Exciting as it is, moving is a pain. There's the packing, the lifting, the unpacking-- and someplace therein, you actually have to move your things from one house to another. You can constantly hire experts to do this, however that can include a considerable expense to what is currently an expensive process.
And that's how some movers suddenly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck that's a number of feet longer and numerous thousand pounds much heavier than anything they have actually ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be intimidating, but it's possible. With an understanding of what's various about driving such a large, heavy car, any skilled motorist can carry their own belongings without too much stress. 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 couple of crucial things you should do to prepare:
Research your rental company choices, with specific attention to the functions of their moving trucks. Modern trucks have tools like rear-facing video to assist with supporting and blind spot sensors that make it safer to change lanes. If these functions are very important to you, they might be worth paying a little extra for.
Quote how much truck space you'll need for all your things. A lot of truck rental companies provide standards to assist you find out what size truck you require, and it is necessary to rent the smallest truck possible. Smaller trucks are not only less expensive, they're simpler to drive.
Think about hiring a pal to join you on your moving journey. If it's another knowledgeable driver and your truck rental contract allows it, you can take turns driving. If you require somebody to direct you in backing up the truck, having a 2nd person can likewise come in useful.
Purchase a GPS mount. Buy a quality phone or GPS mount that you can install in the truck if you prepare to utilize GPS on the journey. It's dangerous to fumble with your device while driving any vehicle, let alone a fully-loaded moving truck.
If this is your first time driving a moving truck, it may be rewarding to lease a truck for a day simply to practice. For in-town relocations, truck leasings are frequently affordable.
Budget for gas. In general, moving trucks get poor gas mileage, and longer journeys might end up costing you several hundred dollars in gas.
Safety When Driving a Moving Truck
As soon as your journey has actually begun, there are a few additional safety tips to observe:
Attempt the truck out. Drive your moving truck around town for a number of miles before packing. This is a great way to make sure the truck is running efficiently which there are no mechanical problems. Take the truck back to the rental company and exchange it for another one if you discover an issue.
Secure your whole load with rope, bungee cables or straps. Truck rental companies often lease these devices.
Take note of all road signs that use to trucks, which you have actually probably found out to overlook. This includes separate speed limitations, lane limitations and overhead clearance limits.
Stop safely. Constantly provide yourself additional time and range to stop the truck.
Prevent shifting your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and utilizing the brakes and accelerator carefully.
Inspect 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 state to state, however ABF U-Pack has actually put together an extensive list of state weigh station laws for moving trucks.
If you'll be driving a click moving truck through mountains, keep in mind that there will be stretches of roadway with no shoulder for emergency stops. Drive as slowly as essential to ensure your safety.
Prevent backing up. Try to prevent circumstances where you'll need to support your truck. When parking in a lot, for instance, try to find two adjacent empty areas so that you can drive straight through.
Purchase the rental insurance from the truck business. Without it, even small damage to the truck can be costly.
Moving Truck Alternatives
If you're genuinely anxious about the idea of driving a 16-foot moving truck, think about 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 a number of other rivals provide a range of shipping container types that you can fill throughout a few days. In order to utilize these services, you'll need a location to drop your containers at both your starting address and your location, so they can be tricky for home residents in thick metropolitan locations.
If this is a great post to read problem, some of these business will permit you to bring your products to a regional shipping depot and load them onto a truck or into shipping containers there. With this choice, you'll most likely still need to lease and drive a truck, and you'll require to move everything two times on each end of the trip rather of just as soon as. You'll spare yourself the worry of a driving a box truck over a long range.
Driving a moving truck isn't for everyone, however if you observe these best practices, you'll leave with a fantastic sense of achievement and a little additional money in your pocket.