Exciting as it is, moving is a discomfort. There's the packing, the lifting, the unpacking-- and somewhere in there, you really need to move your things from one house to another. You can constantly work with professionals to do this, but that can add a significant expense to what is currently a pricey procedure.
Which's how some movers unexpectedly discover themselves behind the wheel of a truck that's numerous feet longer and numerous thousand pounds much heavier than anything they have actually ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be frightening, but it's possible. With an understanding of what's different about driving such a large, heavy car, any skilled chauffeur can carry their own personal belongings without excessive stress. And the cost savings from doing so can be significant.
How to Prepare to Drive a Moving Truck
If you're ready for the challenge of driving a moving truck, there are a few important things you should do to prepare:
Research your rental company options, with particular attention to the features of their moving trucks. Modern trucks have tools like rear-facing video to assist with backing up and blind spot sensors that make it safer to change lanes. They might be worth paying a little additional for if these functions are crucial to you.
Price quote just how much truck area you'll require for all your things. A lot of truck rental companies provide guidelines to help you determine what size truck you need, and it is necessary to rent the smallest truck possible. Smaller sized trucks are not just less pricey, they're much easier to drive.
Think about hiring a pal to join you on your moving journey. If it's another skilled chauffeur and your truck rental contract allows it, you can take turns driving. If you need someone to direct you in backing up the truck, having a second individual can likewise come in useful.
Buy a GPS install. Purchase a quality phone or GPS mount that you can install in the truck if you prepare to utilize GPS on the journey. It's hazardous to fumble with your device while driving any vehicle, let alone a fully-loaded moving truck.
Get some practice. If this is your first time driving a moving truck, it may be rewarding to rent a truck for a day just to practice. For in-town moves, truck rentals are typically low-cost. Practice can help you with things like turning and getting used to the size of the vehicle, however bear in mind that your truck will deal with differently when it's loaded with all your things.
Budget plan for gas. In general, moving trucks get bad gas mileage, and longer journeys could wind up costing you a number of hundred dollars in gas.
Safety When Driving a Moving Truck
When your journey has started, there are a couple of additional security ideas to observe:
Drive your moving truck around town for several miles prior to packing. If you discover a concern, take the truck back to the rental company and exchange it for another one.
Protect your entire load with rope, bungee cords or straps. Truck rental business frequently rent these devices.
Take note of all road indications that apply to trucks, which you have actually probably learned to neglect. This includes different speed limits, lane constraints and overhead clearance limitations.
Stop safely. Constantly give yourself additional time and distance to stop the truck.
Prevent shifting your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and utilizing the brakes and accelerator gently.
Check your side-view mirrors frequently, because there are no rear-view mirrors in moving trucks.
Follow the law check it out when it pertains to stopping at weigh stations. These laws vary from state to state, however ABF U-Pack has assembled an extensive 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 road with no shoulder for emergency situation stops. Drive as slowly as needed to ensure your security.
Avoid supporting. Attempt to avoid scenarios where you'll need to support your truck. When parking in a lot, for instance, try to find two nearby empty spots so that you can drive directly through.
Purchase the rental insurance from the truck business. Without it, even slight damage to the truck can be pricey.
Moving Truck Alternatives
If you're truly anxious about the idea of driving a 16-foot moving truck, consider the other cost-saving options to full-service movers.
There are several moving business that will do the driving as long as you do the loading and unloading. 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 over the course of a couple of days. In order to utilize these services, you'll need a location to drop your containers at both your starting address and your destination, so they can be difficult for house residents in thick metropolitan locations.
If this is a problem, some of these business will allow you to bring your items to a regional shipping depot and load them onto a truck or into shipping containers there. With this option, you'll most likely still require to rent and drive a truck, and you'll require to move everything two times on each end of the journey instead of simply as soon as. You'll spare yourself the worry of a driving a box truck over a long distance.
Driving a moving truck isn't for everybody, however if you observe these best practices, you'll leave with an excellent sense of accomplishment and a little additional loan in your pocket.