The Top 5 Rental Truck Companies

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Moved

If you’ve decided to move yourself, and you want to hire a rental truck, you should know what options are available to you. While most cities will have many local options for you to choose from, there are five major national rental truck companies: U-Haul, Budget, Penske, Ryder and Enterprise.

Here’s what you need to know about each one:

U-Haul

U-Haul is by far the most popular and well-known rental truck company out there. Here are some notes…

Over 20,000 locations across the U.S.
Widest selection of truck rental options: pickup trucks, cargo vans, 10’, 15’, 17’, 20’, 26’ trucks. Added bonus: even their smallest truck (10’) can tow vehicles.
A number of cargo, utility and car trailers available for rent.
U-Box containers: these are basically portable storage containers.
One month of free self-storage with one-way equipment rentals.
Guaranteed reservations: if the equipment you reserved is unavailable when you need it, you get $50.
Storage/packing materials available for purchase: boxes, tape, furniture pads, plastic wrap, bubble wrap, etc.
Reserve with cash, credit or debit cards.
Offers one-way move options (good for long distance moves).

Budget

Four different vehicle options: cargo van, 12’ 16’ and 24’ trucks. The 16’ and 24’ trucks both have 3 seats available in the cab, tow capacity and a loading ramp for easy loading.
Car carriers and tow dollies available for rental.
You can also rent furniture pads and hand trucks (dollies).
No reservation guarantees. Of course, Budget claims they do not overbook, but sometimes overlap can happen, and if it does, you’re left in the dust.
Credit card required for reservations.
Offers one-way move options (good for long distance moves).
Discounts for military, veterans, students, police, fire and EMT, AARP, motor club and Bar Association members.

Penske

Large fleet of over 50,000 trucks, which Penske claims are the newest and best-maintained vehicles in the business.
2000 pick-up/drop-off locations, including all Home Depot locations.
12’, 16’, 22’, 24’ truck rental options. Loading ramps and vehicle towing available on the three largest truck options.
Packing supplies available for purchase, including boxes, tape, furniture pads, mattress bags, hand trucks, box cutters, bubble wrap, etc.
Offers vehicle towing equipment rentals and self-storage options.
Guaranteed reservations if made 48 hours in advance.
Offers one-way move options (good for long distance moves).
Discounts for military, veterans, students.

Ryder

500 pick-up locations across the continental US.
Rental options include cargo vans and 20’ and 26’ trucks, both of which have lift-gates.
No vehicle towing options available for rental and you are not allowed to tow your own trailer if you have one.
Does not offer one-way move options, so best for local moves. You can take the truck as far as you want, but you’ll have to return it to the same place from which you picked it up.
Credit card required for reservations.

Enterprise

250 pick-up locations across the continental US.
Many rental options: 15’, 16’, 24’, and 26’ trucks, ½ ton, ¾ ton and 1 ton pickup trucks and five cargo van options. The largest three trucks have lift gates.
No vehicle-towing equipment available for rent. To tow your vehicle, you’d need to rent the ¾ ton or 1-ton pickup truck and use your own car carrier or tow dolly.
No one-way rental options, so only good for local moves.

For more information on rental trucks, check out our guide on Finding the Best Rental Truck Deal.

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How to Work with the Moving Company

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Moved

A professional moving company can certainly take a lot of the work and stress of a move off your plate. However, there are still a number of things you’ll need to do to ensure the entire process moves along smoothly and efficiently. Here’s what you should do:

Before the Movers Arrive

Clear a space for the moving truck: Make sure the moving truck has space to park in front of your house, or if that’s not possible, as close to your home as possible. Move your cars if you need to. The farther the truck is away from your home, the more work you’re creating for your movers. Many moving companies will also charge you extra if they have to park down the street.
Clear walkways: Remove plants, hanging plants, toys, wind-chimes, rugs, etc. The last thing you want is for a mover (or yourself for that matter) to trip over a stray toy while carrying your TV!
Create a moving inventory: This is a detailed list of everything you own, and what you want to do with it. Separate items into categories: what you want to move yourself, what you want packed in the moving truck, etc.
Clearly mark what will be packed vs. not packed: Save your movers the hassle of wondering which boxes and items are supposed to be left untouched and clearly label everything beforehand. Or better yet, section off an entire room to be off-limits.
Keep important documents with you: Moving contracts, insurance papers, etc. You don’t want to lose these in the packing process!
Engage in some targeted pre-packing: Depending on what service you’ve purchased, you may not be obligated to do anything before a move. But little things can make the process move along much more smoothly, such as:

Unplugging electronics

Removing batteries

Taking artwork and photos off the wall

Disassembling furniture

Pre-packing small items, such as office supplies, knick-knacks, refrigerator magnets, etc.

Stripping beds

Emptying the trash

Keep pets and kids out of the way! Avoid accidents and unnecessary havoc and arrange to have them stay in a separate room on moving day, or better yet, out of the house with friends or family.

During the Move

Let movers know which boxes are most valuable. Quality moving companies will handle all your goods with care. That said, a box of pillows will be handled differently than a box of China. Let your movers know what they need to take extra care handling.
Be present during the packing process: If you plan ahead well, you shouldn’t run into too much confusion or too many problems. But moves are tricky, and issues are bound to arise. Everything will go much more smoothly if you’re around to answer questions.
Let your movers know which bathroom to use!
Take care of your movers! These guys are working hard, and will appreciate some pampering. Massages and spa treatments aren’t necessary (though they’d probably be welcomed!) — simple, weather-appropriate food and drinks will go a long way. Fresh-baked cookies get you bonus points!
Make sure the truck driver has your contact info. And make sure you have his/her contact info as well. If the driver gets lost or in an accident, you’ll want to be the first to know.
Compare inventories: Before the truck leaves for your new home, compare your inventory with the moving company’s to ensure nothing is left behind or missing.

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Finding the Best Rental Truck Deal

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Moved

So you’ve decided to move yourself — congratulations! Now it’s time to find a rental truck.

In this article we lay out the different options available to you, what is typically offered by most companies, and some tips to make sure you get the best deal out there.

What Can You Get

Vehicles — This is where rental truck companies most clearly differ. Most companies offer cargo vans, and couple truck options, ranging in size from 10 feet to 26 feet.

Cargo vans and trucks in the 10–12ft range are usually enough for kids moving to and from college and those moving out of studio apartments.
Medium-sized trucks in the 14–17ft range are good for small apartment or homes in the 1–2 bedroom range.
Large trucks, 12–26 feet are perfect for larger, 3–4 bedroom places.

Other rental options — Some companies also offer other rental options, such as portable storage units, trailers, and car-towing. There are two car-towing options: the tow dolly, where the car’s back wheels roll along the road, and the car carrier, the more expensive option in which the vehicle is fully off the ground.

Local vs. long-distance — Some truck rental companies offer both local and long-distance move options, but not all. For local moves, you’re required to drop off the truck at the same location from which you picked it up. Long-distance moves allow you to drop off the truck at a new location nearby your home. Making sure there is a location near your new home will factor in your choice of rental truck companies.

Insurance — Most basic contracts will include minimum liability insurance, but this usually won’t cover much. You do have multiple options for extra insurance:

Supplemental liability insurance — Generally maxes out at $1 million.
Damage waivers — Covers accidental damage to rental truck, and usually includes theft.
Auto tow protection — Covers damages to car-towing equipment.
Personal accident insurance — Covers your medical costs, though these will usually be covered already by your health insurance or car insurance if you have medical coverage
Cargo insurance — Covers your belongings in case of damages

How to Get the Best Deal

Be realistic — First things first: forget about the stickers you’ve seen on the sides of rental trucks advertising $19.99! Depending on the specifics of your move, a few hundred dollars is a much more reasonable amount to budget for. If you’re moving a large house long-distance, you could be looking at $1000–2000.

Book in advance — Truck rental prices are based on demand, a lot like airline tickets. This means that booking right before the move will be more expensive. The companies know you need the truck, so they’ll jack up the price. So book far in advance for the best price.

Book at the right time — Just like with moving companies, the cheapest time to rent a truck is in the middle of the month, in the middle of the week, in the middle of winter. As much as you can, avoid booking on weekends, at the end of the month and during summer, when demand is highest.

Look around — Make sure to get quotes from every moving truck company, and try playing around with different dates, and different pickup and drop-off locations in each city. Some companies offer competitive pricing, so once you find an especially cheap rate (say, from a coupon or discount deal), bring it to another company and see if they’ll offer you a better deal.

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