How To Use A Move In Truck

Here at Lexington Mini Storage, we offer free use of our move in trucks to our new tenants.  If you’ve never driven a move in truck before, the task can seem a little intimidating.  Below, we have some tips to make driving our move in trucks a little less stressful. 

Before you even start the engine, familiarize yourself with the truck. Be sure to know what clearance height you require. Then you want to find all the things you might want to use or adjust while driving now so that you don’t have to figure something out while on the road, such as side view mirrors, driver’s seat, and steering wheel. Look for how to use the windshield wipers, headlights, emergency lights, and emergency brake.

 Side view mirrors will be your eyes since you will not have access to a rearview mirror while driving. You will depend on them to change lanes and when backing up.  It is encouraged to bring a friend along for the ride if you are uncomfortable to perform these tasks alone.

 It’s a good idea to stay in the right hand lane until you have to take a left hand turn. There’s a lot of momentum in a packed moving truck; they’re large and heavy so it takes a lot more to slow down and stop than it does for a normal car.

 As a result, giving yourself enough space between yourself and the car in front of you, you are reducing the chances of having to stop in the blink of an eye.  Imagine what would happen to a refrigerator or your family’s old grandfather clock if you had to slam on the brakes because you were too close to the car in front of you. Tale gating is dangerous at all times, especially in a fully loaded moving truck.

 Of course, it’s obvious that the length and width of a moving truck requires special consideration when turning. The radius of a turn in a moving truck is far less than that of a regular car. You can’t effectively take corners at a sharp turn of the wheel. Give yourself plenty of space on the side closest to the sidewalk. You want to avoid scraping the side of the truck on a lamppost or driving up onto the sidewalk.

Setting the emergency brake is important to remember if you are in a hilly area. The emergency brake provides extra insurance that the items you’re moving don’t take any unnecessary and potentially disastrous rides.

 If you keep these tips in mind, then utilizing one of Lexington Mini Storage’s move in trucks will be a much easier job than originally expected.

 

[caption id="attachment_866" align="alignnone" width="300"] Front building of Lexington Mini Storage - Hamburg location[/caption]