How to Back Up Your Commercial Truck

Mastering every skill you need to know as a commercial truck driver will take some time, and there will likely be many new challenges throughout your career that require you to learn something new. One area where new truckers can struggle is with reversing their trucks. Commercial trucks aren’t small and they aren’t the most agile of vehicles, so you have to be especially careful when you need to back into a loading bay, parking lot, driveway, or garage.

1. Get Out and Look (G.O.A.L.)

Don’t assume that you can simply back up your truck without ever leaving the cab. Park your truck a distance away from the place you have to reverse it, get out, and walk around the area where you need to park the truck. Figure out if there are any slopes or areas of uneven ground that can make your job more challenging. Determine what distance you need to start backing up and whether there is sufficient room for you to maneuver your truck freely.

2. Request That Parked Vehicles Be Moved

While it may seem rude to ask that parked vehicles or pieces of equipment be moved out of your way, these obstacles will simply make your job much harder if they aren’t moved. Also, you can guarantee that the owners of those vehicles or pieces of equipment doesn’t want them smashed by a large truck, so it’s better to slightly inconvenience people by requesting that vehicles be moved to clear the space.

3. Say “No” If You Have To

Sometimes, no matter how much prep work you do, you may find that it’s not going to be possible to reverse your truck into a space. For this, you’ll need to have some other options available, such as forklifts or hand trucks that can help you load and unload cargo, along with a safe space to park your truck while loading or unloading it.

Stop by our dealership in Sanford, FL, to take a look at our wide stock of new and used commercial trucks for sale. DeBary Truck Sales serves our Florida customers in Tampa and Orlando and our Georgia customers in Atlanta.