What's the best way of planning a route for a moving van on a cross-country (US) trip?
What's the best way of planning a route for a moving van on a cross-country (US) trip?
I'm moving across the country in a few weeks and am trying to plan my route as I'll be driving a moving van with a car towed behind it. The entire drive will be 16-17 hours.
Google maps seems limited for searching everything I'd want to take into account for the route (pull through gas stations, height requirements, avoiding mountain highways, etc.) and was wondering if anyone knew of a better way to plan out the trip?
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16-17h is like halfway, but sure, it’s a beefy drive.
I’ve done LA to Boston in a Penske (though not towing anything). It’s not that bad once you get used to driving that big old fucker. If you’ve got to cross the continental divide, you’re gonna have to get right with the fact that you are gonna burn a LOT of gas getting up there. The shallow but steady grade is going to mean you’ll have to keep it mostly floored on the uphill. On the downhill, do NOT overuse your brakes. Try to use the transmission for engine braking when and where you can. (Edit) With that said, make sure you understand where the gearing is, because another thing you don’t want to do is moneyshift it (seriously overrev by using too low a gear for the given speed) - modern transmissions should guard against this, but it’s always better to be careful, and who knows what sort of hacks the countless maintenance people have done to dime-a-dozen rental cargo trucks over the years.
Also, before you set out (really, before you accept the rental truck and load it up), it’s a great idea to make sure all the fluids and such are all topped up and looking decent, and that nothing looks sketchy under the hood, as well as around any of the running gear (powertrain) or the suspension. Also, when I did it about a decade ago, the common consensus was that UHaul has shittier maintenance than Penske. Alternatively, if you can find a place renting a truck that’s actually newish and not knackered from doing that drive 100 times already, that’s not a bad option either (though the “check shit out” recommendation still applies in all cases).
In terms of infrastructure/gas stations: as others have said, you are gonna be just fine if you stick to interstates.
Sounds like you’re planning on driving straight through; personally, I split it up into several days, but I was also able to crash with my sister for a day in Colorado, and with my grandmother in PA, though had to pop for a hotel somewhere in Utah as well as just outside of St Louis. If you have a buddy to switch off driving with, that’s great; if you’re soloing… well, do NOT try to just push through your fatigue. That’s a great way to drive yourself and all your shit into a wall or off a cliff if you inadvertently doze off.
More like WHEN* you accidentally fall asleep at the wheel.
If you're gonna be doing it in one go, make sure your route has plenty of shoulder space. If you start to feel drowsy; pull over, get up and out, try some snacks + water, but most importantly walk around your vehicle.
It gives your brain something to focus on, and arleast for me, gives me another hour of not gonna die driving!
+1
To reiterate: Do not roll the dice on driving while heavily fatigued. You’re gonna have a bad time. It’s as bad as drunk driving.
I believe its actually worse than drunk driving, so really let that thought seep in. Its not worth the gamble, best case only you get hurt. Worst case...
I when I say “drunk driving” here, I mean “hammered”, not “I had a couple beers with dinner”