Hi everyone… I passed the class 1 test a couple of months ago, and I’m in my 3rd week in my new job…However, I’m absolutely c.r.a.p at reversing onto loading bays, constantly over cooking it and struggling to get the trailer straight. I dread going back onto long distance because of it as some of the places this company go to are really tight. I’ve got another week on farm collections and then onto long distance deliveries. I’m dreading it to be honest. What can I do so that I finally get it? I’ve heard all the “take your time,” stuff and it’s not helping. Sometimes I just feel like going back to class 2 4 axle tippers for an easy life. The class 1 test is hard, and I thought I’d cracked it by passing it…however, the test is nothing compared to actually doing the job. It’s a whole different ball game.
This issue becomes better with experience. Some days you’ll do cracking reverses, other days it’ll be bad, really bad. This “takes your time” advice is truly the important one here. Never shy away from asking help, Park up and ask another driver to help. Windows down, radio off, and avoid blind side reverse.
Initial positioning of vehicle is key to an “easy” reverse
Dont worry too much, i have some bad moments too,some good days and some bad days,do not be put off by a captive audience having a laugh at your expense, you will meet the know it all fork lift driver, so give him the keys and put the money where is mouth is and let him reverse it for you.
If a bay is on a slope, when the trailer goes down hill and you have lined the back doors up to the yellow marker on the bay or ramp doors, the trailer will never go where you want it to.
It takes a few shunts to line up.
It depends if are tired or not too.Just walk away when you are wound up, grab a vend machine coffee, relax and try again later.
BigT_Burnley:
Initial positioning of vehicle is key to an “easy” reverse
So true
It might be a good idea to stop, get out, then work out how you are going to do it before any attempt is made
Thanks for the advice… cheers.
I was born on a dairy farm, drove tractor and trailers from when i was a nipper, but it took 3 times to pass the class one test, nerves.
One day you will reverse without having to think about it.When i was learning to drive trucks ,the tutor told me to pretend that i have live stock on the trailer, so i drove smooth and steady so they the cows would not fall over on harsh braking.
Another point is hand to eye co-ordination, some are good at it, some are not.
When in Europe, the bays were so bad, the clutch was burning out, and i would get so annoyed and frustrated.
If anyone is taking the pee, tell them to Zb off.
Let us know how you get on next week, the farms are a nightmare, in the dark, they hide booby traps in the farm yard, old bits of farm machinery that will pop all the truck tyres, or damage the truck when you trying to escape from the farm.
Big holes in the ditches or verges, where you can get stuck.
No health and safety non-sense on a farm, kids playing by the slurry pit with no fence around it.
When was the last time a farmer said put your high viz on ,hard hat and safety goggles on, or he will not tip you.!!
They have a lonely life, so when a driver pulls in, you get the life story and a sob story,of having a bad year, did not make much money due to the weather, then there are two Vogue Range Rovers parked in the drive with his and hers private number plates.Before you know it an hour and a half as gone by.
If you are doing farms next week & they are quiet, why not have a ‘Play’. I found that once you get the hang of reversing in a straight line over a distance, you get the feel of the arse end & can put it almost anywhere you want. Make small corrections on the steering wheel using one hand whilst reversing, using all your mirrors, the more you practice the easier it will get.
If you need to ‘Jack Knife’ it onto a bay or a tight spot, you can make a small correction by driving forwards (even 2 or 3 feet will help sometimes) on the opposite lock to straighten it up.
Do everthing in slow motion, that way, it doesn’t hurt if you hit anything. 
Maybe Rog could tell us why the test is not with a fully loaded 44 ton truck.?why is the practice and test done with an empty trailer.?
Maybe Rog could tell us )
I think Rog is taking his afternoon nap, so I’ll try to answer.
The Driving Standards Agency is the body that implements the rules dreamt up in Brussels. To date, it has not been possible to take a test with a loaded vehicle - though it’s perfectly legal to drive fully loaded on L plates.
All this is about to change. From the end of September an artic must have a load of at least 8 tonnes. (A rigid has to carry 5 tonnes, a w+d 5+3). Whilst this is a move in the right direction, I would have preferred to see artics and w+d running at 30 tonnes and rigids at 16 tonnes approximately.
Has to be said that this wont help anyone with reversing! The clues have all been given. My own experience is that I fluked it on test and then spent 2 years mastering the art. And I still have bad days 40 years down the line. IME there are few newbies that are really competent at reversing as it comes with practice. And more practice… and more practice.
Hope this helps, Pete
how about going to one of the lgv training schools that has the same type of truck your driving and asking them to show you where your going wrong and how you should be doing it and not just how to reverse to pass your test? i know it will cost a bit but at least it might help you? an option i guess lol
You’re " thinking " too much mate.
No need to dread it,just take it in slow motion and as beens said get your approach/positioning right ! Don’t overcook it - medium rare if you must. 
You’ve had 3 weeks on class 1 now,did you ■■■■ /wrecked anything on the reversing you’ve done ? No - you say !
Relax and carry on then 
Ita taken me a year to get reversing 
it was my nemesis dreaded it every time , heres how I got it ,
first I worked out how to position trailer where I wanted it , this I did by pulling in between two lorries parked so basically by pulling in parallel between them you get how to position the trailer to get it straight by driving forward , once this clicks you can set up your trailer for the easiest reverse ,
so when you have a reverse drive forward close to the bay then pull forward and round so your back end is almost straight to go back , then dont use your accelerator just take foot off clutch slowly and allow the unit to push the trailer back slow , watch your back wheels not from the mirrors but by hanging your head out the window , allow it time to turn, then very small movements on the steering wheel make a huge difference to the trailer , by going very slow it gives you time to correct if going the wrong way ,
if needs be pull forward and start again , I imagine a line , or I find a crack in the tarmac anything to give me guide line ,
practice , practice , practice , unfortunately is the only way to master this , suddenly you will get what needs to be done to get the trailer to do what you want , it will somehow click , and you will get a little light above your head and think aaaah thats it ,
I still take a few shunts to get it right and sometimes get it doing what I want first time , Ive even been known to take a bow at the end of a reverse with a few shunts just to lighten the mood lol , I found that when I get it wrong is when im trying to do it too quick and end up turning the wheel all over the place , the best reverses ive done are slow and right
i hope you can get what I mean by all this but is best way of explaining it , good luck it will come honest , if I can do it anyone can
jx
Superstar… Thanks all of you.
quote=“Jennie”]Ita taken me a year to get reversing it was my nemesis dreaded it every time , heres how I got it ,
first I worked out how to position trailer where I wanted it , this I did by pulling in between two lorries parked so basically by pulling in parallel between them you get how to position the trailer to get it straight by driving forward , once this clicks you can set up your trailer for the easiest reverse ,
so when you have a reverse drive forward close to the bay then pull forward and round so your back end is almost straight to go back , then dont use your accelerator just take foot off clutch slowly and allow the unit to push the trailer back slow , watch your back wheels not from the mirrors but by hanging your head out the window , allow it time to turn, then very small movements on the steering wheel make a huge difference to the trailer , by going very slow it gives you time to correct if going the wrong way ,
if needs be pull forward and start again , I imagine a line , or I find a crack in the tarmac anything to give me guide line ,
practice , practice , practice , unfortunately is the only way to master this , suddenly you will get what needs to be done to get the trailer to do what you want , it will somehow click , and you will get a little light above your head and think aaaah thats it ,
I still take a few shunts to get it right and sometimes get it doing what I want first time , Ive even been known to take a bow at the end of a reverse with a few shunts just to lighten the mood lol , I found that when I get it wrong is when im trying to do it too quick and end up turning the wheel all over the place , the best reverses ive done are slow and right
i hope you can get what I mean by all this but is best way of explaining it , good luck it will come honest , if I can do it anyone can
jx
[/quote]
I have difficulties blind side reversing i avoid it at all costs unfortunately easier said than done as been said get a good starting position and nice and steady slow with small movement it does come with time im 3 years in and still learning
You are not alone bud.
I’ve been ‘learning’ to reverse an artic onto loading bays with my new employer for 2 weeks now…its only just starting to come together even though I’m still taking several shunts to get it on. Everybody I have driven with have all said the same things…position the unit so that the trailer has its backside facing where you want to push it into (sometimes easier said than done) and take your time, don’t rush, if unsure then get out and look, if it goes wrong or (as I often do) you steer the wrong way pull forwards, re-adjust and push in again slowly. I am now able to reverse 190° through a gate and then onto a bay 40mtrs behind, with other drivers watching me. I get through the gate in one but take a couple of shunts to get on the bay…1st time I attempted it I took 6 goes just to get through the gate…nobody rushed me, all watching gave really helpful advice and everyone I have spoken to reminds me that they have all been in a similar position when starting out.
Try not to dread it bud, treat as a challenge or a platform to success.
For blind side reversing it is easier if the rear of the cab has windows so as the trailer comes in to view you can see better.They do not fit windows but some supermarket trucks have them and heavy haulage firms on large plant or cranes.
I’m doing it better than I was…however, there’s a lot of drivers who stand there watching, sneering and generally being total A$$$holes about it as if they were always perfect reversers ever since they started…really puts me off that does.
Best advice I can give is watch other drivers wherever possible… I used to watch the old boys in the yard with their positioning etc.
As others has said if your position is right you’re half way there. Get it right and all you have to do is straighten the unit up.
If you’re always over cooking it and losing the trailer - look at the bay lines, when you’re bent round and the trailer is nearly parallel to the lines, forget what the trailer is doing and imagine you’ve got to park the unit in between the same lines, this is really easy to do and when you get the unit straight it should be near as ■■■■ it straight to the trailer between the lines. If that makes sense!
Essentially, practice… Took my 9 months to a year to be fully comfortable or not be bothered where I was sent.
BigT_Burnley:
This issue becomes better with experience. Some days you’ll do cracking reverses, other days it’ll be bad, really bad. This “takes your time” advice is truly the important one here. Never shy away from asking help, Park up and ask another driver to help. Windows down, radio off, and avoid blind side reverse.
Initial positioning of vehicle is key to an “easy” reverse
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philmots:
Best advice I can give is watch other drivers wherever possible… I used to watch the old boys in the yard with their positioning etc.
this is what i still do. just look at the experienced fellows positioning their vehicles.