twice. Once last Friday, and this recent Tuesday. What's weird is, I do incredibly well on the school training lot, but when I get to the testing site, I just screw up. And can't seem to see what i'm doing incorrect. lol! I got next Tuesday to get it right. Hopefully I will. I watched enough YouTube vids on parking where i should be a proffesional by now. lol! Hopefully you've gotten your license, or have mastered the skill of parallel parking at the time I'm reading this. Good Luck to you!

Richard's first post:

I'm having issues with passing my exam with the parallel too. I failed twice. Once last Friday, and this recent Tuesday. What's weird is, I do incredibly well on the school training lot, but when I get to the testing site, I just screw up. And can't seem to see what i'm doing incorrect. lol! I got next Tuesday to get it right. Hopefully I will. I watched enough YouTube vids on parking where i should be a proffesional by now. lol! Hopefully you've gotten your license, or have mastered the skill of parallel parking at the time I'm reading this. Good Luck to you!

Richard the reason you are unable to see what you are doing wrong is because your nerves are likely getting in the way. Try to relax and be confident that you know what you are doing and can get it right. Many drivers fail backing more than once. They eventually pass and go on to have successful careers. Viewing YouTube snippets repeatedly does not a professional make. Learning the basics, practice, practice, and more practice will enable you to pass the exam. The experience gained on the road will make you a professional. For now, be a successful student get to the next step before worrying about the timeline to being a professional.

Good luck...!

How important is the skill of correctly parallel parking a tractor-trailer? What does it prove? It's the only maneuver on my basic skills that I cant seem to get right. Actually, when I am practicing by myself, I have done it correctly a few times. But every time I get tested on it, it's the only one I consistently fail. Straight backing? No problem. Offset? Not a problem.[I have not been tested on the alley dock maneuver, though I have practiced it]. Is this parallel parking only a one time school thing, or is it something that truck drivers in the real world have to do all the time? Well, I just need more practice, that's all. Thanks for any tips you can give me on this most difficult of all backing maneuvers.

Hi Richard- I feel your pain, believe me....I also had no issue with straight back or offset and although I could do parallel about 50% of the time, definitely no consistency. I pleaded for help on this site and received some very good advise - a huge thank you to all who helped!

I ended up breaking down the parallel by markers (hard right when driver's side drive tire hit the line, etc.) and I paid close attention to (and immediately wrote down) mistakes that I made so not to make them next time. I had it down to a science. I passed the parallel the 2nd time around and although it wasn't pretty, it was in the box. I passed!! Now just waiting to take the driving part.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Annee