Amazing as it is, moving is a discomfort. There's the packing, the lifting, the unpacking-- and someplace in there, you really have to move your things from one home to another. You can constantly hire specialists to do this, but that can add a considerable cost to what is currently an expensive process.
Which's how some movers suddenly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck that's a number of feet longer and numerous thousand pounds heavier than anything they've ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be frightening, but it's not difficult. With an understanding of what's various about driving such a large, heavy automobile, any experienced chauffeur can carry their own belongings without excessive tension. And the savings from doing so can be considerable.
How to Prepare to Drive a Moving Truck
If you're all set for the obstacle of driving a moving truck, there are a few essential things you need to do to prepare:
Research your rental company choices, with specific attention to the features of their moving trucks. Modern trucks have tools like rear-facing video to help with backing up and blind area sensing units that make it safer to alter lanes. They may be worth paying a little additional for if these functions are important to you.
Quote just how much truck area you'll require for all your things. Many truck rental business provide standards to help you determine what size truck you require, and it is very important to rent the smallest truck possible. Smaller trucks are not just less costly, they're easier to drive.
Consider hiring a good friend to join you on your moving journey. If it's another experienced chauffeur and your truck rental agreement permits it, you can take turns driving. If you require somebody to direct you in backing up the truck, having a 2nd individual can also come in useful.
Buy a GPS install. Purchase a quality phone or GPS install that you can set up in the truck if you prepare to utilize GPS on the journey. It threatens to fumble with your device while driving any car, not to mention a fully-loaded moving truck.
Get some practice. It might be beneficial to lease a truck for a day simply to practice if this is your very first time driving a moving truck. For in-town moves, truck rentals are often affordable. Practice can assist you with things like getting and turning utilized to the size of the automobile, however remember that your truck will manage in a different way when it's loaded with all your things.
Budget plan for gas. In general, moving trucks get poor gas mileage, and longer trips could end up costing you several hundred dollars in gas.
Safety When Driving a Moving Truck
Once your journey has begun, there are a few additional safety tips to observe:
Try the truck out. Drive your moving truck around town for several miles before loading. This is a great way to make sure the truck is running smoothly and navigate here that there are no mechanical issues. Take the truck back to the rental company and exchange it for another one if you discover an issue.
Protect your entire load with rope, bungee cords or straps. Truck rental companies often lease these devices.
Take notice of all roadway indications that use to trucks, which you have actually probably learned to disregard. This includes different speed limitations, lane constraints and overhead clearance limitations.
Stop securely. visit Always give yourself extra time and distance to stop the truck.
Prevent moving your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and using the brakes and accelerator gently.
Check your side-view mirrors often, because there are no rear-view mirrors in moving trucks.
Follow the law when it pertains to stopping at weigh stations. These laws differ from one state to another, however ABF U-Pack has compiled a comprehensive list of state weigh station laws for moving trucks.
If you'll be driving a moving truck through mountains, keep in mind that there will be stretches of roadway with no shoulder for emergency situation stops. Drive as gradually as required to ensure your security.
Avoid backing up. Try to avoid situations where you'll require to support your truck. When parking in a lot, for instance, try to find 2 nearby empty spots so that you can drive directly through.
Purchase the rental insurance from the truck company. Without it, even minor damage to the truck can be expensive.
Moving Truck Alternatives
If you're really nervous about the concept of driving a 16-foot moving truck, consider the other cost-saving alternatives to full-service movers.
There are a number of moving companies that will do the driving as long as you do the loading and dumping. ABF U-Pack, PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT and numerous other competitors offer a range of shipping container types that you can fill over the course of a few days. In order to utilize these services, you'll need a place to drop your containers at both your beginning address and your location, so they can be difficult for apartment or condo dwellers in thick metropolitan areas.
If this is a problem, a few of these companies will permit you to bring your products to a local shipping depot and load them onto a truck or into shipping containers there. With this alternative, you'll probably still require to lease and drive a truck, and you'll require to move everything twice on each end of the journey instead of simply when. You'll spare yourself the see it here concern of a driving a box truck over a long distance.
Driving a moving truck isn't for everybody, but if you observe these best practices, you'll leave with a terrific sense of accomplishment and a little additional money in your pocket.