Amazing as it is, moving is a discomfort. There's the packaging, the lifting, the unpacking-- and somewhere in there, you actually have to move your things from one home to another. You can always hire experts to do this, however that can include a substantial 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 a number of thousand pounds much heavier than anything they have actually ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be frightening, however it's not difficult. With an understanding of what's various about driving such a big, heavy vehicle, any experienced driver can transport their own possessions without too much stress. And the 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 business alternatives, with specific attention to the functions of their moving trucks. Modern trucks have tools like rear-facing video to assist with supporting and blind area sensing units that make it much safer to change lanes. If these features are essential to you, they may be worth paying a little extra for.
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 figure out what size truck you need, and it is very important to rent the smallest truck possible. Smaller sized trucks are not just less costly, they're simpler to drive.
Consider recruiting a friend to join you on your moving journey. If it's another experienced driver and your truck rental contract permits it, you can take turns driving. Having a 2nd individual can also be available in useful if you need somebody to direct you in supporting the truck.
Buy a GPS mount. Purchase a quality phone or GPS mount that you can install in the truck if you prepare to utilize GPS on the trip. It threatens to fumble with your device while driving any vehicle, not to mention a fully-loaded moving truck.
If this is your very first time driving a moving truck, it might be worthwhile to lease a truck for a day simply to practice. For in-town moves, truck rentals are typically economical.
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:
Try the truck out first. Drive your moving truck around town for a number of miles before filling. This is a great way to make certain the truck is running efficiently and that there are no mechanical issues. If you discover a concern, take the truck back to the rental business and exchange it for another one.
Protect your entire load with rope, bungee cords or straps. Truck rental companies often lease these accessories.
Take notice of all roadway signs that use to trucks, which you've probably discovered to disregard. This consists of separate speed limitations, lane limitations and overhead clearance limits.
Stop securely. Always offer yourself extra time and distance to stop the truck.
Avoid moving your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and utilizing the brakes and accelerator gently.
Examine your side-view mirrors frequently, because there are no rear-view mirrors in moving trucks.
When it comes to stopping at weigh stations, follow the law. These laws vary from one state to another, but ABF U-Pack has actually put together 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 check my blog will be stretches of road with no shoulder for emergency situation stops. Drive as slowly as essential to ensure your security.
Avoid supporting. Try to prevent situations where you'll require to back up your truck. When parking in a lot, for circumstances, look for 2 adjacent empty spots so that you can drive directly through.
Buy the rental insurance coverage from the truck company. Without it, even minor damage to the truck can be costly.
Moving Truck Alternatives
If you're genuinely nervous about the concept of driving a 16-foot moving truck, consider the other cost-saving alternatives to full-service movers.
There are several 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 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 location to drop your containers at both your starting address and your destination, so they can be difficult for house occupants in dense metropolitan areas.
If this is an issue, some of these companies will permit you to bring your items 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 rent and drive a truck, and you'll require to move everything twice on each end of the journey instead of just 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 stroll away with a great sense of achievement and a little additional money in your pocket.