How to rent a moving truck

With increasingly high transportation costs, more people are choosing to move themselves when they need to relocate. Moving a home or office requires a lot of planning and one of the most integral components is the moving truck. Getting a good bargain on a moving truck can really help keep costs down. Read the following for some useful advice on how to rent a moving truck.

The cost of a moving truck can be calculated and estimated on a number of factors which includes the size of the vehicle and the distance you will be driving it. Nationwide companies may charge a little more than your local moving truck rental company, but they offer hundreds or thousands of locations, which makes one way rentals possible. All you need to do is to keep the factors of reliability and safety of your goods in mind. Whether you are planning to do a local move or interstate move – the moving truck must perform when you need it to. After all, the prompt delivery and safety of your goods is what you’re striving for. To rent a good moving truck you can always refer to local directories and even browse online sites that detail moving truck rentals. No matter which company you go with, the steps for renting a moving truck will be as follows.

Select a moving truck size. With a variety of sizes and rates offered by moving truck companies, you must first decide what size moving truck you need. After all, the primary factor determining the cost of the rental truck is the size of the truck. Common truck sizes offered by the major moving truck rental companies are x, 16’, and 24’. Of course you want to rent a truck that will hold all of your belongings, but renting a truck that is too large just wastes money. If you are moving locally, keep in mind that you may have to make more than one trip with your moving truck.

Estimate the cost. The cost of renting a moving truck is usually comprised of four factors: truck rental rate, mileage rate, insurance, and fuel. The low rental rates you see advertised are just part of the overall cost you will incur by renting a moving truck. Rental rates are typically quoted on a per day basis. However, you will almost certainly have to pay an additional fee based on how many miles you drive the truck. These rates may seem low, such as 19 cents per mile, but really add up for longer hauls. Of course you must fuel the moving truck, and with most trucks getting around 10 miles per gallon, this component of the total cost will be significant. The final fee you may choose to pay is for insurance. Paying this ensures that you will not be financially liable for the truck or other vehicles in the event of an accident. Remember that weekdays are comparatively cheaper as compared to weekends and similarly summers are more expensive than winters when renting a moving truck.

Make the reservation. Most moving truck reservations are made online these days. The major companies have easy to navigate websites that provide rates for different size trucks and for local and one-way moves. You will be required to leave a deposit in order to confirm the reservation. A word of caution is necessary here - when you do make a reservation for a moving truck, what you are actually reserving is a rate, not a truck. I’ve moved numerous times over the past ten years and several times I have arrived to get the truck only to realize that they didn’t have the truck I reserved. In most cases they had a larger size truck than the one I wanted, but in one case they didn’t have a truck for me at all. As you can imagine this was a major inconvenience for me on the day I was supposed to move out of my apartment. I won’t mention the name of the company, but I will say I had to haul all of my belongings by another method.

Pick up the truck. When you go to pick up the moving truck, you must show your drivers license and sign the rental documentation. Remember that large moving trucks have a larger turning radius than the car you probably drive on a daily basis. So be sure to leave room to keep from plowing into other vehicles, etc. Also remember the truck will be much taller than your car, so don’t visit any drive-through windows with short clearances.

It’s best to do a bit of research first. Get quotes from different companies on the rental rate and mileage cost, and then decide which company is the best for your move. Keep in mind that all moving trucks are not created equal. Some companies maintain fleets much better than others, so look for a company that has newer trucks. This will make your move easier and more comfortable. Finding a good moving truck rental company gives you peace of mind and allows for an easier relocation whether it is an office or home furniture and household items.

Tip 1: Once you have the above information, do some searching with the moving companies’ name online and see if you can find any customer service reviews. Remember the cheapest moving truck may not always be the best way to go. If your truck breaks down during your move, the rental company will bring you a new truck to use, but you must transfer all of your belongings from the old truck to the new. The rental company will not help with moving your belongings at all. Lastly, make sure you have the phone number of the rental truck company should anything go wrong on the moving day.

Tip 2: Renting a hand truck and furniture pads to help with your move are a really good idea. These items can greatly speed the moving of boxes and heavy furniture as well as protect your valuable furniture during transport.

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