Intercity Move With a Pickup Van: When One Van Is Enough

Someone is leaving Lagos for a new job in Ibadan, with a bed, a small fridge, a television, two bags of clothes and a stack of cartons. A full truck would carry the lot and still run half empty. A pickup van might do it in one trip. The hard part is knowing which side of the line your load sits on.

For an intercity move, the vehicle choice matters more than for a local one, because a mistake means a second long trip instead of a second short one.

What a pickup van can take

On Sphere, the pickup van is listed for loads up to 2,400kg. Weight is rarely the limit for a household. Space and shape are. A pickup van is usually enough for:

• a single room or a self-contain
• a bed frame, mattress and a small wardrobe
• a small fridge or one chest freezer, kept upright
• a television, a table and a couple of chairs
• cartons, bags and buckets of personal items

Our one-van checklist for moving out of a self-contain shows what a sensible one-van load looks like.

When to request a truck instead

Choose a truck, listed on Sphere for up to 27,000kg, when you have:

1. A full flat or a house with several rooms of furniture.
2. Large pieces such as a three-seater sofa, a big wardrobe or a dining set.
3. Heavy items such as a generator, a gym machine or a piano.
4. Shop stock or office equipment in volume.
5. A load you cannot honestly say will fit in one trip.

Splitting a big load across two vans can work, but each trip means more driving and more coordination. Our guide on choosing the right truck size helps you decide.

Load a van carefully for a long road

A pickup van often has an open bed. For a trip of a few hours, that changes how you pack.

• Load heavy items first, low and towards the cab.
• Strap everything, then check the straps again before leaving.
• Keep a fridge and any gas cylinder upright.
• Cover the load with a tarpaulin and tie it down well.
• Keep fragile items and electronics in the cab or the most protected spot, and ask the driver what is possible.

An open load that is fine across town can shake loose on a highway. Talk to the driver about how the load will be secured. Our guide on securing loads with straps, ropes and tarpaulins explains what a driver should do.

Plan the trip, not just the vehicle

Between cities, timing and communication matter more.

• Start early so that you reach the new place in daylight. Our post on a same-day Lagos to Ibadan truck trip covers the timing in more detail.
• Confirm the exact address and a landmark at the destination.
• Make sure someone with keys will be there to receive the load.
• Keep your valuables, documents and phone charger with you, not in the van.
• Agree stops, fuel and rest with the driver if the route is long.

Do not hide the load description

When people want a lower price, they sometimes list fewer items than they have. On an intercity move, that backfires. The driver arrives, sees more than expected and either refuses or asks for a new price at the roadside. Describe everything honestly, including stairs at both ends.

Think about the return side

Drivers consider the trip back when they decide on an offer. A clear, well-timed request can help you get a fair counter. You do not need to explain it, but flexibility on pickup time is something you can mention.

How to do this on Sphere

1. Open the Sphere app and choose a pickup van or truck, depending on your load.
2. Add the pickup and drop-off, for example in Lagos and Ibadan, and describe the load in full.
3. Mention stairs, gate rules and how close the vehicle can park at both ends.
4. Propose your price. Nearby verified drivers accept it or send a counter-offer, and you choose.
5. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer.

Sphere operates in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan. See van hire in Lagos and Sphere in Ibadan for more.