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Here's a tip from a lady...and not an experienced truck driver. I usually drive a mid size SUV. I drove a truck like that from Atlanta to New Orleans. The thing everyone is telling you is...make really, really sure your mirrors are set so that you can make really sure there is no one beside you when you change lanes. Then check really well before pulling out to pass. You will definitely learn what the blind spot thing for big trucks is all about. After you pass and you are moving back into the right lane, give lots of room before getting back over. On sunny days you can use the shadow of your truck on the pavement to help with this....just don't cut back in too soon. And always use your blinkers!!!
When turning corners, watch out not to cut too close and run over the curb. If you are nervous about backing up, try to avoid it. If you stop for food, park in the outskirts of the parking lot, or at an adjacent larger business like a grocery store. If you must back up, get someone to spot for you.
And yes, the gas is going to be expensive. I had to stop for gas several times, and that thing had a big tank.
ALSO, don't forget the truck is higher than your usual vehicle...you might run into an overhang at a drive-thru. Look up!
Get a padlock for the latch on the truck door. Then you know the door is secure and no worries about theft while you are out of the truck.
Safe travels...
Last edited by DragonflyMom; 09-18-2014 at 02:22 PM..
Good pointers. I drove a similar sized truck from UHaul from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. It was a nightmare with the 30-50 mph wind during the entire trip. I have a greater appreciation for the professional truck drivers out there now. I also have a greater fear of large moving trucks driven by people like me...
Try 1800 packrat and when you call for the cost, they will go down quite a bit, just say, gosh uhaul was XXX plus Xx for gas, your so much more, and they will come down. I got about 40% off their first quote that way.
Also Penske and uhaul will go down if you call after you get a quote on-line.
Depending on where you live now, you may want to take a few minutes to get comfortable with the truck before pulling up to your house and packing up all of your worldly possessions. This is especially important if you have to drive down a narrow street or alley or back into a driveway to load up.
You can always pull into an empty parking lot and practice parking or backing into the spaces to get a feel for it. If you're a little nervous this may be time really well spent. That way, by the time the truck is loaded up you will feel like a pro.
I doubt you will come close to the price or convenience of driving the truck yourself using pods or movers.
Also, it is probably worth checking with your auto insurance and credit card company(s) to see if they include insurance. The people at the rental company will tell you that they don't and may or may not be right about that. You may already have adequate coverage at no extra charge.
Just remember wider turns (and if its a tight turn compensate by staying away from the curb a little before you turn.. like you see semis do but not as far as they would go) Remember wind gusts move you more then in a car / pickup. Remember it takes more time to STOP... don't be a jerk and follow to closely especially being uncomfortable driving one.
Backing up if you have someone with you they can just spot for you quickly.
Also ive known 2 people to use moving services to move cross country and EACH of them had stuff magically "missing". My uncles truck arrived 4 days LATE! The other one got there a little early and told my friend if they were not there with in a few hours they were going to leave... like really? Thats just personal stories i heard from friends / family. You hear a lot worse stuff over the net.
I'm in the process of getting quotes from movers and upack, packrat, etc...Moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Charlotte, NC. Because of the 20% coupon code...Budget truck rental would be about $880...without insurance added in..which I would add in once I find out how much it is... but how hard is it to drive one of those trucks? I'm a good driver...but I've honestly never driven anything bigger than a pickup truck. I'm just considering it because with the coupon code...it's a decent price...but honestly I'm scared to death to drive something like that. I would hire someone to load and unload the truck... so is it even worth it...or am I better off just getting movers or unpack or something like that. We have a 3bd/2ba apt...plus 2 storage closest filled with boxes.
Thanks for any help...I'm moving in less than 2 weeks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SMOKEY2112
Umm...what's spacial awareness LOL OMG I'm scared half to death...that's like the only thing I'm pretty much scared of...driving a truck like that.
These two things make me believe sincerely that you would be better off to hire movers and not rent the truck.
Good luck with the move, I hope all goes well and you enjoy your new home.
I'm in the process of getting quotes from movers and upack, packrat, etc...Moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Charlotte, NC. Because of the 20% coupon code...Budget truck rental would be about $880...without insurance added in..which I would add in once I find out how much it is... but how hard is it to drive one of those trucks? I'm a good driver...but I've honestly never driven anything bigger than a pickup truck. I'm just considering it because with the coupon code...it's a decent price...but honestly I'm scared to death to drive something like that. I would hire someone to load and unload the truck... so is it even worth it...or am I better off just getting movers or unpack or something like that. We have a 3bd/2ba apt...plus 2 storage closest filled with boxes.
Thanks for any help...I'm moving in less than 2 weeks.
I drove a U-Haul of that size from San Antonio to the San Francisco Bay area some time ago - about 1700 miles. I had not driven anything but cars before then, not even a pickup, and it was pretty easy. I think we had a diesel, but we were also pulling a car on a trailer so we only got about 8-9mpg so the gas was pretty pricey. They won't go very fast and depending on the engine might be quite noisy in the cabin. The only problem I ran into was I couldn't backup when I pulled into a hotel parking lot. I had to remove the car from the trailer.
If you are stopping overnight anywhere, get something to secure the truck to avoid getting everything stolen along with the truck. You see it in the news once in a while where a family lost all their possessions when their rental was stolen.
Our truck didn't have an alarm so I bought a steering wheel club. I also bought a fairly thick chain and wrapped it at night around the gas/brake pedals and around the steering wheel column and secured it with a thick lock. It might sound excessive, but if someone had broken into it they would've bumped into a surprise trying to undo all that. Better safe than sorry.
Try to get a vehicle with hydraulic brakes (which is probably what your options will be limited to)... if you're not familiar with air brakes, getting familiarized with them while your whole life is packed in the back of the vehicle is a terrible way to go about it. Since the US won't require things like air brake training and air brake endorsements for non-CDL drivers (it would be too inconvenient for the geriatrics in their motor homes, and we can't have that, now), there pretty is no training made available for them outside of CDL schools.
Try to space out your weight evenly. This will make the vehicle much more comfortable, and also much more stable, and therefore safer. Also, keep the heavier objects on the floor - don't make the vehicle top-heavy.
Clearances and wind have been stressed already... on the note of clearances, 11foot8.com has some good videos reminding you be conscious of this.. I know that bridge in Durham very well... fortunately, I've never appeared on any of these videos, since my trucks were low enough to clear it.
Other than that - and this is the big one, and also one which really pisses me off with people in box vans and RVs, because they're prone to not doing this - and I know it's been said before, but it can't be stressed enough - PAY ****ING ATTENTION. It's not rocket science to drive one of these, but, with so many motorists acting like they're borderline retarded the moment they get behind the wheel, it's often made to seem more difficult than what it is. So, adjust your mirrors accordingly. Anticipate turns and lane changes well in advance. Understand that will probably lose speed going up a hill. Don't try tearassing around in this thing like it's a sports car.
Pay attention to that, and you should be just fine.
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OMG I'm scared half to death...that's like the only thing I'm pretty much scared of...driving a truck like that.
