Did you ever play the video game Tetris? Tetris was released in the mid-1980s and is reportedly the first video game ever to be exported from what was then the Soviet Union to the United States. It’s one of the most popular video games of all time (even I’ve played it), and has been ported to game consoles ranging from the Commodore 64 computer to Game Boy to the iPhone.
The idea behind Tetris is this: geometric shapes called Tetrominos fall from the top of the screen. Each Tetromino is composed of four square blocks, or “tiles,” arranged into a different shape. As they fall, it’s your job to move and rotate them so that complete horizontal rows or lines are formed without any gaps. When you complete a row, you score points. Once the row is completed, it falls off the screen, and the blocks above that row drop. As the game progresses and more lines are filled, the game moves to new levels and the blocks fall faster. If you are really good, you may be able to fill the entire screen with solid horizontal lines of blocks.
Tetris is very much like loading gear into a truck. Of course, the big difference is that moving gear requires physical labor, whereas moving Tetrominos requires only a flick of the finger on a keyboard. In the real world, creating the “pack” — the sequence and arrangement of gear in the truck — is a bit of an art; once it’s arranged safely and securely, you can duplicate it every night with far less effort. Experienced road crews will document the solution to their Tetris game using photos, drawings or simply a list of what goes in first and where it should be placed. Don’t underestimate the importance of a proper pack. Cargo that slides or tips inside a truck creates a hazard. When a truck is subject to sudden braking or hard cornering, the cargo wants to continue moving in its previous direction, and the force it exerts in that direction can be very strong.
Stage Offstage
Measure the dimensions of the truck’s interior as well as the dimensions of the largest items, then create a plan for the order in which you want to load the items prior to moving any gear. On tours where backline travels in the same truck as P.A. and lighting, there’s a bit of a debate regarding the pack. On the one hand, it makes sense to load band gear first, so that it comes out of the truck after the sound equipment — which will inevitably be set before the band gear. On the other hand, P.A. gear tends to be heavier, larger and more bulky than backline (unless you’re on an ELP Reunion Tour and Carl is playing that stainless steel kit — you know, the one that fell through the riser). Loading backline first arguably violates one of the cardinal rules of packing a truck, which is…
Load The Largest Items First (Heaviest on the Bottom, and Distribute the Weight)
There’s a case to be made (pun intended) for packing the largest items first to ensure you actually have the space for them. Even though it might be a more efficient use of space, stacking three subwoofer boxes in the left corner behind the driver’s cab will cause the truck to lean. It’s safer to lay the boxes next to each other flat on the truck floor, thus distributing the weight evenly across the width of the truck bed. This helps balance the load from left to right for the driver.
If the gear does not occupy the complete width of the truck, place filler cases on either end of the row to prevent movement. Console and keyboard cases are good for this purpose because they tend to be narrow enough to fit into small spaces. Standing them on-end allows you to fill gaps on multiple levels should you, for example, have two tiers of subwoofers.
Once a row is completed, you can either go up a level or start another row. In the interest of not wasting space, this usually means going up another level. Also, it’s probably wiser to work upwards, because if you “fill the floor” first, you’ll have to awkwardly lift and maneuver second-tier cases just to get them to the back of the truck. Stack cases so that they rest against the wall behind the driver’s cab, giving you a high wall against which to secure them. Second-floor items needn’t be placed right-side up, and, in fact, cases with wheels probably shouldn’t be placed right-side up, lest they go rolling off the lower level through the truck door and onto the hood of that Maserati that’s following the truck too closely down Interstate 5.
In general, you want second-floor items to be lighter and smaller than first-floor items. Obvious suspects include drums, amp heads and accessory cases, with fragile items on top of those. Ideally, you’d be looking at a solid wall of gear before moving on to the next row, but before you do that, make sure the upper levels are secured using tie straps or ratchet straps. Bungee cords are handy for securing lightweight items in place, but don’t expect a bungee cord to keep an amp rack from rolling around.
[Note: we’ve heard about some crews creating “floors” whereby sheets of plywood are laid over the first layer of gear. This certainly serves as protection for the lower level, but adds significant weight to the pack and could slow the loading/unloading process. Perhaps if any readers have used this approach they could share their insights.]
Place Long Pieces On-end
Keyboard and drum hardware cases are typically long and narrow. Tip them on-end so that they stand high and take up less of a footprint.
Don’t Be Overly Gross
Every truck (including rental trucks) has a maximum gross weight or GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). Do not exceed the specified GVWR or you will surely create a safety hazard.
Don’t Leave Anything Loose — Ever
When a truck gets up to highway speed, anything that’s loose will find a way to move. La Cerra’s Law dictates that the more valuable an item, the higher it’s propensity to work loose, slam against something more massive inside the truck, and break. Vintage guitars are the most likely suspects. What the hell are you doing with a vintage guitar on the road in the first place? (umm… okay, that’s a topic for another time). Fragile items or items with awkward shapes should be loaded last and secured tightly. Speaking of loading last: make sure that the tools are at the loading door end of the truck in case they’re needed for emergency road repair.
Personal Safety
More important than protecting your gear is protecting yourself. If you are doing the loading/packing, don’t wear anything that can get caught or snagged on a moving case. Sandals are fine for the beach, but work boots with a good grip are a much better idea. Leather gloves will protect your hands from sharp edges (it’s amazing how road cases develop burrs and loose rivets that will slice you when you least expect it), and a hat is not a bad idea to protect your heads from scrapes.
When lifting a heavy item, get a firm footing and stand close to it with your feet spaced shoulder-width apart. Lift with your legs (not your back) and keep your back as straight as possible. Bend your knees — not your waist — when lifting or setting down an item. Get help for cases or cabinets that you can’t (or perhaps can) lift by yourself.
Oh yeah — quadruple check that the truck doors are closed!
