I learned to reverse an artic for my test. Now I really want to learn to reverse an artic. I know it takes time, practice & experience but I would like someone to give me some solid foundations in this art.
I thought I might book half a day with an instructor who specialises in reversing in various situations (if their is such a person). Has anyone any recommendations. I am in West Yorkshire but willing to travel further for the right instruction.
I thank you.
I am a bit new myself mate but have found the best way to learn is actually on the job. Even if you pay x amount of dollar for a lesson, when you arrive at your drop for real you will find there is no replacement for experience. Good luck
You’ll probably get other opinions too, but personally I think the key to your need is in the first line of your original post.
Passing the test is the foundation; it’s up to you now to put in the time and practice to get the experience 
Other people can only take you so far, then it’s down to you.
I’m in the same boat in a way, learning to reverse 82 foot wagon and drags after years of artic driving and then a long period away from transport. I reversed it on to the bay the first time (with a handy helping of beginners’ luck 
) and the guy who was training me said “OK, you can take this out by yourself next time”.
He didn’t mean that I was totally ready, and could do it like someone with years of practice, just that there is only so much that can be got from others advice, and the time comes to continue the journey on one’s own… Of course I don’t feel totally confident, but I do know that I understand the principle, and realise that it is up to me now.
Your ‘various reversing situations’ will present themselves to you and you will deal with them okay. Don’t be afraid to get out and look if there’s any doubt 
leeb2461:
when you arrive at your drop for real you will find there is no replacement for experience.
I couldn’t agree more, if your really concerned about your reversing you could have a bit more tuition, but to be honest no amount of tuition can really prepare you for every situation your going to find yourself in, but with practice (on the job experience) you’ll build up the confidence to know that you can deal with any reasonable reversing situation.
Like the other drivers say, you just get on with the job and you will soon get the hang of it. I had problems whilst training with my reversing, but on the test day, it was fine coz it was in a different location and I sailed through the reverse. Good Luck Mate
If you really do feel a little uneasy and thin an employer wont give you a fair go being a newby then go to your local lgv driving school and ask for a days experience out on the trucks. Just pay for the day and tell the instructor you want to do some tricky stuff and Iam sure he will be delighted to take you out and give you some real tricky reverses to deal with. Also ask them to provide you with a written reference saying you have done this extra training.
As said, if you can get a job, then the interviewer should know you’ve only just passed, and offer to send you out with someone else until you’re more confident, or possibly do a day or so shunting if they’ve got the facilities, to improve, otherwise it’s just a case of going out and taking things slowly until you learn how it all moves.
No training can prepare you for the hard stuff really, as it’s still just as difficult after you’ve done it a couple of times, just have to learn to take it slow is all. Example being (one i’ve had to do a couple of times myself due to a sense of direction failure 
) if you take a wrong road, can’t continue straight and so the only way to turn round is to blindside it back down a sideroad on your left, even harder if there’s railings at the side of the road and a bollard in the middle of the lanes, with you’re only real visual aid being the nearside wideangle mirror where you need a telescope to see anything and it’s dark…fun, but you’d only learn to do that if it happens.
Straightfoward reverses just come with practice on the job, that’s what your job is, it’s your opportunity to learn and get better, no need to pay for it via extra training IMO unless you find no employer will give you a job unless you improve your basic reversing first, which I would’ve thought by taking on a new driver wouldn’t be an issue.
Your ‘various reversing situations’ will present themselves to you and you will deal with them okay. Don’t be afraid to get out and look if there’s any doubt
The most important piece of advice you’ll get, windas and mirrors clean, watch that front near side would be my 2nd
if your unsure when reversing, get out and have a look and give yourself plenty of room and take your time, better taking an extra cut than trying to get in or on a bay in one shot…
i usually always go and have a look at the back of me when i roll up with a load to tip if doing supermarkets etc in city centres, as you always get some ■■■■ in a car who parks right at the back of the trailer
I think one of the most important aspects of reversing is getting lined up before you start. If you can get yourself in a good starting position it takes a lot of stress out of the manoevre.
Also don’t be afraid to get out and have a look - I’d rather take 50 shunts and get it on properly than hit something. I also practice when I’m on motorway services by parking in between trailers even if there’s room somewhere else.
It all stands you in good stead for some of the places you may need to deliver to.
TAKE YOUR TIME , DON’T LET ANY ONE RUSH YOU AND STAY CALM.!
every situation is slightly different so have a good look before you commence your manouver. ENJOY , DRIVING SHOULD BE FUN.
Dont be afraid of taking a shunt and more importantly, DONT LET ANYONE RUSH YOU.
I passed my Class 1 last Tuesday morning, in the afternoon I was sent out with 1 of the drivers and got to drive home (all motorway),
The following 3 days I was out driving with my gaffer with me, I was glad because if I needed re-assurance he was there, and 1 of the drops I am to get is an absolute arse so ive already tackled that.
A couple of the lads at our place who have been driving since the horse n cart days say if I can get it onto a bay in our tight yard I can reverse it on anywhere,
Today was my day off, but I went in for a few hours unpaid just pulling on and off bays at our place, and I feel better for it,
although I didnt try the blindside onto bay 5, I aint that brave yet 
About 3 years ago I was on an agency run with an ASDA artic and one of the trailer swaps was at a suppliers near to Dewsbury.
I was a bit rusty, to say the least, as it was my first artic job in over10 years.
Well, I took a look into the yard before committing myself and saw that it sloped downhill with the bays at an angle which required a blindside reverse.
There were metal spikes about 8 inches tall at the start of each bay to get through and then reverse an artic length to the bay. There was a building on the right with the angled bays on the left.
So, I drove in, set up as best as I could then tried to do a blindside reverse - OH DEAR - what a mess I am making of it .
AH HA… 
I’ll drive to bottom of yard, turn around and try a good side reverse but it means a half jack-knife. - Not such a good idea 
- So back to the blindside option again and after about 6 more attempts I was about to give up when - YIPPEE another artic pulls up -
Asks driver if he can do it for me as I am very rusty. He says yes, jumps out of his into mine and puts it in in one 
- I’m well impressed… and then I look at the name on the side of his rig - same as the place we are in 
He told me that this is the only place he ever reverses these days and he does it about 10+ times every day.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK
lol I am getting fed up of reversing want to start going forward more and using more gears lol
Although my reversing is poor ( as a part-timer I’m never going to get the practice to be great at it) I learnt early on that a minute or two thinking about the best and easiest way of doing a particular reverse is time well spent.
Don’t rush in !
reversing is not m strongest point but most people are patient take you time . better too slow and no damage than to rush and hit something. the freight can always wait 5 mins :
The biggest mistake any new driver makes is over steering, or just over cooking the amount of angle between the tractor and trailer. Always try to reverse on your good side, check the bay you are going into, does it slope away? is it on an incline?
There is no right or wrong way, some reverses are easier done using only mirrors, others are best done with door open and head out. There is no rush, you dont need to do it at speed. And take the truck out of high range.
And take the truck out of high range.
Had a trainee who tried the artic reverse in high range on the airfield - funniest thing I’ve seen for a while - hands all over the place, lorry going awol and the look on the trainees face was a picture - wish I’d had a video cam
That’s my only gripe with automatics, I find it harder to be slow and smooth in reverse, especially on any kind of gradient as you need to give it enough for the clutch to kick in, but not let it lurch at all, and this is particularly noticeable if you stop while “bent” and restart, can be a bit lurching. Much easier and smoother with a clutch IMO.
Kiowan:
That’s my only gripe with automatics, I find it harder to be slow and smooth in reverse, especially on any kind of gradient as you need to give it enough for the clutch to kick in, but not let it lurch at all, and this is particularly noticeable if you stop while “bent” and restart, can be a bit lurching. Much easier and smoother with a clutch IMO.
Use your left foot on the brake pedal as your clutch