Renting a U-Haul Truck: What You Need to Know (2024)

Renting a Moving Truck From U-Haul

Are you going to need 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, a U-Haul rental should be near the top of your list. They are one of the better DIY moving companies.

With more than 20,000 rental locations and a massive fleet of vehicles, UHaul rental will be the most convenient choice for many people. When making a DIY move, their one-way trucks are a perfect match for many people.

Your moving efforts will be less stressful with their easy moving process.

But there are some things you need to consider before moving forward with a U-Haul rental.

Renting your moving truck isn’t complicated, but making mistakes isn’t difficult for the first time.

Let’s take a look at all the things you will need to know about renting a U-Haul truck.

Who is U-Haul International?

U-Haul is a moving and storage rental company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. U-Haul Rental has been in business since 1945. The company was founded by Leonard Shoen in Ridgefield, Washington, out of his wife’s family’s garage.

U-Haul originally expanded through franchising with gas stations. U-Haul today is one of the most well-known companies for renting moving trucks.

They are an industry leader with the largest selection of moving trucks, utility trailers, car trailers, motorcycle trailers, moving vans, and moving trailers.

When making a local move, you will find a U-Haul location nearby. They are a moving company that’s easy to work with for one-way rentals.

Finding a UHaul Truck Rental Near Me

Renting a local U-Haul Truck will be as easy as doing a Google search. If you go online, search for U-Haul near me, U-Haul truck rental near me,or U-Haul truck rental nearest me. It would be best if you got at least a few options to choose from.

Of course, you could always speak to your real estate agent, friend, and family who may have used one in your area.

Doing so isn’t a bad idea to get some trusted feedback.

How Does U-Haul Truck Rental Work?

Whether renting from U-Haul or another do-it-yourself moving company, there are many things to know. We will examine everything about how U-Haul truck rentals work so you have a pleasant experience.

Getting The Right Size U-Haul Rental

Choosing the right size vehicle is one of the most vital things to figure out when renting a U-Haul truck. If you pick a truck size and find you don’t have enough space for all your things, you will find yourself in a bind. It is better to have room and not need it than the other way around.

U-Haul rentals offer 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 one of the 17 or 20-foot trucks.

The 26-foot moving truck and the largest in their fleet, should provide enough room for larger homes or people with more possessions. U-Haul rentals have an online guide to help you make the right choice for a box truck rental.

U-Haul Box Truck Rental Sizes Reviewed

Let’s review the U-Haul box truck rental size options:

10-foot box truck rental
15-foot box truck rental
20-foot box truck rental
26-foot box truck rental

U-Haul Truck Rental Prices

One of the most popular questions is what U-Haul charges for their rentals.

The cost is probably at the top of anyone’s list when renting a U-Haul truck. One of the most asked questions is how U-Haul pricing works.

One of the things that are often confusing when getting a rental truck is the rates. You could almost call them misleading. Depending on the truck, you will probably see prices advertised, like $19.95 per day or $25.95 per day. They often don’t tell you that the extras can add up quickly.

The other thing you will learn about what U-Haul and other companies like 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.

Have a look at the ultimate guide to U-Haul truck rental prices. You will learn all of the U-Haul rental costs for their various options. The guide contains information on U-Haul rental truck rates for:

Different size moving trucks, including a box truck rental
Moving vans
Utility trailers
Car trailers
Motorcycle trailers
Cargo trailers

You can expect the best available rate when confirming a U-Haul rental.

What to Know About Your U-Haul Truck Rental 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!

Rental 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 the time of pick up, your reservation is not complete. U-Haul rental does not consider your reservation locked in until you pick up the vehicle.

It is vital to call the day before your pick-up to ensure 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 Truck Rental Options With U-Haul

Aside from the rental trucks available, U-Haul also offers other vehicles that might be more suitable. A pick-up truck or one of their rental trailers might offer advantages over a standard one. They also offer cargo vans as well.

U-Haul also offers U-Box containers that let you fill up a storage container delivered to your home. This will then be collected by U-Haul and transported to your new address.

This gives you more flexibility, allowing you to put your stuff in a storage unit nearby easily.

U-Haul Pick-Up Truck Rental

One of the most popular U-Haul truck rental options is a pick-up truck when you have a small move. The 8-foot pick-up truck is a cheap moving option when you have just a few things that must be transported from one place to another.

Some people may use the pick-up truck to save on delivery fees for purchased furniture or help move something from Mom’s attic or basem*nt. The U-Haul price may be a more affordable option.

Driver Requirements For a Truck Rental With U-Haul

Lots of folks ask who can drive a truck rental.

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 someone who does, and the contract must be under their name.

One of the crucial things to remember is that driving a rental truck will be much different than your car or SUV. Navigating challenging weather conditions, vehicle speed, or even road grades can be strange when you’re not used to driving this vehicle.

Having Passengers Can Be Challenging With U-Haul Truck Rentals

If you are moving a long distance, do you need to carry passengers on your journey? Most U-Haul rental trucks will only seat two or three passengers, and putting people in the back isn’t an option.

These are not ideal driving circ*mstances, but that is one of the reasons UHaul is best suited for a small move locally.

If you usually need to use a child seat for your kids, they aren’t generally considered safe to use in trucks.

If you rent the 10-foot cargo van, you will have a problem with more than two passengers; other sizes should accommodate up to three.

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 Rental Insurance

Insurance is one of the necessary items to check off your list when renting a U-Haul truck! 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 your insurance details before reserving your U-Haul truck rental.

U-Haul has insurance plans that will cover you, your possessions, and your truck in the event of an accident. These include:

Safemove 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 pick-up 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 riding in the towing vehicle’s passenger area.
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.

U-Haul Truck Rental, Moving Equipment Supplies, Self Storage, Trailer Hitches

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 vehicle. The bigger the vehicle, the more you will need to spend; if you are moving a long distance, this will be an expense you’ll need to budget for.

For example, the largest truck offered by U-Haul, the 26-foot moving truck, might only get around 10 miles per gallon. Smaller trucks will be better, but not that much better. The 10-foot truck U-Haul offers is only expected to get about 12 miles per gallon. This will vary depending on the weight being carried in the truck.

If you travel long distances, estimating your gas costs beforehand is a good idea. You may only get a rough idea of the costs using average gas prices in your state and the truck’s gas mileage. But it will mean you aren’t hit with an expense you hadn’t planned for.

Know About 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 Rental

Here is what you can expect to get with every U-Haul truck rental:

Low-loading decks – One of U-Haul’s most valuable amenities.
EZ-loading ramps – they are shorter than most competing brands’ trucks.
Rub rails so that your furniture is secured inside.
Low-cost roadside assistance if you break down.

Extra Equipment With A U-Haul Rental

Do you have everything you need to move your furniture in the truck safely? U-Haul offers extra equipment to ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible.

They will provide trailers, dollies, rope, hitches, and other accessories. If you move with bikes, RVs, boats, and even wheelchairs, U-Haul has the equipment to ensure things stay secured in the truck.

If you need packing materials, they have that available as well. You will be able to get moving supplies and packing supplies for fragile items.

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 and heavy boxes can be difficult. When you choose to handle the move, you may find more work than you can handle.

If you don’t have friends or family available to help with the move when needed, you could be in serious trouble on the day of the move.

Working as a real estate agent for the past thirty-five years, I often run into clients who are ambivalent about a lot of their furniture. Many take it because they don’t want the hassle of getting rid of it.

Many don’t know that companies will pick up your furniture for you! You can donate your furniture to a family in need. Doing so is helping a family in need and lightening your load on the moving truck.

No matter how well you have planned your truck rental, if you can’t load your items, you will wish to hire professional movers or get rid of stuff with a junk removal service.

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 Your U-Haul Truck Rental

Packing a U-Haul truck properly will no doubt save you time and money. When loading your items into the U-Haul truck, you need to remember some things.

Ensuring 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 from moving around, and don’t be afraid to use extra padding to reduce the likelihood of damage. Your smallest moving boxes gathered from various locations should be loaded in last.

What Payment Will U-Haul Truck Rental Take?

With a UHaul truck rental, you can pay with a credit card, debit card, or cash payment. Cash will be accepted for moving van rentals and for pick-up trucks. A credit card from a will must also be presented in the renter’s name.

You will pay your U-Haul bill when you pick up your rental. It will be the total estimate of your charges.

What Happens if You Need Extended Time With Your Rental?

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 more for trailers and towing devices.

Car and Motorcycle Towing With U-Haul

Can U-Haul tow a car or a motorcycle is a question that is always asked. The answer is yes! U-haul has towing equipment to tow your vehicle. You can avoid the expensive costs of shipping a car if the move isn’t too far.

Some folks will also use the trailer to transport belongings such as a hot tub or an ATV. Will U-Haul install a hitch for you is another question that is asked often? The answer is also yes! U-Haul offers a specific service for installing hitches to make your move easier.

Where and How to Return Your Truck Rental

Many folks ask about the procedure to return a U-Haul truck rental. U-Haul allows you to return your truck rental anytime, day or night. You will need a U-Haul account, a phone to take photos, and an internet connection.

See how to return a U-Haul truck rental here.

U-Haul Rental Truck One-Way

One of the better features is the one-way truck rental. With so many locations across the U.S., there are many places where you will be able to drop off your rental.

Search U-Haul truck rentals nearest me when dropping off at your destination.

Other Moving Truck Alternatives to U-Haul Rentals

U-Haul may be the best-known truck rental company, but other options exist. Compare U-Haul to other truck 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 – look at the excellent guide for what to know when you rent a truck.
Budget Truck Rental
Penske Truck Rental
Ryder Truck Rental

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Final Thoughts on Getting a U-Haul Truck Rental

Anyone who has ever moved before will tell you it is a ton of hard work, especially when 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 many additional services and have a solid image within the moving industry.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed this guide to renting a truck with U-Haul.