Amazing as it is, moving is a pain. There's the packaging, the lifting, the unpacking-- and somewhere therein, you really need to move your things from one home to another. You can constantly hire experts to do this, but that can include a considerable expense to what is currently a costly process.
Which's how some movers suddenly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck that's a number of feet longer and several thousand pounds heavier than anything they have actually ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be intimidating, however it's not difficult. With an understanding of what's different about driving such a big, heavy lorry, any skilled motorist can transport their own possessions without excessive stress. And the savings from doing so can be substantial.
How to Prepare to Drive a Moving Truck
If you're ready for the challenge of driving a moving truck, there are a couple of crucial things you should do to prepare:
Research study your rental business alternatives, with particular attention to the functions of their moving trucks. Modern trucks have tools like rear-facing video to aid with backing up and blind area sensing units that make it safer to change lanes. They may be worth paying a little extra for if these functions are crucial to you.
Estimate how much truck space you'll need for all your things. The majority of truck rental companies provide standards to assist you figure out what size truck you need, and it is essential to lease the smallest truck possible. Smaller trucks are not only more economical, they're much easier to drive.
Consider recruiting a buddy to join you on your moving journey. You can take turns driving if it's another experienced chauffeur and your truck rental agreement permits it. Having a 2nd individual can also come in useful if you require somebody to direct you in supporting the truck.
Purchase 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 automobile, not to mention a fully-loaded moving truck.
If this is your very 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 rentals are often affordable.
Budget plan for gas. In general, moving trucks get bad gas mileage, and longer journeys could end up costing you several hundred dollars in gas.
Safety When Driving a Moving Truck
When your journey has begun, there are a few extra safety ideas to observe:
Drive your moving truck around town for numerous miles prior to packing. If you discover an issue, take the truck back to the rental company and exchange it for another one.
Secure your whole load with rope, bungee cables or page straps. Truck rental companies frequently rent these accessories.
Pay attention to all road indications that use to trucks, which you have actually most likely discovered to neglect. This includes separate speed limitations, lane restrictions and overhead clearance limitations.
Stop securely. Constantly provide yourself extra time and distance to stop the truck.
Prevent moving your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and utilizing the brakes and accelerator gently.
Inspect your original site side-view mirrors often, because there are no rear-view mirrors in moving trucks.
When it comes to stopping at weigh stations, follow the law. These laws differ from one state to another, however ABF U-Pack has actually put together an extensive list of state weigh station laws for moving trucks.
Use care in mountains. Keep in mind that there will be stretches of road with no shoulder for emergency stops if you'll be driving a moving truck through mountains. You'll likewise need to prepare for steep hills and winding turns. Drive as gradually as essential to guarantee your safety.
Prevent supporting. Try to avoid scenarios where you'll require to back up 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, 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 unloading. ABF U-Pack, PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT and numerous other competitors offer a range of shipping container types that you can fill throughout a few days. In order to utilize these services, you'll require a place to drop your containers at both your starting address and your location, so they can be challenging for apartment occupants in thick urban areas.
If this is an issue, some of these business will enable you to bring your items to a regional shipping depot and load them onto a truck or into shipping containers there. With this choice, you'll probably 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 when. But you'll spare yourself the useful reference 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 stroll away with a terrific sense of accomplishment and a little additional cash in your pocket.