Renting a Moving Truck From U-Haul
Are you going to be needing to rent a moving truck? Are you interested in renting a U-Haul truck? If you are moving from one home to another without using one of the best professional moving companies, the U-Haul truck rental company should be near the top of your list. They are one of the better DIY moving companies.
With more than 20,000 locations and a massive fleet of vehicles, they will be the most convenient choice for a lot of people. But there are some things you need to think about before you start the renting U-Haul truck process. Renting your own moving truck isn’t complicated but making mistakes isn’t that difficult when you’re doing it for the first time.
Let’s take a look at all the things you will need to know about renting a U-Haul truck.
Finding a Local U-Haul Truck
Renting a local U-Haul Truck will be as easy as doing a Google search. If you go online just do a search for U-Haul near me or U-Haul nearby. You should get at least a few options to choose from. Of course, you could always speak to your real estate agent or friend and family who may have used one in your area.
Doing so isn’t a bad idea to get some trusted feedback.
Getting the Right Size
One of the most vital things to figure out when renting a U-Haul truck is choosing the right size vehicle. If you pick a truck size and then find you don’t have enough space for all of your things, you will find yourself in a bind. It is better to have space and not need it rather than the other way around.
U-Haul offers lots of different truck sizes to meet your requirements. If you are moving the contents of a one or two-bedroom home, the ten or 15-foot box truck should offer enough space. Two or three-bedroom houses may need the 17 or 20-foot trucks.
For larger homes, or people with more possessions, the 26-foot moving truck and the largest in their fleet should provide enough room. U-Haul has an online guide to help you make the right choice.
What Does U-Haul Charge
One of the things that are often confusing when getting a rental truck is the rates. In fact, you could almost call them misleading. You will probably see prices advertised like $19.95 per day or $25.95 per day, depending on the truck. What they often don’t tell you is the extras can add up fast.
The other thing you will learn about what U-Haul and other companies like them are that the charges are for local moves only! One of the most valuable pieces of advice I can give you when renting a U-Haul truck will be to get the cost down, so you know what you’re paying.
What to Know About Your U-Haul Quote
- The quote only reflects the base rate of your rental.
- The price does not include an environmental fee ($1–$5).
- The cost does not include taxes which can add a decent amount of money.
- The quote may not have an allowance for mileage or gas on some rentals.
One thing you may not know about pricing with U-Haul is that it might be possible to negotiate a better rate. It is worth a try!
U-Haul Reservations Are Not Guaranteed
One of the most significant issues some people do not realize when booking a rental truck with U-Haul is their reservation is not guaranteed! So even though you have a location, truck size picked out, and a time of pick up your reservation is not complete. U-Haul does not consider your reservation locked in until you actually pick up the vehicle.
It is vital to call the day prior to your pick up to make sure the vehicle you would like is still in stock. If not, you may need to go to a different location unless you want to wait.
More Rental Options With U-Haul
Aside from the rental trucks available, U-Haul also offers other vehicles that might be more suitable. A pickup truck or a trailer might offer advantages over a standard rental truck. They also offer cargo vans as well.
U-Haul also offers U-Box containers that let you fill up a storage container that has been delivered to your home. This will then be collected by U-Haul and transported to your new address. This gives you some more flexibility, letting you more easily put your stuff in a storage unit if you need to.
The Driver
To rent a moving trailer, you have to be at least 16 years of age. When renting a U-Haul truck, you will need to be 18. A valid driver’s license is, of course, needed as well. If you don’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to have someone who does, and the contract will need to be put under their name.
The Passengers
If you are moving a long distance, do you need to carry passengers on your journey? Most of the trucks available will only be able to seat two or three passengers, and putting people in the back isn’t an option. If you need to usually use a child seat for your kids, they aren’t generally considered safe to use in trucks.
If you are looking to rent the 10-foot cargo van, you will have a problem with more than two passengers; other sizes should accommodate up to three, however.
The U-Haul trucks that can accommodate three passengers include:
- The eight-foot pick-up truck
- The fifteen and seventeen-foot box trucks
- The large twenty and twenty-six-foot box trucks.
U-Haul Truck Rental Insurance
One of the necessary items to check off your list when renting a U-Haul truck is insurance! You could have enough coverage with your auto insurance for truck and trailer rental. Though most policies won’t cover you for truck rentals, you should check the details of your insurance before reserving your U-Haul truck rental.
U-Haul has insurance plans that will cover you and your possessions, as well as their truck, in the event of an accident. These include:
- Safemove – this includes medical and life coverage, protection for your possessions, and a damage waiver.
- Safemove Plus – adds $1 million in liability coverage and a damage waiver for the truck that covers everything, along with the other benefits of Safemove.
- Collision Damage – this waiver protects you against costs above the initial $150 amount if there is damage to the truck. The collision damage waiver is for pickup trucks and cargo vans.
- Safetow® – This policy includes coverage for a rental trailer or towing device. Also, it gives you protection in the event of an accident (subject to exclusions). The passengers’ insurance applies only when they are riding in the passenger area of the towing vehicle.
- Safetrip® – The Safetrip plan provides supplemental roadside protection. It is available to you for just a $5.00 flat rate. Feel confident knowing help is on the way when you need it for a very meager amount of money. Coverage includes: getting locked out of your vehicle, a jump start for battery problems, fuel service, lost keys, truck stuck in snow or mud, and trailer hookup issues.
Get a full rundown on U-Haul insurance options here.
Why Use U-Haul Truck Rentals Video
See all the benefits of using a U-Haul truck in this quick video.
Fuel Costs For a U-Haul Truck
Another cost you need to think about is gas. Large trucks aren’t going to get anywhere near as good gas mileage as your own car. The bigger the vehicle, the more you will need to spend; if you are moving a long distance, this is going to be an expense that you’ll need to budget for.
The largest truck offered by U-Haul, the 26-foot moving truck, for example, might only get around 10 miles per gallon. Smaller trucks will be better but not that much better. The 10-foot truck offered by U-Haul is only expected to get about 12 miles per gallon. This will vary depending on the weight being carried in the truck.
If you are going to be traveling long-distance, it is a good idea to estimate your gas costs beforehand. You may only be able to get a rough idea of the costs using average gas prices in your state and the gas mileage of the truck. But it will mean you aren’t hit with an expense you hadn’t planned for.
Weigh Stations
While most U-Haul users won’t need to stop and deal with a weigh station, it could affect some people. If you don’t know the rules for the state you will be driving the truck through; it is better to find out before moving day.
Some of The Best Features of a U-Haul Truck
Here is what you can expect to get with every U-Haul truck rental:
- Low loading decks – One of U-Haul’s most useful amenities.
- EZ-loading ramps – they are shorter than most competing brand’s trucks.
- Rub rails so that your furniture is secured inside.
- Low-cost roadside assistance if you breakdown.
Extra Equipment
Do you have everything you need to safely move your furniture in the truck? U-Haul offers extra equipment to make sure your move goes as smoothly as possible.
They will provide trailers, dollies, rope, hitches, and other accessories. If you are moving with items like bikes, RVs, boats, and even wheelchairs, U-Haul has the equipment to make sure things stay secured in the truck.
If you need packing materials, they have that available as well. There will be an additional cost for these extras, of course. You should make sure you order these extra accessories should you need them, when reserving the truck.
Extra Moving Help From U-Haul
Moving large items of furniture can be difficult. When you choose to handle the move yourself, you may find that it is more work than you can cope with. If you don’t have friends or family available to help with the move when you need them, you could be in serious trouble on the day of the move.
Working as a real estate agent for the past thirty-three years, I often run into clients who are ambivalent about a lot of their furniture. Many just take it because they don’t want the hassle of getting rid of it.
What so many don’t know is that there are companies who will pick up your furniture for you! You can donate your furniture to a family in need. Doing so is not only helping a family in need but is lightening your load on the moving truck.
No matter how well you have planned your truck rental, if you aren’t able to load your items, you will wish that you had hired professional movers or gotten rid of stuff. U-Haul can help here too, with their Moving Help service. This connects you to affordable help in your area and lets you choose the crew size and the hours needed.
Packing the Truck
Packing a U-Haul truck properly will no doubt save you time and money. There are some things you need to remember when packing your items into the U-Haul truck. Things like making sure the most cumbersome items are on the bottom and the lightest on top, should reduce the chances of something getting damaged. These things should also be loaded into the truck first. Dismantle any furniture that you can, and pack mattresses vertically.
Use straps to stop things moving around, and don’t be afraid to use extra padding to reduce the likelihood of damage. Your smallest moving boxes should be loaded in last.
What Happens if You Need Extended Time?
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan, so what happens if you need extra time with the U-Haul Truck? You’re allowed to buy additional days or mileage with a one-way move. You will be charged $.40 per mile if you exceed the allowed mileage. If you need extra days for your move, they charge $40 per day for U-Haul trucks and $20 per day more for trailers and towing devices.
Alternatives to U-Haul
U-Haul may be the best-known truck rental company, but there are other options. Compare U-Haul to other companies before you place a reservation; you could save on your move or find a more suitable offer.
Some of the other top moving truck rental companies include:
- Enterprise Truck Rental
- Home Depot Truck Rental
- Budget Truck
- Penske
- Ryder
Final Thoughts on Getting a U-Haul Truck
Anyone who has ever moved before will tell you it is a ton of hard work, especially when you are renting a truck and doing it yourself. Without a doubt, U-Haul is one of the best moving companies for doing it yourself moves. They offer a lot of additional services and have a solid image within the moving industry.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed this guide to renting a truck with U-Haul.
Other Moving Articles You May Enjoy
Get more moving advice in these previously published articles at Maximum Real Estate Exposure.
- What should I tip a mover – one of the questions that come up from time to time is what is an appropriate gratuity for a mover. While there is no cut and dry answer, you can get some helping tipping advice here.
- Companies that pickup donations – get a list of companies that will come to your home and pick up unwanted items for free.
About the author: The above Real Estate information on renting a U-Haul truck was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 33+ years.
Are you thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
I service Real Estate Sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Natick, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge MA.
Great piece of information! Selecting the right size U-Haul truck is of utmost importance. A bigger truck with extra space isn’t an issue (of course it’ll be expensive). However, if we choose a smaller one and there isn’t enough space, it could get difficult moving things. So, renting the appropriate size truck, after analyzing all the requirements is very essential.