Truck Topics

Truck Control: How a Pro Parks

By Jeff Jensen, Editor
Posted Apr 7th 2006 5:23AM

parking-trucks.jpgHow many times have you pulled up to a new or unfamiliar location to deliver a load, found an impossibly tight and narrow dock approach and thought to yourself, "How in the *#!%# am I going to fit this truck in that space?!!!

And, after being assured by the guy on the fork lift that "other truck drivers do it all the time," you say to yourself, "well, I can too!"  That's when you decide to go for it.

The key to exact maneuvering is to approach the task with a clear mind and a plan.

Tight situations are many, and they are all different. You can’t prepare for all of them. When maneuvering in tight spaces, patience is vital. The last thing you want to do is get in a rush just when you need to take a deep breath and slow your mind down.  
 
Carroll Bean, Jr. has over 30 years experience behind the wheel as a professional driver, first in tractor-trailers and for the last 10 plus years as an expediting straight truck owner-operator. Carroll and his team driving partner, wife Dora, placed first and second respectively in 2005's Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire Truck Driving Championships with Carroll going on to represent FedEx Custom Critical in the National Truck Driving Championship in Tampa, Florida.

On the topic of maneuvering a truck, Carroll says that you've got to be familiar with your equipment, i.e., knowing your vehicle's dimensions.

He says that going anywhere but straight ahead means your equipment has changed dimensions when drive wheels, overhang and steering axle protrude. Be aware how your need for space increases as these situations develop.

"For example, on our truck, I've got the drive axles set forward and that gives me an overhang.  Because of that, when I make a turn, the rear of the truck actually swings to the side and I've got to be aware of any object to the side of the truck."

"Wheel cut," he says, â€is a big part of maneuvering.   You've got to know how far your wheels turn before you find out they don’t turn far enough."

"With two of us in the truck, we're not reluctant to have the co-driver get out and watch the driver into a tight area."

He continues, "I'll often climb out of the truck and make sure of my surroundings before backing.  One time, we pulled up at a location but didn't back into the dock.  While waiting to get the OK to pull in, a car pulled between the dock and our truck.  I couldn't see the car in my mirrors, but fortunately, Dora and I are in the habit of getting out and looking behind us before moving the truck.  That was one time I was glad I did!"

He says, "It's developing a mindset that you don't take anything for granted."

Carroll says that his truck's box height is 13'6" or about a foot taller than most, and he has to be conscious of that over height.

"When it comes to knowing your truck's dimensions, height clearance is one area that might be overlooked."

He tells us, "You have to watch out for stairs, pillars and other obstructions in the dock areas, including those docks that are inside a building with heating ducts and pipes in the ceiling."

"You've got to be patient, be aware of depth-perception and take nothing for granted. Be wary when the dock workers tell you, 'Oh, we get your size trucks in here all the time.'  They don't know how wide or how tall your truck is, so take what they say with a grain of salt."

Carroll says that backing and maneuvering a straight truck presents it own unique set of challenges, sometimes even more difficult than with a tractor-trailer.

"Oddly enough, I've been in places where I could get a trailer in easier than a straight truck.  That sounds funny to people, but I'm sure that other drivers can relate to that.  You can jack the tractor around and it doesn't necessarily have to be straight to be backed up to the dock, whereas, with this truck, you have to get this backed up straight or it ain't going to be backed up to the dock."

Carroll says that when he and Dora began in expediting, he would take care of the backing.  After a time though, they came to the realization that at some point she would have to manage the truck in and out of those tight spaces, too.

Dora adds, "Carroll taught me to size up the situation first and don't get in a rush.  So, I take my time, watch the mirrors closely and sometimes Carroll will help guide me back." 

She admits, "Sometimes, it can be very nerve-wracking."

A key to backing is to recognize right off the bat that every backing situation is different. Even the most common scenario, left side backing, often presents plenty of variations

Truckstops are perhaps more hazard-filled than loading docks and yards. Parking is very often at a premium, and older truckstops were not made for today’s 53-foot trailers. Trying to shoehorn into the last available slot at the end of a long day creates stress. The combination of fatigue and stress can turn the mind to mush, making that last slot seem smaller and tighter.

Don’t get into a situation from which you cannot extricate yourself.  For example, you might unload after having gone under some low obstacle and not be able to get out because your empty truck now sits higher.  Or you can find yourself having to weave through a maze of cars, other trucks and obstructions that weren't there when you first pulled in.

There's no guidebook or manual that can tell you how to maneuver in every situation. You must develop the mindset and the skills to meet these situations. You must recognize what can and cannot be done.  Again, take your time, relax, and formulate a plan.