Amazing 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 experts to do this, however that can add a significant expense to what is already a costly process.
Which's how some movers unexpectedly find themselves behind the wheel of a truck that's several feet longer and a number of thousand pounds much heavier than anything they've ever driven in their lives.
Driving a moving truck can be daunting, but it's not difficult. With an understanding of what's various about driving such a large, heavy car, any knowledgeable driver can transport their own valuables without excessive stress. And the savings from doing so can be significant.
How to Prepare to Drive a Moving Truck
If you're prepared for the challenge of driving a moving truck, there are a few essential things you need to 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 help with supporting and blind area sensors that make it safer to change lanes. If these functions are essential to you, they might be worth paying a little extra for.
Quote just how much truck area you'll require for all your things. Most 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 costly, they're simpler to drive.
Think about hiring a friend to join you on your moving journey. If it's another experienced driver and your truck rental contract allows it, you can take turns driving. Having a second individual can likewise can be found in handy if you need someone to direct you in backing up the truck.
Buy 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 threatens to fumble with your gadget while driving any vehicle, let alone 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 moves, truck rentals are often inexpensive.
Budget for gas. In general, moving trucks get bad gas mileage, and longer journeys could end up costing you numerous hundred dollars in gas.
Security When Driving a Moving Truck
When your journey has begun, there are a couple of extra security suggestions to observe:
Drive your moving truck around town for numerous miles before loading. 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 companies often lease these devices.
Focus on all road indications that use to trucks, which you've probably found out to neglect. This includes different speed limitations, lane limitations and overhead clearance limits.
Stop securely. Always give yourself additional time and range to stop the truck.
Avoid moving your load by driving slower than the surrounding traffic and utilizing the brakes and accelerator gently.
Check your side-view mirrors typically, since 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 assembled a detailed 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 Get More Info likewise need to get ready for high hills and winding turns. Drive as slowly as essential to guarantee your safety.
Avoid backing up. Attempt to avoid scenarios where you'll need to back up your truck. When parking in a lot, for example, look for 2 nearby empty areas 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 expensive.
Moving Truck Alternatives
Think about the other cost-saving options to full-service movers if you're truly worried 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 challenging for apartment residents in dense metropolitan areas.
If this is an issue, some of these business will why not find out more allow 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 when. But 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 win a great sense of achievement and a little money in your pocket.