Tips for renting a moving truckWhen moving locally (short distance), organizing a self-move by renting a moving truck and transporting your household items on your way can be a good way to have complete control over your house move.

As long as you know what to expect when renting a truck to move on your own, you should be able to turn your DIY move into a successful relocation experience from start to finish. So, how to rent a moving truck?

Here are the top 10 tips for renting a moving truck – useful pieces of advice that will help you organize your self-move like a true house moving expert.

1. CONFIRM that renting a moving truck is the way to go

As you’ll see below, there are many things to consider when renting a moving truck. And of course, one of those important considerations is whether you should rent a moving van at all.

It’s vital that you assess your unique relocation scenario and determine your viable options: will it be better to organize a self-move (renting a truck) or will you be better off hiring professional movers to take care of the difficult aspects of your move?

Renting a moving truck vs. hiring movers is a classic pre-move dilemma that you may face early in your preparation. To resolve it successfully, base your decision on the following factors:

  • moving cost;
  • move distance;
  • number of items to move;
  • number of specialty items to move;
  • time until the day of the move;
  • moving labor;
  • packing / unpacking;
  • safety.

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2. PICK a trustworthy truck rental company

The moment you’ve decided that the best way to approach your upcoming house move will be to organize a self-move – most often when you’re moving locally within the same state or to a neighboring state – it’s time to pick a good truck rental company as your trusted partner.

To find one of the best moving truck companies near you,

  • Check the websites of the largest moving truck rental companies in the country (Penske, Budget, U-Haul, Enterprise, and Ryder) and see whether they are servicing your area.
  • Request truck rental quotes from several moving van rental companies.
  • Compare carefully the received offers. The thing is that you don’t want to go with the first company that you come across – see various quotes before making your final decision.
  • Discuss the details of your move with each truck rental agency to gauge the level of their professionalism.
  • Pick the moving truck company that that best seems to fit your budget and meet your requirements.

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3. SELECT the right size of moving truck

Now that you’ve selected the best company to rent a moving truck from, get their advice on what size of moving truck you will need to hire. This is one of the questions they get asked the most, so you should trust their recommendation unless you have a good reason to disagree with them.

Moving trucks for rent

It’s important to pick the moving truck with the right cargo capacity.

Bear in mind that it can be tricky to rent the proper size of moving truck – on one hand, you don’t want to rent a much larger vehicle because you’ll be paying for truck space you won’t practically use. On the other hand, selecting a smaller truck is usually worse because you’ll be forced to do any of these three things: do several relocation trips, leave some of your items behind, or swap the truck for a bigger one.

Moving truck rentals have different cargo capacities – starting from 10 ft. trucks and going all the way to 26 ft. trucks. As a rule of thumb, 10 ft. truck should be able to fit the items from a studio apartment or a 1-bedroom apartment, while a 26 ft. truck should fit all the stuff found in a 3- or 4-bedroom home.

Speak with the experts at the truck rental agency to determine the right size of moving truck for your needs. And when you do, reserve your moving truck ASAP to get a better price and a greater choice of available vehicles.

4. HAVE a deeper understanding of moving truck rental costs

Everyone’s looking for cheap moving trucks simply because no one wants to pay more than they absolutely need to for a service. Of course, you should also be looking for the cheapest way to rent a moving truck, and to do that, you’ll need to better understand the moving truck rental costs.

  • Moving truck rental companies charge a daily rate that is different for each size of cargo vehicle.
  • Some truck rental agencies offer a set number of miles included on the base of the move distance. You can always purchase additional mileage, if necessary.
  • Some nationwide truck rental companies offer unlimited mileage when you hire one-way truck rentals.
  • The majority of truck rental agencies charge more on weekends, around national holidays and at the beginning and end of each calendar month. The reason for those higher truck rental rates is that the cargo trucks are in high demand during those peak periods.

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5. DETERMINE if you’ll need to rent more than just a moving truck

You may not realize this but the best moving truck rental companies in the country offer much more than just moving vehicles to rent. One quick look at their websites and you’ll see right away their great choice of moving equipment and services with one single purpose – to make your DIY move easier and safer.

So, you’d better ask yourself if you’ll only need to rent a moving truck, or if you’ll go a step further and also rent:

  • Cargo trailers, utility trailers for moving tall and odd-shaped items, and car/motorcycle trailers to tow behind your personal vehicle;
  • Temporary storage for your household items;
  • Moving boxes and packing supplies (packing paper, Bubble wrap, plastic wrap, packing tape, etc. so that you can pack up your things quickly and safely;
  • Moving equipment such as a furniture dolly or a utility dolly (hand truck);
  • Moving labor – local moving labor providers who will help you pack, load, unload and unpack your belongings if that’s what you wish for. This service is especially useful in case you are unable to gather up your friends to help you move.

6. LEARN more about one-way moving truck rental

When renting a moving truck, the move distance plays a major role in how you’ll approach the entire DIY house move.

Cheap moving truck rental

It seems like you’re ready to embark on that one-way move with your truck rental.

If you happen to be moving across town, then you should be able to return the rented truck to the location you rented it from. This way, the truck rental company will charge you less simply because you’re bringing the moving truck back to the same place and they won’t have to worry about balancing out their truck fleet to meet any increased demand.

On the other hand, if you’re moving to another city within the same state or to another state altogether, then you will need to drop off the rented vehicle to a place that is different from the place you rented it. The drop-off location is the nearest office of the same truck rental company in the destination town or city. And that is known as ONE-WAY MOVING TRUCK RENTAL.

So, when renting a moving truck for a long-distance move, inquire about renting it for a one-way move – a convenient option that will save you money and time.

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7. PURCHASE adequate insurance when renting a moving truck

One thing you may have forgotten to include in your moving expenses is the price of the insurance you’re required to have when renting a moving truck as part of your self-move planning. The truth is that you have no idea what may happen during your relocation trip so you must stay protected against different types of accidents.

  • Damage waivers. This is a protection plan that will protect you financially in case the items you’re moving get damaged or stolen, or in case the moving truck gets damaged in an accident.
  • Personal accident and cargo protection. These are types of insurance that will protect you and your belongings that are inside the vehicle in case you get injured or your things get damaged by a number of causes listed in the insurance policy.
  • Auto tow protection. This is an insurance plan that covers you in case the personal car you’re towing on a rented trailer gets damaged or stolen on the road.

When reserving your truck, either online or in person, speak with the experts at the truck rental agency about your insurance options. They are the ones that will provide you with the best pieces of advice on how to stay 100% protected on the road.

8. BEAR IN MIND the extra charges, fees, and fines

In the end, renting a truck to move on your own may cost you more than you planned. Why? There are a number of extra charges, fees, fines, and penalties which you should be well aware of from the start so that you can avoid spending more money than you would have liked to.

  • You’re going to have to return the rented cargo vehicle with the same amount of fuel it had at the time of renting it. In most cases, that set amount is a full gas tank. If you return the truck with less fuel, the van rental company will charge you for the missing fuel, usually at a much higher price than the standard one.
  • You’re going to be penalized if you return the vehicle with any visible damage EVEN if it was pre-existing and you were not the one responsible for it. This is why it’s very important that you do a detailed visual inspection of the moving vehicle prior to renting it. If you do find any type of damage, report it immediately to the company so that you don’t get blamed for it later.
  • You’re going to have to return the vehicle within the agreed period at a pre-arranged drop-off location – most often the office of the same truck rental company in the destination town or city. If you fail to do so, you will be charged extra.
  • You’re going to have to return the moving truck clean. If you don’t, you’ll most likely be charged a cleaning fee.

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9. GET READY to drive a moving truck cross country

How old do you have to be to rent a moving truck? You must be 18 years of age or older to rent a moving truck and drive the big vehicle to wherever you’re moving to. Of course, you’ll also need to have a valid driver’s license.

So, despite the risks and dangers of self-moving, you’ve made up your mind to rent a truck from a reputable truck rental company and drive it on your own. That’s okay, and as long as you follow the driving tips below, you should be okay too.

  • How to drive a moving truck cross country

    Driving a moving truck across the country is very different to driving your own car.

    Familiarize yourself with the basic controls of the moving truck.

  • Check if the rental truck is loaded properly for a safer relocation trip.
  • Avoid accelerating too quickly but build gradually to the desired speed.
  • Keep a safe distance from other vehicles and always apply the brakes early and gradually. Never slam on the brakes.
  • Be extra careful when changing lanes and merging. Always use the rearview mirrors to know what’s happening behind the truck.
  • Make your turns wider than you’d make them with your personal car.
  • Pay attention to the road signs that are put up specifically for cargo vehicles. You must be extremely vigilant about overhead clearance signs.
  • Do not skip weigh stations as some states require that all large vehicles stop at those highway checkpoints for weight and safety inspections.

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10. SAVE money when renting a moving truck

In the best-case scenario, renting a moving truck and moving house without professional assistance should help you save money. Otherwise, you’d just hire one of the best moving companies in the country to take care of everything for you. Right?

Our final advice on how to rent a moving truck is all about saving money for the duration of your DIY move.

  • BUDGET your self-move properly to see how much moving by yourself REALLY costs. Don’t forget to include the cost of fuel, road tolls, parking fees, vehicle insurance, meals, and lodging along the way, as well as emergency expenses.
  • RESEARCH various truck rental agencies to find the best rates.
  • BOOK the moving truck as early as possible to get a good deal.
  • RENT a moving truck with unlimited mileage when you’re not moving locally.
  • ASK the truck rental agency for seasonal discounts, promotional coupons and special deal packages to lower the truck rental cost.
  • INSPECT carefully the moving truck before renting it to avoid being charged for pre-existing damage.
  • RETURN the vehicle within the agreed period, at the right drop-off location, clean and with enough fuel to avoid getting charged extra.
  • SAVE fuel when driving a moving truck by building to the desired speed gradually and refraining from driving at that maximum speed the truck can reach.

It’s never easy to rent a moving truck, load it properly and drive it safely cross country, especially with so many self-moving risks and dangers. The worst part? Hiring one of the top-rated full-service movers in the country may prove to be the cheaper option for you, particularly when you’re moving long distance.

Get accurate quotes from the best professional movers in your area and compare the prices to make an informed decision.