Renting a U-Haul moving van, truck, or trailer can be a good option for certain moving jobs. At best, renting a moving truck can be a smooth process with low cost and minimal headaches. Not as great, renting a U-Haul could mean understaffed facilities, overbooked moving trucks, long wait times, dirty moving trucks, missed moving times, surge pricing, and hidden costs. What you planned to be a cheap and easy move could turn into stressful ordeal, not to mention a waste of your time, effort and money. Here we share with you 3 surprising things you may not know about renting a moving truck.
- Hidden Fees
Rental companies like U-haul or Penske often advertise a flat fee cost of $19.99 – $39.95 per day. Unfortunately this is not completely true. Every time your rent a moving truck, it will also have these additional costs:
- Gas – much like renting a car, you have to fill your rental truck or they will charge you an extra premium per gallon. Typically, a truck can get 9-12 mpg. The cost of fuel can easily double your rental cost.
- Mileage charges – up to $0.99 a mile.
- Liability coverage – up to $28 a day.
- Fees and taxes – up to $5 a day.
If you are dropping off the rental truck at another location, if will cost you even more, depending on the distance.
2. Not All Reservations Are Guaranteed
Even if you make a reservation months in advance, your online reservation is not truly guaranteed. The local rental office receives the request and is supposed to confirm the truck size and reservation time with you directly. However, they may be able to guarantee the actual moving truck or trailer size until the day before your move.
3. Truck Limitations
Not all highways and roads allow you to drive a trailer or truck. Moving trucks and trailers may have different speed limits in different states. Failing to know local laws can cost you a ticket and force you and your belongings off the road.
With hidden fees and risk, renting a U-haul or other moving truck is not for everyone. If renting a U-haul doesn’t sound like a good fit for your move, give us a ring at (919) 596-2469 at any time. We have decades of professional, reliable moving under our belts, serving the State of North Carolina and local moving in Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and the surrounding communities. We would be happy to chat and help you with whatever you need!