Interesting as it is, moving is a pain. There's the packaging, the lifting, the unpacking-- and someplace in there, you actually have to move your things from one house to another. You can constantly hire professionals to do this, however that can include a considerable cost to what is currently a pricey procedure.
Which's how some movers suddenly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck that's several feet longer and a number of thousand pounds much heavier than anything they have actually ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be intimidating, but it's not difficult. With an understanding of what's various about driving such a big, heavy vehicle, 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 prepared for the difficulty of driving a moving truck, there are a couple of crucial things you should do to prepare:
Research your rental company options, with particular 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 much safer to change lanes. If these functions are necessary to you, they might deserve paying a little extra for.
Estimate how much truck area you'll need for all your things. Many truck rental companies provide guidelines to assist you determine what size truck you require, and it's crucial to lease the tiniest truck possible. Smaller sized trucks are not only cheaper, they're easier to drive.
Consider recruiting a friend to join you on your moving journey. You can take turns driving if it's another experienced driver and your truck rental contract allows it. If you require somebody to direct you in backing up the truck, having a second person can also come in useful.
Buy a GPS mount. If you plan to use GPS on the trip, buy a quality phone or GPS mount that you can install in the truck. It's harmful to fumble with your device while driving any car, let alone a fully-loaded moving truck.
If this is your very first time driving a moving truck, it may be beneficial to rent a truck for a day just to practice. For in-town moves, truck leasings are typically economical.
Budget plan for gas. In general, moving trucks get poor gas mileage, and longer trips might wind up costing you a number of hundred dollars in gas.
When Driving a Moving Truck, Safety
Once your journey has begun, there are a couple of extra security suggestions to observe:
Try the truck out. Drive other your moving truck around town for several miles prior to packing. This is an excellent way to make sure the truck is running smoothly which there are no mechanical problems. If you discover a concern, take the truck back to the rental business and exchange it for another one.
Secure your whole load with rope, bungee cables or straps. Truck rental business often rent these devices, also.
Focus on all road indications that use to trucks, which you've probably found out to neglect. This includes separate speed limitations, lane limitations and overhead clearance limits.
Stop securely. Constantly give yourself extra time and range to stop the truck.
Avoid shifting your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and utilizing the brakes and accelerator gently.
Check your side-view mirrors often, due to the fact that there are no rear-view mirrors in moving trucks.
Follow the law when it concerns stopping at weigh stations. These laws vary from state to state, however ABF U-Pack has compiled a thorough list of state weigh station laws for moving trucks.
Usage caution More about the author in mountains. 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 stops. You'll also require to prepare for steep hills and winding turns. Drive as gradually as required to guarantee your security.
Prevent supporting. Try to prevent circumstances where you'll require to support your truck. When parking in a lot, for instance, search for two surrounding empty spots so that you can drive straight through.
Purchase the rental insurance from the truck business. Without it, even slight damage to the truck can be pricey.
Moving Truck Alternatives
Consider the other cost-saving options to full-service movers if you're truly anxious about the idea of driving a 16-foot moving truck.
There are numerous 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 variety 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 areas.
If this is an issue, 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 drive a truck and rent, 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 concern of a driving a box truck over a long distance.
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.