5 Tips For Driving a Rental Truck

Although most rental trucks require no special license to drive, the idea of jumping behind the wheel and driving away can be intimidating if you’ve never done it.

Driving a moving truck

Your best bet may be to recruit a friend or family member who’s comfortable driving large vehicles. But if you don’t know anyone with truck driving experience and you find yourself piloting a large truck, follow these general safety tips.

Get to know the rental truck

Sit in the driver’s seat and locate turn signals, windshield wipers, mirror and climate controls, and where your blind spots are. Review the owner’s manual for important features like the type of gas required (many are diesel), height clearance (for traveling under bridges and overpasses and into parking garages), and other truck-specific details.

Drive slowly

The majority of accidents and mishaps in large trucks can be avoided by driving slower than normal. Take special care and reduce speed when going around corners and curves, turning into driveways and parking lots, traveling down narrow streets, and through high-traffic areas. Also take extra care and go extra slow when backing up.

Give yourself lots of space

Moving trucks are very heavy and the brakes are not always in great shape. With that in mind, take wide turns, avoid tailgating, and always allow yourself plenty of space to brake smoothly and stop completely when on the highway and in traffic.

Full versus empty

Trucks handle very differently when empty than when full of belongings — be ready to make adjustments before or after loading and unloading the vehicle. Remember, braking is more difficult when a vehicle is heavy with cargo.