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Military service members and their families often live on or near the base they are currently stationed at. However, one routine part of military service life is a PCS move. PCS moves can be stressful as you prepare to pack your belongings and move near a new duty station.

Adjusting to a new area can also add stress during a PCS move, especially when local driving conditions differ from your previous duty station. Families stationed at Seymour Johnson often deal with highway travel, hurricanes, commuting and family transportation needs.

This PCS checklist can help military families prepare their vehicles and transportation plans before arriving in Eastern North Carolina.

Prepare Your Vehicle Before the Move

Packing and logistics are often at the forefront of drivers’ minds when they receive PCS orders. However, many practical vehicle items often can get overlooked. Regular maintenance like an oil change, tire inspection, or brake inspection is often the furthest thing from a driver’s mind when they receive orders.

A few items to make sure to check before you make the move that will help you deal with the long highway drives and possibly the summer heat in NC are:

• oil change
• tire inspection
• brake inspection
• battery test
• fluid check
• wiper blades
• AC performance

The best way to ensure a safe trip is to prepare your vehicle before the journey. Making sure your regular maintenance is up to date and checking those few other things before you depart can make a world of difference.

Update Registration, Insurance, and Driver Information

Before making your move, you may want to investigate updating your vehicle registration as well as filing for an address change with the post office, and your insurance companies.

While some services may require you to appear in person, many North Carolina DMV services can be handled online through the official DMV website. Completing anything that you can online prior to your move can aid in the time it takes you to get established here in North Carolina as some DMV tasks require an appointment if done in person.

Another important factor in your PCS move is keeping all of your paperwork organized during travel. While many documents can be accessed online it is common for physical copies or even original copies to be required when setting up address changes, insurance, and registrations.

Plan for Eastern North Carolina Weather

Eastern North Carolina residents often say “if you don’t like the weather, just wait 24 hours”. With this being said it is important to be as prepared as you can be for the Eastern North Carolina weather. Depending on the season, you may face the summer heat which is often not just hot but very humid. During spring and hurricane season, you may experience heavy rain and flooding, especially in coastal areas and areas near local river basins. Winter, while often not overly cold, can still bring in the occasional icy front.

While you cannot be prepared for every possible weather event, there are a few things that you can keep with you when you travel should you find yourself on the road, waiting on roadside assistance.

Preparing ahead of time can help reduce stress and make your PCS move smoother from the start. A few items you can keep in your vehicle to help with this are:

• emergency kits
• flashlight
• portable battery pack
• tire inflator kit
• bottled water
• snacks (if kids are traveling with you)

Another useful item to keep in your vehicle is a rain poncho should you need to change a flat tire on the side of the road.

Choosing the Right Vehicle for Military Family Life

Many military families shopping for used SUVs, used cars, or used trucks in Eastern North Carolina prioritize reliability, cargo space, and long-distance comfort. If your daily commute involves traveling to Seymour Johnson AFB, fuel economy and highway comfort may become a bigger priority.

The right vehicle for your family is going to vary based on your family’s needs. If your new home involves a commute to Seymour Johnson AFB, or you are a larger family, an SUV may be the best vehicle for your needs.

SUVs often provide strong fuel economy for long-distance travel compared to both full and mid-size trucks. SUVs also provide more cargo space and greater passenger comfort capability over trucks and sedans.

While SUVs typically handle cargo better than sedans when it comes to travel and PCS moves, if your needs once you arrive rely heavily on daily commuting a sedan may provide you the best option for lower cost of ownership.

Trucks provide powerful towing capabilities giving you access to trailers for your move or campers and other outdoor gear if your family has more of an outdoor lifestyle. Modern trucks do offer additional engine options that are more fuel efficient than truck engines of the past and help to narrow the gap between the MPG of SUVs and trucks.

Tips for Long-Distance PCS Driving

Before you depart from your current station, plan your trip. Work in fuel and rest area stops into your drive so that everyone can remain as comfortable as possible during the drive.

When loading your cargo make sure to distribute the weight as evenly as possible and do not overload your cargo area. Too much weight, or items stacked too high can cause issues with your ability to safely stop your vehicle and can decrease your visibility of surrounding traffic conditions.

Inspect your tires before you travel, make sure your tire pressures are where they need to be and be sure to store your important documents and roadside emergency kit inside your vehicle in an area that is easily accessible should you need either during your journey.

If your PCS move involves kids or pets, be sure to plan for them accordingly. Have water, drinks, and snacks available should you get stuck in heavy traffic, bad weather, or waiting on roadside assistance. Small adjustments like this can make a huge difference should you be met with the unexpected.

Getting Settled in Goldsboro and Eastern NC

While the PCS move itself may be stressful, many military families begin to appreciate the area once they arrive and settle in. While there are a lot of rural roads there are a lot of highways as well. Many daily commutes involve a mix of these rural roads and highways. The connection between rural roads and larger highways helps make travel around Eastern North Carolina more convenient, especially when daily commutes do not require constant stops through town traffic.

These highways also lead you out to some great weekend trips. In only a couple of hours you can reach Raleigh, New Bern, Wilmington, and the beautiful Outer Banks from right here in Goldsboro. If you are new here to Wayne County, or will be arriving soon, you may enjoy reading our guide to the Best Weekend Trips from Goldsboro, NC!

Should You Buy a Vehicle Before or After Your PCS?

Whether you should buy before or after your PCS is really going to depend on your current situation. The best way to determine which will work best for you is to compare and consider each of the options.

Buy Before PCS if:

• your current vehicle is unreliable
• you want a predictable move
• you want financing already established

Buy After PCS if:

• you are unsure of local needs
• you want to test commutes first
• you need to evaluate parking and storage

Making Your PCS Move to Eastern North Carolina Easier

Our team is proud to work with military families stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB and throughout Eastern North Carolina.

Whether you need to schedule service, explore our inventory online, or prepare your vehicle for an upcoming PCS move, our team is ready to help answer your questions.

Tags: goldsboro nc, LOCAL GUIDES, military families, Seymour Johnson AFB, TRAVEL
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