Loading on a Slope or Soft Ground: A Driver's Safety Guide

The address is at the top of a short, steep street. The compound floor is loose sand from last week's rain, and the customer's wardrobe is already at the gate. You have a loaded truck, a helper with a trolley and a ground that does not agree with either.

Every driver meets this sooner or later. The jobs that start badly on a slope or soft ground are the ones that end with a stuck wheel, a sliding load or a hurt back. A few habits make them safe.

Look at the ground before you stop

Do not drive straight in. Park at the gate, walk the last stretch, and look at three things.

1. The surface: hard concrete, packed earth, loose sand, grass, or mud that has dried on top and stayed soft underneath.
2. The slope: which way does water run, and which way will a trolley roll?
3. The exit: can you drive out forwards, or will you need to reverse up a slope with a heavy load?

If the surface is doubtful, say so to the customer before you drive in. It is better to park on firm ground at the roadside and carry a little further than to spend an hour with a truck stuck in the compound.

Parking on a slope

• Park the truck so that it does not face a long downhill with its tail to the carry path. If you can, park across the slope rather than straight down it.
• Engage the handbrake fully, turn the wheels towards the kerb or the wall when facing downhill, and leave the truck in gear (or park, if automatic).
• Use wheel chocks or a heavy block behind the wheels. Carry two chocks in the cab. They cost very little and prevent a rolling truck.
• Do not leave the engine running with the truck unattended.

Never stand or let a helper stand below the truck when a heavy item is being moved down a ramp. Items slide faster than people expect.

Soft ground and sand

Wet sand, loose gravel and dried mud all grip badly. A fully loaded truck can sink in a few seconds.

• Do not take a loaded truck on ground you have not checked. Walk it first.
• Avoid stopping and starting on soft ground. Stopping is how wheels dig in.
• If the ground is only soft in places, lay planks, thick boards or flattened cartons under the wheels and ahead of them.
• If you start to sink, do not spin the wheels. Stop, unload part of the weight at the roadside, and get help with boards or a tow.

Always tell the customer if the access will cost time. This is part of agreeing the job before you accept.

Loading and offloading on uneven ground

• Keep the heaviest items for the flat part. Use the slope for light, easy items.
• When using a ramp or a plank, make sure it is solid and fixed at both ends, and keep a person at the foot to catch anything that slips.
• Carry wardrobes and fridges with two or three people, never one, and strap them to a trolley or a pad. See lifting heavy items safely for the posture and the signals.
• Stack the load low in the truck on the slope side, and tie it down before you move. Our guide to securing a load with straps, ropes and tarpaulins lists the checks.

On the way off, drive out slowly in a low gear. A load that shifted on a bump is easier to fix at the gate than on the main road.

Rain changes everything

After rain, even a hard compound can turn slippery. If the job is in the rainy season, ask the customer what the ground is like before you accept the offer.

Talking to the customer

Be direct. Say, "The ground is soft, so I will park at the road and we carry from there," or "Your slope is steep, so I need four people on this wardrobe." Customers usually accept a clear instruction. If they push you to do something unsafe, stop and explain. It is your truck and your decision.

Take a quick photo of the access and the load before you start. Photographing the load at pickup and drop-off protects you if something slips later.

How to do this on Sphere

When a job comes in, read the description for access: slopes, sand, a long carry, a narrow gate. Ask the customer in the app if it is not clear. Then accept the offer, or send a counter-offer that reflects the extra time and effort. Agree who helps with loading and offloading before you accept. If you have not joined yet, get started with the driver app.