Been a trucker for a year and still struggle a lot with backing.
Posted by Kevo_xx@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 55 comments
I have a job lined up and I’m worried that when they test my skills I’m going to struggle with backing and potentially lose out on the position. Does anyone have any tips?
derpmcturd@reddit
You already lost big dawg. Thinking you're going to pass is half the battle. Dont be your own enemy, plenty of enemies out there already. Think victory, get victory.
No_Ocelot4019@reddit
If youre not already go slow. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Even when you great at it youre going to had off days or when you been running hard and youre just exhausted it can throw you off. When most companies "test" skills theyre just looking to ensure you're not going to kill yourself or others with your driving and will have you back in a spot thats it. Dont stress it too much obviously straight back is the easiest and the further you get from that is more difficult. The best thing i can tell you is hold the trailer as close to the drivers side of the spot until you come around enough to see the passenger side of the trailer then adjust from there. Again you dont have to back at 10mph
Ajax_Stormwing@reddit
If you ever get lost, revert to this: 1: check your mirrors 2: determine which mirror has 'too much' trailer 3: turn the wheel in that direction while backing Works every time. And, as eye-rolling as it is, remember to GOAL and WATER.
MacandMandy69@reddit
Line up correctly, and when backing, avoid oversteering. Practice, practice, practice. Good Luck
Inker0@reddit
There's some solid advice already, but I ironically got some fundamentals from American Truck Simulator. It's very accurate at least in terms of how a trailer of varying lengths and axel setups handles in relation to what you do with the truck. Even has a challenge mode they call academy that has a bunch of challenges you can redo as much as you'd like. If your into games its a fun way to learn.
East_Indication_7816@reddit
what the hell you been doing if you haven't learned? You been parking forward all the time?
Kevo_xx@reddit (OP)
I know how to back I’m just nowhere near as good or comfortable with doing it as I feel I should be after a year. Especially when it comes to backing between two trucks. I’m terrified of damaging someone’s property and will try to avoid any tight backs or space in between trucks if I can.
groovyinutah@reddit
It took me a good year to get any kind of comfortable with it. There is no other way to learn but to actually do it many, many times. I did take the time to practice when I found myself in a lot with many open spaces. I feel like after all that time struggling with it that it just very suddenly hit me and then I was good. I still manage to botch it but now I know it immediately and can quickly fix it.
yungsnipe17@reddit
It took me around 2 years to finally get comfortable with backing. I’m running Linehaul now but when I was in the city it took me a longggg time to have the confidence to where I know I can make any kind of back.
Brightone13@reddit
Start at a 45 degree angle and then watch your fifth wheel/kingpin cause that's where your pushing from, I'm only a year and a half in and finally got it pretty good. Then there's days i just don't give af and totally mess up straight backing😂, just started a new job and the first thing they did was had is back in this tight ass spot, many dudes straight sucked baaad but everyone passed just don't hit anything, they had to help 1 guy for a couple days but he still got it.✌️
Vanstrucker2222@reddit
It honestly took me two years to master it. Best advice is practice and watch how others set up. Don’t give up.
Spankpocalypse_Now@reddit
It took me two years to be as good as some of the people in my CDL school!
I say to OP, nobody could be worse at backing as I was. If I can persevere then so can anyone.
UOLZEPHYR@reddit
This. Id run hard to get my load "there" - get a day or so ahead. Find a big ass petro or TA and spend 30 minutes just practicing with basics.
Honestly, starting with 45 and moving to parallel. Once you spend enough time you get that Eureka moment and it just CLICKS
Anglammaroth@reddit
An early small epiphany for me was to watch the trailer tires to know where to steer instead of the trailer's ass. Obviously still keep an eye on the back, but the trailer is going where the wheels take it.
TheSirWolffe@reddit
I only drive a 16' box truck (basically a U-Haul) but I only became good at backing into docks because I deal with the same ones every day. Anytime it's a new location (happens rarely for me), it's a new experience and I'm likely to stop, pull forward, and readjust multiple times. Knowing your dimensions and knowing how things look in your mirror (compared to with your eyes directly) are the key factors, I think.
EmondaBlue@reddit
The less I think about the back, the better I back.
RebelTvshka@reddit
Find a lot, practice backing. Different set ups and angles so you can feel and see what the trailer is doing.
I didn't get the hang of it until I went regional and spent time dropping trailers 2-4x a day. For a few months.
fredbear1964@reddit
In 29 years of driving, I have found the most helpful advice I give to people with problems backing is to make sure you set your mirrors correctly . On level ground, with your trailer straight to your tractor. set both of your mirrors to the very edge of your trailer,on both sides. And also make sure they are not angled up or down too much. This alone when backing will make it easier !!!!
Matlovestruck@reddit
Backing is the one thing that never fully clicks until it just does. A year in is still early, don't be too hard on yourself.
A few things that helped me: always get out and look (GOAL, get out and look) before every single back, no shame in it, even veterans do it. Slow down way more than you think you need to, most mistakes happen because guys rush. And use your mirrors only, stop turning around to look through the back window, it messes with your spatial awareness.
For the test specifically, they're not expecting perfection, they want to see that you know your process and you don't panic. If you pull up wrong, just pull forward and reset. One correction is fine. Five corrections is where you're in trouble.
Also practice the specific maneuvers you know they'll test: straight line, offset, parallel if they do it. Find an empty lot on your days off and just repeat it until it's boring.
You got the job lined up, that means someone already believed in you. Go show them why.
Human_Ebb_6533@reddit
Just take it slow, don’t steer too much, take your time Goal I was lucky I had a spotter gig for a while, not to brag but became a pro lol before that trust me did I fuck up BAD
edsavage404@reddit
Its all about the angles
ud_frosty@reddit
If your able to ask a trainer for help with it at your terminal im at a mega and we have guys that practice with the trainees on the yard all the time
homucifer666@reddit
It gets easier with time, but don't think that you're going to be immune to bad backing days once you have more experience, especially when you're tired or had a trying day.
Do your best and let the chips fall where they may; whether it's your first year or your thirtieth.
"If a man does his best, what else is there?" -- Sir Baden Powell
United_News3779@reddit
"If a man does his worst, who else is there? Usually an audience. Every. Goddamn. Time."
* Me
Lol
nothingspecifical1@reddit
Dude, tell me about it! I’ve done these badass crazy maneuvers with no one around to see. But when I do something that makes me seem like I’m a rookie driver, backing blindfolded? Well, then everyone and their fucking mother is around to witness it. What the actual fuck?
United_News3779@reddit
I believe you have it backwards. You're not screwing up and there's an audience, you're screwing up because there's an audience.
Murphys Law, in the section regarding motor transport, states that an audience will negate your mojo. Stated in another way, it's like trying to measure both speed and location in some subatomic particles. You can measure one or the other, but not both simultaneously. You can be a driver of supreme skills, the elite transporter of commercial goods.... or have an audience.
Lol
12dv8@reddit
I have 4,000,000 miles of experience, 15 years of this was LTL city deliveries. The “setup” is the most important. Do your major turning before you get in between 2 other trucks at a dock. Be aware of the trailer that’s after your rear axle. (The swing). Most likely you are oversteering, and then oversteering to correct it. Then you repeat this process until you get frustrated and then continue to attempt backing, but now you have inserted emotion into your situation. Another subtle but significant step, make sure that you actually understand what you’re looking at in your mirrors. I don’t mean that you recognize a sign or a curb or truck, I mean the correlation to what those things mean to you in an inverted sense. Idle when backing, small movements. Drivers tend to change their movements too soon, there is a delay in movement right before there’s a huge movement. Also consider where your axles are from one trailer to another, the further forward your axles are, the faster your trailer action becomes. Your points of reference in your mirrors while backing is first, the rear of the trailer is lined up with the dock bumper, your next point is the outside tire on the rear axle then lines up with the dock bumper. Be 100% sure of your surroundings in relation to your equipment, not 85, or 98, 100. Get out and look as often as you need too, don’t let pressure or the perception of embarrassment override your process. Hope this helps
RoseKlingel@reddit
Sliding tandems all the way back helps slow everything down. I do this almost all the time (depends on situation).
I have backed for pre-employment a few times and they just want to see that you can do it and be safe on a road test. They didn't say "only 2 pull-ups allowed" like with trucking school. These places are desperate for anyone to get in the seat; turnover is so high, they really don't care.
It comes with time. Always GOAL.
Zaphod-Beebebrox@reddit
So do I. When I get to Distro centers. I usually practice if I have a few minutes on my time...
rsqx@reddit
i find that if i use my eyes and look at the whole process while doing it , it works out for the best. look at lay of the land, how much room you got, how you plan to bck up, do you have room for a straight back? if you are not sure dont try it because this might mess up how you came in, once you start backing dont lose sight of your trailer angle and where your trailer is heading, dont lose sight of your blind spot, do you have enough room?
and lastly showing your tester that you are concentrating and know that you are looking at everything goes a long way for them to hire you because they ll see you are in the right track.
by the way, experience on the road doesnt always translate to backing experience. I had a team job where we only had to do a straight back twice, and 2nd time was probably the other team driver and this way several years that i hardly had to back at all. ecxcept if we had to take a shower somewhere and even this was sometimes a pull through at a pilot w a big lot in CA or AZ
LyubviMashina93@reddit
TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS YOUR PROBLEM. Trailer going left? Turn steering wheel left! CONGRATULATIONS you are a backing pro!
R-e-s-t@reddit
if the trailer is going too far to the right, turn the steering wheel to the right
if the trailer is going too far to the left, turn the steering wheel to the left
Wheres_Jay@reddit
Small moves are easier to recover
grumpus_ryche@reddit
Low and slow. It's not a race. You'll get better with more reps but bad days are inevitable. The important thing is not hitting anything. Get out and look. If you're having a bad day, get out and look while taking a lap and a relaxing breath. Reset your approach if you must.
VoiceCharming6591@reddit
Only a year, hell you’re still a rookie, no offense intended. You’ll continue to improve with time, do don’t give up or get discouraged. You got this
Delicious_Peace_2526@reddit
I practiced in video games.
Chocolateapologycake@reddit
I used to worry about that too, companies just want to see you won’t hit things when backing. Don’t put too much stock into that fear since you are probably not as bad as your mind is telling you you are.
Desperate_Fee_808@reddit
This is the best advice on here..don’t think too much about it.just make sure you don’t hit anything..that’s your main focus..don’t worry about how long it’s taking or if you set up wrong..just don’t hit nothing..and if you do..make sure NOBODY SAW YOU 🤣🤣🤣
Chocolateapologycake@reddit
There’s a light post in Chicago that decided to lay down randomly as I passed it. I think the light post got startled from the truck as I was turning the corner. Fortunately the sidewalk was there to catch its fall. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it bc no one else was there to confirm 🤷♀️
Desperate_Fee_808@reddit
Lmao
opinionated_penguin@reddit
Eh you have your good days and bad days. The ratio shifts further into your favor the more time you got under your belt
1Myhre1@reddit
The best piece of advice I got was “tiny steering wheel movements lead to big trailer movements”. This line really changed the way I think and has made backing really easy for me. Also don’t get self conscious about it. We all fuck up backs every now and then. It’s ok to stop for a second to take a breath GOAL before continuing.
PM_ME_UR_PRETTYBRA@reddit
This. Take "small bites" of the wheel. It doesn't take much input at all to get the rear of your trailer moving. The longer the trailer, the less input needed to steer it.
CapitanPino@reddit
Just gotta keep doing it. I was on a dedicated account delivering to tight ass stores damn near every day about 7 months in. It was do or die. Eventually got it but the first 2 weeks I was questioning if I could even continue trucking lol.
Freightshaker000@reddit
Don't try to steer the trailer; it's bigger and heavier than you and will win. Make corrections to where it's going.
SH_SWH@reddit
My trainer, who had 20 years of driving under his belt, would occasionally have a bad day and get totally out of whack trying to hit a dock. It happens to everyone, some days just suck and you’re gonna need a bunch of pull ups to get it right. What matters most is that you don’t let the frustration get you into doing something dumb. Get out and look as much as you need and do it safely above everything else.
PhilosopherSad7457@reddit
Get out and look
Tiatake@reddit
I’m a trainer and I had to pull up at work today 🤣 Bit I think the best help for students was being able to take a truck backwards down a reallllllly long stretch without having to pull up to reset for quite a while. Also if you can speed up while backing, that helps as scary as it sounds. The movements become more obvious when going faster. See if there’s open course you can practice on for long distances and where you can safely speed up while backing.
Washedhockeyguy@reddit
After my first year I still felt really uncomfortable too, especially backing in between 2 trucks in truck stops. It does get easier, you just have to keep doing it. In the meantime, just make sure you don’t hit anyone else’s truck and you’re good. GOAL GOAL GOAL I still GOAL all the time
Timely-Ad9247@reddit
Former driver of ten years, current broker and owner of a 100% American operated dispatch company here:
We have several flatbed and hotshot guys on our dispatched driver roster that still struggle with this even after two years, so I wouldn’t be too concerned. I typically have weekly calls with all of those guys to check in, and when it comes up, I tell them to practice when they have time in an empty part of the Truckstop lot.
It’s also been said here, but small adjustments from the wheel make for small backing errors and less chance of overcorrection. A good practice I found was keeping both hands on the wheel when backing because it allows you to see better how much you’re turning the wheel without realizing it. Then, try making quarter-turns of the wheel instead of full-rotations to get the desired outcome.
Idle while backing too. You’re not in a rush. I don’t care if someone was honking at me, or wanted me to hurry up. I was the one who would be in trouble if I backed into something, not them.
If you idle-back, and make small adjustments, everything clicks into place, and your brain generally as a whole achieves a better understanding and awareness of the trailer’s reaction. Before long, you’re whipping it in with one pull-up just to make sure you’re seated perfectly like the rest of us veterans.
Stay safe out there!!!
Onefoot199@reddit
Download My Trucking Skills. The graphics aren't the best, but the physics are spot on. It helped me a lot, 4 years in and I'll still use it to practice if I know I'm going some place real tight.
RoamingNomadSoul@reddit
First step to good backing is having a good setup. Makes things a lot easier. Don’t step on the gas at all, speed will shift the trailers trajectory quickly. Let it creep on its own and do slight adjustments. It’s took me a while to get the hang of things
veldrinshade@reddit
It sounds silly because we do it in real life, but American Truck Simulator helped me get my head around it. Might be worth the investment if you think it could help you too.
MostlyUseful@reddit
When I was a trainer, I did this one thing that seemed to really help the trainees understanding of what’s happening when your backing. I provided them with a toy truck and trailer and we used Lincoln logs to set up an area to back it into. While doing this, you can see how the trailer moves in relation to what you’re doing with the truck. If I had to guess, I’d say you’re turning the wheel too much (because I think we all start out doing that). Tiny movements. Next is anticipating where the trailer is going and to react in time to keep it from going to far.
THExPILLOx@reddit
you know how youve been walking for 18+ years and still once in awhile, stub your toe or trip on flat land?
same way with backing, with practice itll become second nature and you wont even fret, but every once in awhile, you'll have a bad day. you don't stub your toe and get on yourself for "being bad at walking" lol
I dont have any data to back it up, but i genuinely believe that after you got a year or two, you'll come face to face with an insanely difficult back. once you complete that back, you'll stop worrying so much. kind of like "if i could do [insert insanely difficult back here], this blindside with a concrete barrier in front of me is nothing"
as for in the interim, go slow, use the space they provide and dont force it. if you fuck up the setup, reset. i've watched guys with 20 years experience cocky themselves into a bus ride home because they insisted on trying to sink a terrible initial setup. most companies don't give a shit how well you can back, just that you will eventually get it in the hole and youre not gonna hit shit.