this is one of the best explained and demonstrated alley docking videos ever. Most beginners would have done the same thing as you explained by pulling up to the right to get straight but you broke it down very well. By pulling up to the left you can clearly see from your driver side rear view mirror now you can straight line back until you have your trailer tandems where you want it now catch it & put your tractor up under the trailer and straight line back...thanks
This video is genius!!! People should have to be exactly like you if they want to be a trainer. I went to a trucking school with about 6-7 instructors and all of them said, to pull the trailer over into the middle, drag to the right then left. The same thing when you over shoot your jack knife. Even when I got to my job the trainer there said the same thing! It's amazing how something so simple like this makes your life easier as a truck driver. Thank you sir!
No worries. Thank you guys. I will say this, to those who are actually going to school; Make it a point to practice, practice and practice some more. Don't leave a chance to practice for tomorrow. You as a driver, you will have to back in (alley dock), in most cases more than once a day. In some cases more than 5 or 10 times a day. So my advice is; get it down before you leave your school. OK Thanks and be safe.
wwwnetryder When you over shoot and need to pull up a few feet,do you keep the wheels turned to the left or do you straighten then out when doing your pull up?
Jason Chadd very good question: this is a (Yes and No) answer. It just depends on how tight your area is. If you have plenty of space in front of you to maneuver, straighten your tires and just pull forward a few feet. Then as you begin to reverse turn them all to the left to undo your ally dock. Now if you are in a tight spot with like 2ft or 3ft of space in front of you because of a wall or cars or what ever; yes keep your wheels turned to the left and pull up like 3-4 feet forward. Then turn your wheels to the right and continue to pull forward an additional 2-3 feet and Stop. At this point turn your wheels to the left (to undo your ally dock) and begin to reverse. THIS TIP HERE IS VERY USEFUL AND IT IS GENERALLY APPLIED WHEN IN A VERY TIGHT SPOT (NO SPACE IN THE FRONT TO DO MUCH MANEUVERING). Always try to be as close as you can to the left when setting up. This will help you have plenty of space in the front of the truck for you to do what ever you need. But some times their is very little to no room.
I'm 3 months in..i am getting a lot better at backing up but I have been avoiding truck stops for my 10 hr break...this video really helps relieve some of the anxiety when parking between trucks
v griffith well don't avoid them. Just go in there and get yourself a spot if available. Just try not to pull in. That's very inconsiderate. The trailer sticks out so much it makes it that much harder for drivers to park, when they lack the experiance. But non the less. During the day or any time there is an empty lot somewhere or even abandoned warehouse, take 30 minutes and practice parking. I did that so many times when I started. It only made it easier and gave me confidence. So I know you can do it, just practice some more, and then practice even more. Believe me in less than 6 months you'll pull in anywhere and get that trailer in, no problem. Just get out and look until you know you got it down. (Hell I still get out and look on really really tight spots). It helps to gauge the distances and it will prevent an accident. Good luck and be safe out there. Keep rolling.
I've noticed some instructors expect one to perform these maneuvers without proper instruction, they will tell you that you've executed the maneuver improperly but fail to advise of what you did wrong or how to correct it.
THANK YOU BROTHER! !, out of all the RU-vid videos on ally docking and all the trainers nobody said those magic words" don't turn right" , you have really nailed it on this instructional video, thx man.
I want to thank you for this video I’ve watched a lot of backing videos this is the best one I’ve ever seen you explain in detail and you showed the lines with made all the difference in my world that’s to you I finally got it again thank you
First day today, dedicated by myself. B U S Y and very crowed and tight dock. I pulled it off but was crapping my pants in front of these pros. I have to say though, I needed directions to the correct dock and a middle aged guy helped. I told him it was my first time and he smiled, fist bumped me and said welcome my friend! 😀😀👍🏻👍🏻 That made my day as I was terrified around all the pros. Thank you for this video Sir
I have to say that the instructions on this video are excellent. Most schools don't teach you how to backup properly. The instruction of "not turning right" is excellent. New drivers should heed this advise. Thank you very much.
What a brilliant tutorial, thanks for really nailing the typical problem of turning to the right and losing the view. Really great the way you demonstrate it several times. Thanks
This is great advice. Thanks for your vid! I'm a newbie fresh out of trucking school and went out to the port with my father in law to practice real time backing during after hours. I did the mistake that you showed, in another video you posted, where you aren't supposed to try alley docking from farther away. As much as my father in law tried explaining I wasn't quite getting it right. I was also trying to wiggle it in and went to the right. Thank you again for breaking it down step by step!
Awesome, now the hard part begins. Putting in the miles and overcoming the parallels of the road. Just take your time and every pick-up and delivery will give you that much more experience. Be safe, get out & double check and keep rolling.
Thanks for this. Very clear and simple explanation. I have always operated with the concept in mind of using the tractor to point the rear of the trailer where I want it. Like you said it always helps to use the entire length of the rig to sight the space. Good job !
God, You have solved the biggest problem I ever had. I was always going to right and couldn't fix my straight backing into the alley. Thank you Thank you.
I failed my alley dock last week, the trainers are lazy and don't tell you not to go to the right! they just want more money (sage truck driving school)....anyways I feel more confident and understand what I was doing wrong. thanks brother for your time and I have to say most helpful alley docking video I've come acrossed!
Sorry to hear that Brian. You got to keep practicing. And keep doing it until you can say you got it down. once that is accomplished you can rest a sure that its one less worry for you. But keep practicing.
I was having problems with this particular maneuver but did a lot better today while in training, your video will help me to be consistent with the manuever, thanks , much appreciated.
Perfect tutorial!! Thank you Sir. I"m practicing as much as I can with my pickup and flatbed trailer before I head off to training, this video helped ALOT!!
Keep on uploading them videos man good stuff. Appreciate you taking time and showing us rookie how to do it.. a lot of schools focus more on the test then on the actual driving.
Came across this video yesterday and I fell in love. How I wish you were my trainer. I'm currently in training and my trainer SUCKS in training, especially in backing. I've learnt backing through youtube, BUT you've made sense more than any video I've seen.
Thanks for the encouragement, I go in today to practice paying $100 per hour. doing two hours then retesting right afterwards. I got some insomnia going on so I've replayed your video to make sure it sticks! thanks again and drive safe brother
Dude, awesome video! I finished my B Double training yesterday and was in deep conversation with a trainer about this technique. It makes so much more sense. Of course, here in Australia, we are right hand drive, so we just don’t go LEFT 😉. The key is to always have the trailer in view of the driver window. 👍🏻👍🏻 great work.
I think your one of the best guys i"ve ever seen alley docking, but people would learn if you have someone filming you from the outside so they can see how you turn your tires, they"ll get a much better idea how to do it. Im a CDL A driver myself.
Don't worry, just keep practing. When i started i used to practice on some empty lots or open docks. That helped bring up my confidence and ability to park it. The more you do it, the easier it will be come. Be safe and keep rolling.
Thank you so much for the video did my alley docking like a pro I had the concept down but you made the concept brilliant!!!!! With your explanation so yea...... never go right !!!! Keep up the good work!!!
awesome,I'm sure everyone can see why this makes sense,why back up and not be able to see where your backing,also its easer to adjust,plus when you use this method,anyone can look like a pro, well done, brave,,subscribed.
Thanks man, this helped alot. When I do this maneuver at my trucking school I tend to hug that left corner with the trailer and come in to the hole too close to the left side, to try to correct this I always pulled up a bit to the right but that left my trailer cocked to the left side that I was already too close to and I would snake my way in. lol I wouldve never thought to pull up a bit to the left (not the right) and that leaves the trailer cocked to the right and then I can easily push it in towards the middle of the hole. Also to correct my mistake I was pulling up too far, about 5-8ft, but like you said in this video you only have to pull up a little bit, maybe 2-4ft.
basically what u saying is WHEN BACKING UP STEER AWAY FROM THE PROBLEM. WHEN PULLING FORWARD STEER TOWARDS THE PROBLEM!. that will straighten the tractor and the trailer and put the whole unit at 30 to 45 degrees angle giving u more room to start another back up away from the yellow line.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I'm in CDL school and yesterday I spent two hours trying to alley dock - but I keep running over the first cone. Gets very frustrating.
@Ibibio Tribe 3 week school is a ripoff. Generalized statements like this make people think they need no training to drive. Colleges offer 180 hours driving and 40 hours in class. All endorsements and tons of actual driving practice. In no universe is that a waste
Well, I think your video was great. Some sound issues but hey...you demonstrated the skill. I haven't driven since April but the mental skills were running in my head.