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Driving a 16 foot truck towing a car carrier for the first time! Unfortunately leaving July 1, traveleing through July 4. Is there a route that would be better than another? I understand traffic will be an issue that week, however I was concerned about driving through the mountains in Virginia/West Virginia. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Welcome to RTA!
Where in WNY, please?
Welcome to the RTA Forum!
Where exactly are you heading? (WNY=Western New York?)
A moving truck usually has plenty of power to get over the mountains, even while towing a car, but your best route will depend upon your exact destination.
A car carrier usually implies a full trailer, with all 4 car wheels off the ground, which is a good choice. It is much easier to deal with than a tow dolly - where two wheels stay on the ground.
Yes, sorry! Driving to Western New York, Lockport to be exact. And the Penske guy did recommend the carrier rather than towing, especially due to the distance. Do you have a route you could recommend?
Sorry, Lockport, which is NE of Buffalo.
You'll want to make this trip as direct as possible on the best roads available. That essentially means to keep the truck headed directly north on the Interstates. Specifically that would be I-95 up into South Carolina, I-26 to Columbia, I-77 to Charleston West Virginia, I-79 to Erie Pennsylvania, I-90 to Buffalo and finally I-290/I-990/NY-263/NY-78 into Lockport. As well as mapping out those major routes, you should also familiarize yourself with the bypasses around and connections at major cites. These would include Columbia SC where there's a straightforward junction from I-26 to I-77 south of the city; Charlotte NC where your best bet is to just stay on I-77 straight through the city so you'll need to time you passage for non-rush hour; Charleston WV where I-77/I-64/I-79 all meet at the end of the West Virginia Turnpike and near the airport so you'll need to keep your wits about you; I-79 duplexes with I-70 around Washington PA so you'll also need to keep your eyes open there; and around Buffalo NY you'll have to navigate the four roads listed above.
Some of the roads will also be toll such as the West Virginia Turnpike and the New York State Thruway and your rig will be expensive so you should check directly on their websites what you will be charged for the segments you'll be driving. Normally we would suggest using US-19 as a shortcut/bypass around the West Virginia Turnpike, but not for a large truck towing a vehicle. Just stick to the turnpike.
AZBuck
Thank you so much for your insight! This will be quite the adventure for us!