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Drive Tips

Remember that the part of the truck behind the rear wheels will go the opposite direction that you turn the front of the truck. This is something you need to watch in close quarters like pulling away from a curb or getting in or out of a gas station. It's called "tail-swing" and it will dent other vehicles and knock over newspaper boxes and mailboxes along a curb. Watch your mirrors real close in tight maneuvering.

A hard thing to do at first is keeping yourself "centered" in the lane when driving down the road. There is a very easy way to figure this out. When you are up to speed, look in your mirrors until you can see down the side of the truck's box and keep an equal distances between the side of the truck and the dotted line on one side and the solid line on the other. Once you have this figured out, look over the hood at the solid line along the right side of the truck. Find a spot on the hood (usually just to the right of the center of the hood at the front) and figure out where your "spot" lines up with the right line. This way, you don't have to take your eyes off the road to check where you are in your lane, you can just glance to your spot on the hood and adjust yourself until you are where you are suppose to be. This will help you a bunch while driving in town or on a two-lane highway where you have oncoming traffic to contend with.

Remember that this is a truck... not a car. It takes it longer to do just about everything like accelerating and braking. Allow for this when you start driving. Try to make all of your turns in and out of parking lots at traffic signals. You haven't got the acceleration to "jump" out into traffic with a truck, so don't even try. Driving a truck will teach you patience if nothing else. You are big and cumbersome and people are going to get mad at you and give you signals.... all you can do is wave back... and use all your fingers.... not just one. 

Don't get in a hurry. You are not going to be able to keep up with traffic in the hills, so don't even try. If your speed drops 10 mph or greater below the posted speed limit, turn on your hazard flashers and keep to the right. Some states will let you drive on the shoulder, but most do not. Keep to the right lane and be aware of traffic coming up behind you. The flashing lights will help warn them that you are not going the speed limit.

Good luck and use common sense. Remember one more thing.... You have to pay attention to vertical clearances in a truck. All trucks are marked with their height, some are even in reverse so you can read it in the mirror when you look back. Places to watch for low clearances... Gas stations, Hotels and Motels, restaurant parking lots, etc. If you are not sure if you can get under something, don't even try. The expense to repair the building as well as the damage to the truck can be astronomical.

Safe motoring.....

All it takes is patience and judgment for the most part. All you have to do is basic knowledge of driving like using mirrors, and reading signs for height and know how high your truck is. Little things like remembering the truck doesn't stop as fast as a car because the brakes are bigger and the fact that you are sitting up higher (center of gravity) so tipping or rolling it over can happen making sharp turns to fast.

1) Know exactly where you going. Making a wrong turn and trying to find a way back can be frustrating. Turning around in driveways is not really an option especially on busy streets.

2) Have a navigator if you are unfamiliar with the area. It's hard to study a map and not crash into things. An extra set of eyes is good even if you do know where you are going.

3) If you need a break to get your bearings, gas stations have plenty of room to park and turn around. They can save your sanity.

4) You feel like you are in both lanes you probably aren't. Unless you are, then you are in trouble.

5) Secure your cargo. Having all of your valuables shifting and falling behind you is a major distraction.

 Use your outside mirrors. Cause you're going to need some skill in that area.

Stay in your lane, and don't turn right or left close to ANYTHING. The back tires will come around 5 or 6 feet over from where the front tires do. merging is a bit of an issue, because you don't have the 0-60 time everybody else has.

Wide turn and height clearance> when the wind blows across it moves>Trucks passing they move> Stopping takes a lot more room> They move slow when turning> Other than that same as driving a car> Be safe stay right>

Driving trucks is not easy. It's long and wide, it has no center rear-view mirror, it's unbelievably slow, its handling can best be described as "wobbly," and it's noisy and claustrophobic inside.

Brake early and often.

Like I said before, you can't drive something this heavy like a normal car. Don't even think about doing hard, sudden stops, especially if you have stuff in the back that could get damaged. Just take your time braking before turns, and come to a near-complete stop if you have to.

Go into a corner too fast and you run the risk of rolling the thing over. Also, when you're in traffic, be looking ahead at all times for jam-ups so you can apply your brakes early. Patience and paying attention really are the keys to driving one of these things.

When in doubt, go slowly.

Steering the truck was the worst. It's way too loose, and there's shockingly little feel for something with such a harsh ride.

All of these things combine to create a situation where it will take a while to really feel like you have proper control over the truck, so keep your speeds down until you know what you're doing. Don't push yourself into a situation where you don't have control. Key to this is staying in the correct lanes,

Always be checking your mirrors.

You have no center rearview mirror inside the cabin, so knowing what's behind you is a combination of hunching over and staring into the little blindspot mirror, listening for other engines, trying to catch glimpses of headlights, and praying to whatever God you may believe in.

As a result, changing lanes and merging could be terrifying. I suggest watching those side mirrors very carefully while trying to match highway speeds. Be prepared for situations where drivers won't let you in right away and plan accordingly.

Be judicious when passing.

 Don't pass unless you absolutely have to.

But when you do, here's what to do: Check those mirrors very carefully for cars in the other lane, signal to get over, and then stand on the gas pedal. The truck won't want to do it and you'll murder your fuel economy, but it has to be done sometimes. Just don't expect to blow past a bunch of other drivers at once like you can in a small car.

Take slower speeds into account.

When we mapped out our trip on Google Maps, we found that we were always running behind the estimated time it took to get from point A to point B. You're not going to get places as quickly as you can in a car. Do this, give yourself some extra time to get around.

Take it slow 

The controls of a truck are designed so a person of any strength or size can easily turn, accelerate and brake, so it’s easy to gain confidence quickly. But you need to remember you are much longer and taller than any car, so drive slowly, especially through residential neighborhoods or when parking or turning. 

Adjust mirrors often

Take the time to adjust each of your mirrors, ideally using a buddy, before you set off. Re-adjust from time to time, too.  Watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists in particular, and remember that just because you can’t see someone in your mirrors doesn’t mean the coast is clear.

Leave more time for braking

A loaded truck takes a lot longer to stop than an empty one, so start your braking well before that stop sign or red light. Also, don’t brake and turn at the same time – instead, brake, release, and turn. Practice a few times with an empty truck.

Skip the drive-through when you’re hungry or thirsty

Navigating even a small truck for the first time through a drive-through restaurant or bank is an iffy proposition, and the rental company will be only too glad to charge you for any scratches or dents on sides or even the roof of your vehicle. Park the vehicle and walk to the food or the ATM, especially if you’re in a hurry.

Read and pay attention to “Maximum height” signs on bridges and parking garages before entering

Also, remember, or write down, the height of your truck for quick reference before you go over a bridge or into a garage whose ceiling turns out to be a foot too short and you dent your roof or worse, get stuck.

Parking

• Due to their sheer size and lack of a rearview mirror, trucks can be difficult to park and back up for unloading. The trucks do have side-view mirrors that enable drivers to see down the sides and some of what is behind the truck; however, these should not be relied on as the sole form of visibility. drivers should always try to have a spotter to help with backing up in order to avoid a collision. In addition, drivers should recognize that large trucks may not fit in the same spots or locations as a normal-sized vehicle. Drivers should be careful to park in spots that are large enough and allow enough clearance to move or get out without hitting any objects.

Speed

• Large are, quite obviously, not sports cars. They should not be driven exceedingly fast, and, in fact, should be operated at a slower speed than normal. This is due to the fact that, because of their weight and size, they are much harder to slow down and stop once they get moving. To compensate for this, recommended that drivers slow down and leave at least four car lengths of following distance to allow for adequate stopping distance.

Overhead Clearance

• Large trucks are much taller than regular vehicles. As a result, you should be wary of overpasses, drive-throughs or other areas with low-hanging signs or objects. If there is a question as to whether the truck will fit under a low-hanging sign or object, find another route.

Control

• Because of their size and the large, flat area on their sides, Trucks are more susceptible to on-road disturbances caused by wind or sharp movements. This could cause the truck to rock, or possibly even tip. If this starts to happen, letting up on the gas pedal, but not slamming on the brakes. Drivers should not speed up in order to gain control, or jerk the wheel suddenly. To recover, simply slow down at a moderate pace and let the truck regain stability.

Other tips

• Other tips for trucks include servicing the truck periodically while on the road. This includes checking oil and tire pressure and keeping the tank adequately filled with gas. Drivers should also be cautious when passing other vehicles, as the trucks take longer to speed up and need more room in order to fully pass a smaller vehicle. Finally, drivers should follow all rules of the road and, in general, drive defensively. Trucks can be a significant change from driving a smaller passenger vehicle, so there is no sense in taking any major risks on the road.

Remember to take precaution and care. There is a very good reason why "Better safe than sorry" has become the cliche it is.