Is it a good idea to be shunter driver before becoming a truck driver?

Yes it certainly would be.

 

Parking trailers all day for a month I think will prepare you for parking at a truck stop or a receiver. That alone is worth 80% of a truckers experience.

 

Unfortunately, the ability to drive, while important, is only about 25% of what a truck driver needs to know to be competent.

 

I shunted for 9 years before getting a cdl. My backing skills are excellent which helped alot as a rookie driver. That seems to be the biggest problem to overcome for new drivers so if he focuses solely on that for a bit it will make the other million things he has to learn a bit easier.

 

I appreciate your candor. Maybe it's just me, but, I couldn't stop to read your post like:
'I wasted my precious time for 9 years before getting a CDL'.
You haven't learned anything new about backing up after the first 3 months.
You maybe had some other benefits. That I can understand.
And I say this while remembering a 22 years old trainee who tried to impressed me with
his blind side backup in the truck stop we parked after the first day in training.
Dangerous and useless to block a truck stop travel lane in the dark to do this when he could have simply swung around and put the trailer in the hole in 2 minutes top.
Going out on the road and learning how to make appropriate decisions:
Priceless.
Thank you for your post.

 

No.

 

Really?
On a funny note. After having to fix the most expensive hood on the marked, twice,
I made a solemn promise to myself that all my parking will be NOSE IN only.
On the rare occasions that I park in a truck stop. Either bobtail or not.
And it's not easier actually. And I had my fair share of wonderful old school drivers
offering to help me to back in, in case I didn't know how. I never had to repair that hood again.
And it was very easy to get in and out, after awhile.

 

Shunting was part of a larger position of managing a facility. I made very good money but you are right in that it was colossal waste of time, ultimately. I would have been much happier and much farther ahead if I just hit the road from the start. Although there was some good, like learning backing.

 

I have some good friends doing this job. They are making good money are are home nightly.
Good for their children to connect with their fathers too. Thanks for sharing your experience.
It'll be helpful for others.