Alley Docking

Alley docking a tractor-trailer can be difficult for a new driver to learn and sometimes frustrating for instructors to teach. Becoming efficient at the maneuver takes experience, patience and lots of repetition. The alley dock is difficult to place in your CDL Test Practice Pad. When performing an alley dock, backing from the driver’s side is recommended.

The aera in which you must back into is 40’ long by 12’ wide

• Step 1 The start position, pull forward and center your vehicle between the front of the Alley and the forward boundary cones.
• Step 2 Your destination (the alley) is on your left. Steer right to force the trailer to move left. Back up until you see about 1 foot of landing gear in your left mirror.
• Step 3 While backing, decide whether the trailer is EARLY or LATE by sticking your head out of the window. If the trailer is LATE, speed it up by steering RIGHT (right is fast). If the trailer is EARLY, slow it down by steering LEFT (left is slow).
• Step 4 LATE is better than EARLY. When the trailer is LATE, steer RIGHT to speed the trailer toward the box. An EARLY trailer will have to be jackknifed to put it in the alley. A LATE trailer can be sped up toward the alley by steering to the right. Don’t hold your turns too long, steer back to center up.
• Step 5 When compleated, the rear of your vehicle must be within 3 feet of the rear of the alley. The vehicle must also finish straight.