Safety Steps For Driving A Small Box Truck
A small box truck, the type used for moving a room's worth of goods (basically the size that's one step up from a cargo van), is usually pretty easy to drive, but this ease can be deceptive for new users. These box trucks have a driver's cab that is similar to what you'd find on a van or large pickup truck, and the storage section isn't too intimidating. Still, driving one of these is not like driving a pickup or SUV. It's much too easy to make that mistake and end up causing a lot of trouble for yourself.
Get off the Phone
Most cities and states have laws against using your phone while driving, but honestly, that doesn't stop some people from chatting away as they drive. Don't do this, even if you use a hands-free set. The larger dimensions of the truck, even though the truck is considered small, do make driving more risky. You can't have half your attention on a phone conversation when trying to maneuver the truck through traffic.
Practice Backing Up
If you've never driven one of these trucks before, get some help with backing up by practicing before you actually need to back up. Have a friend direct you, or ask one of the rental agency people to guide you (sometimes there's only one person working at the truck rental company, so try to have a friend come with you when you rent the truck). Learn how parts of the truck line up with what you can see in your mirrors to help you navigate corners, too.
Inspect the Locks Before You Go
Before you take the truck off the rental company lot, verify that you know how the lock and latches on the loading door work. They can be as simple as placing a regular padlock through a hasp, but it's better to check and try to lock and unlock the loading door first. While you're there, practice moving any loading platforms, too. You want to be sure you can work everything on the truck easily before leaving with it. If something on the truck is broken, you don't want to find that out after you've driven the truck home.
Box truck rentals make moving a lot easier for most people. However, you want to use them properly so that you and your belongings make it to your new home in one piece.