Numbering & arranging your vehicles

If you are leading a trail run with more than a handful of vehicles, it is a good practice to arrange them strategically and to assign “numbers” to each driver.

I like to position the newbies towards the front half of the caravan, so that the Mid-Gunner and the Leader can keep an eye on them and be ready to assist if needed.

Try to position an experienced driver directly in front of a Beginner, so that they can follow their tire line. If possible, also put an experienced person directly behind that Beginner to coach or provide encouragement. Should a Beginner get stuck, this sandwich arrangement facilitates recovery from either direction.

If a Beginner is in a stock (no lift), or a longer wheelbase vehicle (such as a truck) – I try to position an experienced driver in a similar vehicle ahead of them, so that they can see how to maneuver through an obstacle.

Every vehicle in our caravans is assigned a slot number. We encourage drivers to ID themselves whenever they transmit relevant information over the radios.

For example, “This is the green jeep, number 7. Watch out for a large washout on passenger side.”

Or, “This is red 4Runner, number 3. Stay to drivers side as you climb this hill; the dirt is real loose on the passenger side.”

“This is George, jeep number 8. I think something is dragging. Number 9, can you see anything under me?”

Drivers don’t need to use their position numbers when just responding to radio conversation, jokes, or trivia. But if identifying their relative position to the rest of the group is important or useful, those position numbers are valuable.