When you are moving, you have several options. First, you can find a reliable moving company and let them take care of every single detail. Then, you can hire a moving company but do some parts of the relocation alone. This can include packing your items. Another option is to have professional assistance but do the majority by yourself. This can include driving the moving truck or a van by yourself. Is it a good idea to drive a moving van when relocating to another country? Here are all the things to consider before making the final decision.
Should you drive a moving van when relocating to another country?
The main question is about the driver. Usually, when you hire an international moving company Hong Kong, they will have a designated driver or two, depending on the distance. The usual requirements that a driver should have are the following. First of all, you need to be over 18 to drive a moving van. You do not have to be over 25 in order to drive it unlike when you want to rent a moving truck. However, you should check this piece of information before renting a van as it can depend on a company. It would be better to have a person with enough driving experience to handle this task. Therefore, it may not be a wise choice to let someone who has just passed a driving test to drive a moving van to another country. This is a huge responsibility so be smart when making a decision.
What do you need to have with you?
You cannot just sit in the van and drive it to your new address, especially since you are going to a new country. This means crossing the borders. For this reason, here are all the identification documents you should have with you.
- A valid driver’s license – logically, you cannot drive a van without a valid driver’s license. If your license is about to expire, you need to renew it before driving the van to another country.
- A valid passport – you cannot enter another country without a valid passport. Again, check the expiration date and also travel restrictions for your destination country.
- Insurance – you should not drive any vehicle, especially the one you are renting, without proper moving insurance. You can never predict road or weather conditions so you need to be safe when embarking on such a long journey.
Drive a moving van when relocating to another country with the following equipment
Apart from the necessary identification documents, you need to have the following things as well. Mind you, if you want to move your pet, it would be smarter to hire pet movers Hong Kong since it is not safe to drive your pet for a long distance without a suitable vehicle. What you need to have in the car would be an auxiliary cord or battery-operated charging pack for your phone. Then, you should also prepare a printed-out map instead of only relying on GPS. You never know if you might not be able to access Wi-Fi or mobile data. In addition to this, you also need to have an emergency kit and first aid kit prepared in case something bad happens. In most cases, you might be even denied entrance to a foreign country if you do not have these two kits prepared.
More things to prepare for the travel
Now, you will need money for tolls. Make sure to have a foreign currency prepared. Then, it would be smart to bring with you any prescribed medicine, again just in case. This is extremely important if you need to take your dose every day at the designated time. After this, you need to prepare water and snacks. Apart from water, you can also prepare coffee and tea, juice is fine as well. As for snacks, you can basically bring anything that you like. Usually, people bring sandwiches as they are the easiest to make and they will not go bad. In addition to this, you also need to prepare one umbrella, tissues, hand sanitizer, and a change of clothes. Do not forget about tissue and hand sanitizer if you need to go to the bathroom. Some bathrooms do not have toilet paper so you need to be ready.
Drive a moving van when relocating to another country with a planned route
It is really important to plan your route before traveling to another country. This is especially important if you have never driven here. You need to see how you can reach your destination if they are any road construction, and so on. The best way to go about this task is to use the Internet. Things to consider when planning your route would be time, money, stops, and so on. Why time? Well, most people would like to spend less time driving, especially when driving your household items as well. Then, money is also important. See which tolls to avoid. Then, you need to include stops as well because you cannot drive for a long time without resting. This is not a characteristic of a responsible driver. For this reason, see where you can stop to rest, stretch your legs, and even sleep one night depending on the distance.
How to be safe?
Before going on a trip, you need to inspect your rental van. It would be wise to do it with someone from the renting company. If you see that something is wrong, you can ask them to repair it right on the spot. Then, it is important to load your items correctly and properly. This will prevent any damage to your household items. In addition to this, you need to drive at or even below the speed limit. You don’t have to rush. Take your time when you’re driving, respect the speed limit, and keep a safe distance from other vehicles in front of you. Do not drive when you are tired or sleepy. Whenever you feel tired, make sure to stop and rest. In the end, should you drive a moving van when relocating to another country? Well, if you feel confident enough, you should do it.
