Securing a Load: Straps, Ropes and Tarpaulins for Sphere Drivers

You are halfway across town with an open pickup when the sky turns grey. The tarpaulin you threw over the load at the last minute is flapping like a flag, one corner is already loose, and the customer's mattress is right underneath it. You can stop on the shoulder and fix it in the rain, or keep going and hope.

The real problem started back at the pickup. A load that shifts, falls or gets soaked costs the customer their goods and costs you time and goodwill. A load that falls onto the road can hurt somebody. Securing it properly takes a few extra minutes and a small kit.

The kit that lives in your vehicle

Keep these in the vehicle every day, not only when a job looks big:

• ratchet straps in a few different lengths
• strong rope for open-bed vehicles and odd-shaped loads
• a tarpaulin big enough to cover a full load with overlap, plus spare rope or bungee cords to hold it
• corner protectors made from cardboard, rubber or old hose
• blankets or old cloth to pad furniture and stop items rubbing
• gloves, because tightening straps all day tears up your hands

Look over your straps and ropes regularly. Anything frayed, cut, stiff or with a damaged buckle goes in the bin. Use every strap within its rated capacity and follow the manufacturer's guidance for it.

Load properly first

Straps are there to stop a stable load from moving. They should never be holding up a badly stacked pile.

1. Heaviest items first and lowest, against the front wall behind the cab.
2. Even weight from side to side.
3. Tight packing. Fill gaps with soft items or cartons so nothing has room to slide.
4. Tall items upright against a wall. Fridges and wardrobes stand, they do not lie down.
5. Fragile items on top or in a protected corner, never under heavy boxes.
6. Within capacity. Do not overload the vehicle past its rating.

If the load feels solid before the first strap, the hard part is done.

Tie-down basics

Ratchet straps

For most loads, ratchet straps hold tighter and more evenly than rope. Hook them onto proper anchor points, never onto trim or anything loose. Run each strap over or around the load so it pulls down and towards the front. Tighten until the load is firm, then stop, or you will crush cartons or crack a wardrobe panel. Tuck or tie off the loose ends so they do not flap or catch.

Rope

Use knots you can tie and untie reliably, not something you half remember. Tie off to fixed points such as hooks, rails or side posts. Pull the rope tight before you tie off, then check it again after a short distance, because rope settles.

How many tie-downs

There is no fixed number. Long or heavy items need more than one, and every separate item or stack needs holding. A common mistake is strapping only the back row and trusting everything in front to stay put. Strap each section of the load.

Protect what you are strapping

Straps and ropes can damage the very things they are holding. Put corner protectors anywhere a strap crosses an edge, especially on furniture, cartons and appliances. Pad polished surfaces with a blanket before the strap goes on. Do not run a strap directly over glass, screens or thin panels.

A dent from a strap is still damage, and it can turn a good job into an argument.

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Tarpaulins and rain

An open-bed pickup van or truck gives the load no protection on its own, and rain can come quickly.

Cover the load before you leave the pickup, even when the sky looks clear, because doing it on a roadside is harder. Let the tarpaulin overlap the sides and tailgate so water runs off. Tie it down tightly at several points. A loose tarpaulin catches wind, flaps, and can tear or pull free.

If your vehicle bed collects water, put cartons on a raised surface or a sheet of plastic. Electronics and documents ride in the cab wherever possible.

Our guide to rainy season moves covers what customers can do on their side.

Check at every stop

Loads settle as you drive, and straps loosen. Check after the first few minutes on the road, once things have settled. Check at every stop, including fuel stops. Check again after rough roads, potholes or hard braking, and re-tighten straps or re-tie the tarpaulin as needed.

Only do this with the vehicle safely parked off the road. Never climb on a load, and never stand behind the vehicle in moving traffic.

What it does for your earnings

Customers choose between offers. A driver who delivers everything dry and undamaged builds a name for careful work, which tends to bring repeat jobs and referrals. It also means fewer stops, fewer disputes and nothing to replace. Our guide to driver habits that protect profit goes further on that.

How to do this on Sphere

1. Read each request properly before you send an offer. Note anything fragile, tall or heavy.
2. If something is unclear, ask the customer before you accept, so you bring the right straps and covers.
3. Count the time for careful loading and securing when you decide whether to accept or counter.
4. At the pickup, load and secure properly, then check again at every stop.

Drivers keep 90% of each job on Sphere. If you are not on the app yet, see how to drive and earn with Sphere.