U-Haul has become the household name in North America. You will rarely find someone who hasn’t heard the name U-Haul. This company was established in 1945 at the end of the Second World War. Their business grew by leaps and bounds and today, even after 8 decades, U-Haul still remains the undefeated king of the moving industry. In today’s times, U-Haul is the proud owner of more than 21,000 locations across the nation and countless trucks that allow customers to move cost-effectively. If you are considering U-Haul for your next DIY move, let us tell you more about them in order to help you make moving decisions better.
U-Haul Truck Rental: How does it work?
Moving with U-Haul is reasonably simple. If you are genuinely interested in DIY-ing your move, U-Haul might just be the most convenient option for you, as it is available absolutely everywhere. You won’t have to scour the neighborhood for its locations. You can book your move online. Just one thing, we recommend that you book it over the phone instead to get a guaranteed reservation.
U-Haul offers its customers the option of reserving a truck for either a local move (round trip to the same company facility) or a long-distance move (one-way trip to a different facility). It is important for you to remember that numerous locations mean that each location will differ in terms of quality of service, available trucks, and equipment. If you plan to rent U-Haul trucks, it is better to research and read reviews about the location that you are planning to visit.
Not only does U-Haul offer you a wide variety of trucks, but it also offers you different kinds of additional services that you might need for your move. U-Haul understands that even though you might want to DIY your move, there are some aspects of the move that you might need some help with.
Here are some of the rental truck-related services provided by U-Haul to their customers.
- Rental Trucks: For local trips, and long-distance moves. Almost all rental trucks are equipped with low loading decks, rub-rails (prevents furniture damages), and EZ- loading ramps.
- Cargo Trailers: They are very similar to rental trucks. However, they are smaller in size and you can drive your own car as opposed to navigating a huge moving truck.
- Utility Trucks: These can be used to move heavy and sturdy items like garden furniture that don’t get spoilt during an open ride.
- Towing Equipment: U-Haul trucks also ship your cars and motorbikes to your new house. They make this process of transportation easier by providing their customers with a car carrier, tow dolly, car trailer, motorcycle trailer, and hitch installation. You get whatever you want, as long as the equipment is available during your move.
- Moving and Storage Facilities: You can also opt to use their U-Box moving container, either for moving or storage of your belongings.
- Packaging Supplies: You can buy good quality packaging supplies at U-Haul.
- Contact details of Local Help for Hire: If you need any additional help during your move, they will put you in touch with the necessary moving service providers.
- Roadside Assistance: You can always call for roadside assistance in case your truck malfunctions, provided you have availed the service after paying the minimal fee (about $5) required for it.
- Multiple Insurance Options: These options provide protection for the trucks and as well as the belongings that are inside the truck.
Also Read: What To Expect When You Move With A U-Haul Trailer?
Are U-Haul Trucks Reliable?
What we love about U-Haul is the way their trucks are designed. Their trucks are engineered specifically to carry the belongings of families as opposed to sturdy cargo. All their trucks have low decks and are equipped with wider ramps, which makes the loading process painless and smooth. All trucks are designed to enhance aerodynamics styling and use unleaded fuel, which makes them fuel-efficient and environment friendly as well.
Moreover, the truck walls are equipped with rub-rails. So you can tie your belongings which will prevent them from moving around when the truck is in transit. In addition to all of this, U-Haul offers its customers 7 different sizes of trucks! That’s a lot of sizes as compared to their competitors. One added benefit of choosing U-Haul is that most of their trucks (even the smallest ones) can tow your vehicles.
Fun fact about U-Haul: U-Haul is known for its orange and white trucks. Interestingly, many people don’t know that the orange color scheme has been chosen for safety purposes. The founders were inspired by the highway barricades and their visibility even at the dark of the night, so before too long, they did what today gives their trucks a distinct identity. The bottom line is that their trucks are undoubtedly reliable.
What Size Truck do you Need?
One thing you should know about U-Haul is that they have a wide customer base, which means that their trucks are always in high demand. There is a possibility that you rent a truck that might have been subjected to wear and tear, because of which it might malfunction during the move. To avoid this, we sure would ask you to check whether the truck is functioning properly before you move. Let us now look at the specifications of the different sizes of U-Haul Trucks.
1. Pick-up Trucks and Cargo Vans
U-Haul suggests that you use these trucks for small jobs. You can use a pick-up truck or a Cargo Van if you wish to move a small studio home or if you are planning to move into or out of a dorm room. Let us examine how these two vehicles compare against each other in various aspects.
| Pick-Up Truck | Cargo Van | |
| Dimensions | 7’10” x 5’2″ x 1’9″ | 9’6″ x 5’7″ x 4’8″ |
| Deck Height from Ground | 3′ | 2’5″ |
| Storage Capacity | Depends on you, it’s an open-roofed truck | 245 cu. ft. |
| Weight Limit | 1,897 lbs. | 3,880 lbs. |
| Home Size | Small Studio Home / Dorm Room | Small Studio Home / Dorm Room |
| Fuel Tank Limit | 34 Gallons | 25 Gallons |
| Fuel | Unleaded Fuel (Gasoline) | Unleaded Fuel (Gasoline) |
| MPG | Up to 19 mpg | Up to 18 mpg |
| Number of Seats | 3 | 2 |
| Towing Capacity | Up to 6,000 lbs. | Not Mentioned |
2. Bigger Trucks (5 sizes)
All the bigger U-Haul trucks are box-shaped in nature. All the trucks can be used to tow your cars. Except for the 10-foot truck, each truck is equipped with a ramp. Moreover, the bigger trucks also have a small storage space over the cab’s head. This space is called Mom’s Attic. You can’t store some of your valuable items or other small fragile belongings in the back of the truck along with your furniture. Mom’s Attic can be used to store these valuable and fragile objects that you absolutely can’t risk losing or breaking during the move.
Let us see how these bigger trucks compare against each other in various aspects.
| 10′ Truck | 15′ Truck | 17′ Truck | 20′ Truck | 26′ Truck | |
| Interior Dimensions (LxWxH) | 9’11” x 6’4″ x 6’2″ | 15′ x 7’8″ x 7’2″ | 16’9″ x 7’8″ x 7’2″ | 19’6″ x 7’8″ x 7’2″ | 26’2″ x 8’2″ x 8’3″ |
| Mom’s Attic Dimensions | Does not have Mom’s Attic | 2’6″ x 7’8″ x 2’7″ | 2’6″ x 7’8″ x 2’7″ | 2’6″ x 7’8″ x 2’7″ | 2’6″ x 7’8″ x 2’7″ |
| Deck Height from Ground | 2’5″ | 2’10” | 2’10” | 2’11” | 2’11” |
| Storage Capacity | 402 cu. ft. | 764 cu. ft. | 865 cu. ft. | 1,016 cu. ft. | 1,682 cu. ft. |
| Weight Limit | 2,850 lbs. | 6,385 lbs. | 6,160 lbs. | 5,700 lbs. | 9,010 lbs. |
| Home Size | Studio/1 Bedroom apartment | 1-2 Bedroom Apartment | 2 Bedroom Home | 2 Bedroom Home or 3 Bedroom Apartment | 3-4 Bedroom Home |
| Fuel Tank Limit | 33 Gallons | 40 Gallons | 40 Gallons | 40 Gallons | 60 Gallons |
3. Cargo Trailers
U-Haul also lets its customers rent cargo trailers that can be towed using your own vehicle. They are generally smaller in size and can be used to transport smaller or fragile belongings. It is safer to use a cargo truck than using a pick-up truck if your items are a little bit delicate and also expensive. Cargo trailers come in the following four different sizes:
- 4 x 8 ft.
- 5 x 8 ft.
- 5 x 10 ft.
- 6 x 12 ft.
4. Utility Trailers
If you don’t want to spend money on a truck and if you think your belongings survive an open ride, you should definitely consider using utility trailers. Utility trailers come in the following five different sizes:
- 4 x 7 ft.
- 5 x 8 ft.
- 5 x 9 ft.
- 6 x 12 ft.
- 6 x 12 ft. (with a ramp)
How Much Does U-Haul Truck Rental Cost?
The most important thing you should know about U-Haul is that moving with them is very cheap. However, it is not as cheap as it has been advertised by them. The prices advertised by them are just the base rates, many other additional fees are charged later on. Let us first examine how U-Haul charges its customers for the two different types of move.
For a local move, you will be charged a daily rate for your rented truck along with a per-mile fee. For one-way trips, you will be charged a fixed rate for the rented truck and this fee will include a set number of miles (depends on the distance of your move). If your travel exceeds the allotted number of miles, you will pay around $0.40 per-mile fee for all the additional miles travelled by you. These charges (for both local and long-distance moves) are bound to vary according to the size of the truck and the company location.
Let us now give you a glimpse into how the final cost of your move is determined. Several factors influence the final cost of your move.
1. The Truck Rental Fee
As mentioned before, U-Haul will charge you a daily rate and a per-mile rate for your local trips, and a fixed rate for your truck. This means that after you pay that fixed amount, you can keep the truck with you for up to five days. After that, you will be charged around $40 for every additional day during which you have booked your truck.
If by any chance, you do not return the truck by the scheduled drop-off date, you will be charged about double the rental amount that you paid for the truck. We get that this might seem a tad bit harsh, but it does ensure the customers stick to their schedule and return the truck on time.
For a local move, you could be charged anywhere between $19.95 – $30.95 with a per-mile rate of about $0.59 – $0.79. For a mid-size move (250 miles), you could be charged anywhere between $301 – $395. Lastly, the cost of hiring a truck for a long-distance (cross-country) move you could be charged in the range of $960 to $2000. The rental cost could exceed $2,000 according to the distance of your move. The price of your move is also decided based on the size of the rented truck.
Note: Pick-up trucks, cargo vans, and 17-foot trucks are not available for mid-size and long-distance moves.
2. Fuel Costs
Many people tend to forget that fuel costs are not included in the rental costs. You have to fill the gas by yourself. When you drop off the truck, you also have to ensure that the truck has the same amount of gas it had when you picked it up. For instance, if the fuel tank was full when the truck was picked up, you have to return the truck with a full tank. So, make sure that you check the amount of gas the truck has when you pick it up.
You can calculate your fuel charges in a simple manner. You first have to check how many MPG the truck gets. Then you have to determine the amount of gas you would require for your trip. This would solely depend on the distance of your trip. Then you can just multiply the cost of fuel per gallon by the number of gallons you would require for your trip. The fuel fees for a 1,000 miles trip would roughly amount to $370.
3. Mileage Costs
Make sure that you ask the company representative about the per-mile rate used by the location you are dealing with. For a local move, you will be charged with around $0.59 – $0.99 per-mile fee. One-way trips don’t have a per-mile fee. So you should ideally enquire about the mileage cap for your one-way moves. Don’t forget to ask about the cost for additional miles travelled by you if you plan to pit stops during the move.
4. Environmental Fees
The company realizes that moving trucks are made up of harmful materials that might be difficult to dispose of. There are a lot of parts that can be recycled as well. So in order to reduce the negative impact of the move on the environment, they ask their customers to pay a small environmental fee. This fee could be anywhere between $1 to $5 per day.
5. Insurance
If your auto insurance does not cover your rental truck, you might have to purchase additional insurance from U-Haul in order to cover the damages to the truck, cargo, driver, and passengers, due to accidents and other disasters like fire, etc. You get the choice to avail of different kinds of insurance plans which will cost you about $100 per day on average.
6. Additional Taxes
There might be some other additional taxes that crop up at the last moment. It would be wise to ask about them beforehand and account for them when you are creating a budget for your move. So the price of your move depends on a combination of factors. It would be unwise to assume that the price advertised will be the price of your move. In addition to all these factors, some other things affect the price of your move. A move during the peak season (summers or springs) will be more expensive than off-season moves. Similarly, week-day moves are cheaper than weekend moves. Moreover, rural moves are more reasonably priced than urban, city moves.
We recommend talking with the company representative over the phone before booking a move. Try and understand how the company has calculated the final cost of your move. If you feel that the cost is way over your budget, you can negotiate with the representative and try to bring the cost down.
Does U-Haul Truck Rental Offer Insurance?
U-Haul offers you a couple of economical or cost-efficient insurance coverage options that will soothe your worried mind. You might claim that you drive safely in all kinds of conditions. But you have to remember that some things are out of your control. Unfortunate incidents occurring during a move can cause harm to your life as well as damage your stuff.
Thankfully, U-Haul uses Repwest (one of the most reputable insurance coverage companies) which offers not just a simple valuation, but proper insurance coverage. Before you decide to purchase any kinds of insurance plans from U-Haul, you should first check whether your auto insurance covers your rental truck. If not, you should definitely consider purchasing the insurance options offered by U-Haul.
The coverage options that can be purchased by you include:
● Safemove®
● Safemove Plus®
● Collision Damage Waiver
● SafeTrip®
What is Safemove?
This coverage option protects you from all the damages sustained by the rental truck and the cargo inside the truck. It also covers injuries sustained by the driver and the passengers during the move. Following are three provisions of the Safemove Plan:
1.Damage Waiver: Damage waiver covers the major part of the amount that you have to pay to U-Haul if the rental truck or the rental equipment is damaged in any way. However, it does not cover damaged tired damages that occur due to over-head collision.
2. Cargo Protection: This covers up to $25,000 for the losses and the damages sustained by your belongings when they are inside the truck. These damages could be caused due to fires, collisions, windstorms, or the over-turning of the rental truck.
3. Medical and Life Coverage: This policy gives you up to $25,000 loss of life coverage and covers all the medical bills up to $1,000 in case of any injuries. Both the driver and the passengers are covered by this provision.
What Is Safemove Plus?
The main difference between Safemove and Safemove Plus is that the latter provides some additional protection as compared to the former option. The two main things that are different in Safemove Plus are the damage waiver option and the supplemental liability insurance.
Let us look at the provisions of the Safemove Plus Plan.
1. Damage Waiver: This will cover most of the amount that you have to pay if the rental truck and equipment sustain any damages during the move. However, unlike Safemove, Safemove Plus covers the repair costs of blown tires and damages caused by overhead collisions.
2. Cargo Protection and Medical and Life Coverage: These two policies provide the same amount of protection in Safemove and Safemove Plus.
3. Supplemental Liability Insurance: This is an additional policy that isn’t included in Safemove. Supplemental Liability Insurance provides up to $1,000,000 of coverage with no deductibles. It is one of the best insurance plans offered in the moving industry.
What is Collision Damage Waiver?
This insurance policy includes a $150 deductible for accidental damages and this policy is available only for U-Haul pick-up trucks and Cargo Vans.
What is SafeTrip?
This policy was introduced in recent times. It makes your move more secure by providing you with roadside assistance if you face any issues with the truck. These issues could include trucks getting stuck in snow or mud, fuel services (if your fuel gets over), lost keys, etc.
Note: It is advisable to ask the company representative about each insurance policy in detail before purchasing any of these options.
How To Pay For U-Haul Truck Rental?
U-Haul follows a flexible payment system. You can either use cash or credit/debit cards to make your payments. If you reserve your move with a credit card, U-Haul does not demand a security deposit from you. What’s worth noting is that you have to pay the quoted price on the scheduled pick-up day irrespective of the mode of payment. The fuel and mileage charges are adjusted after the truck is dropped off at the company facility after the move.
What is U-Haul’s Cancellation Policy?
U-Haul has one of the best cancellation policies in the moving industry. You are allowed to cancel or modify the dates of your move for free, provided you do up to 24 hours before the scheduled pick-up of the truck.
Reasons to Choose U-Haul Truck Rental
1. Wide Availability
One thing that we can assure you is that U-Haul has locations absolutely everywhere. They cover all fifty states and have some locations in Canada as well. The best part about them is that their locations are close to each other. As a result of this, you can always book a move with a different facility if the facility near your house does not provide the services you need. So that means you don’t have to put any additional effort into searching for their locations.
2. Enhanced Truck Designs
Their trucks are designed to reduce your efforts while loading. Loading a truck can become tedious, especially if you own heavy stuff. All their trucks have low decks and they use wider ramps, which makes the loading process extremely easy. They also use a gentle-ride suspension which ensures that your move is smooth.
3. Mom’s Attic
They have a small compartment over the cab head which is called the ‘Mom’s Attic’. U-Haul acknowledges the fact that you might own items that are either small and fragile or very valuable. Either way, they can’t be loaded along with your other belongings. This compartment ensures the safe and secure transit of such items.
4. Truck Sizes
U-Haul offers its customers a wide variety of trucks. They make sure that there is a truck available for every type of move. In addition to that, they also provide their customers with cargo trailers and utility trailers. Their largest truck combined with a cargo trailer will give you the maximum space to transport bigger homes and the heaviest furniture items.
5. Cheaper Base Rates
The base rates offered by U-Haul are pretty cheap and pocket-friendly. Although there are many additional fees levied by them later on, the final cost still allows you to have an affordable move that is easy on the pocket. Moreover, you can always bargain with the customer service representative and get the price of your move down.
6. High Mileage Limits
As discussed before, one-way moves do not have a per-mile rate. There is a certain mileage cap that is pre-decided on the basis of the distance of your move. U-Haul makes sure that these mileage caps are high, so that you don’t have to worry about paying additional fees for extra miles travelled by you.
7. No security Deposit
U-Haul will let you rent trucks without paying a security deposit if you reserve your move with a credit card. You generally have to pay about $100 or the quoted price of the move as a security deposit if you use cash. However, using credit cards will eliminate the hassle of paying security deposits.
8. Discounts
U-Haul offers different kinds of discounts to all its customers. They have a separate discounts section on their website which informs the customers about the ongoing special deals and offers. They will offer you discounts on self-storage, one-way rental trucks, moving supplies etc.
If you are moving with a rental truck, you will probably stop at a hotel for an overnight stay, especially during long-distance moves. U-Haul has partnered up with several hotels and these hotels will offer you a flat 15% off on your stays, if you’re moving with U-Haul. To get more information on this, you can find a list of partner hotels on the U-Haul website.
9. Additional Services
U-Haul is a well-established company which can offer you with any kind of service that you need. You can always opt to rent out self- storage units or moving containers when your new house isn’t ready. They also provide you with plenty of equipment if you wish to tow your car. Moreover, you can hire helpers and purchase moving supplies from them. U-Haul strives to make your move convenient for you.
10. Contactless Services
U-Haul has taken into account the dangers of moving during the ongoing pandemic. As a result of this, they have launched a contactless service which is called U-Haul Truck Share 24/7. This service allows you to book your trucks, pick up and return the trucks and other equipment without having to physically interact with anyone.
Also See: U-Haul vs Penske Rental Review
Things to Keep in Mind before Renting U-Haul Trucks
1. No Guaranteed Reservations
U-Haul does not give you a guaranteed reservation. This means that when you are booking a move with them, you are actually just giving them a preference for the pick-up day and truck size. Your reservation with them isn’t guaranteed till the moment you actually pick-up the truck. Customers claim that you have to book your move over the phone and pay a $50 fee to get a guaranteed reservation.
However, after researching this $50 policy, we have come to the conclusion that the $50 fee does not give you a guaranteed reservation. It simply means that you will be getting a $50 refund, if U-Haul does not inform you over the phone, that the truck size requested by you isn’t available on the day of your scheduled pick-up.
So your move might get rescheduled to another day or the company will give you a larger truck. If you are flexible with your moving schedule, you can definitely consider using U-Haul. If the desired truck size isn’t available with a location, you can always drive to another location and enquire about the truck sizes available over there.
2. Additional Fees
U-Haul gives you a base rate that might seem cheap. However, there are a lot of additional fees that need to be paid as your move proceeds. They don’t ask you for an exorbitant amount of money but if you don’t enquire about these fees in the beginning, they can still come as surprise towards the end. Therefore, you must ask about all the charges before you book a move with them.
3. Inconsistent Reviews
U-Haul has a wide outreach which means that they have innumerable stores across the country. According to the customers, the quality of service provided differs from location to location. Most of the locations have received some extremely positive reviews while some have received mixed reviews. You must read up on the reviews about the location from which you are planning to rent your truck.
4. Trucks might Malfunction
U-Haul trucks are always in high demand because of which they might be subjected to some wear and tears. The company tries to ensure that the trucks are well maintained. Most of them work fine, but the possibility (as tiny as it might be) of a truck malfunctioning cannot be eliminated. You still don’t need to worry about this though. U-Haul provides its customers with roadside assistance and plenty of insurance options.
A way to make sure that a truck doesn’t break down mid-way would be to check the truck thoroughly before you pick it up. You can also take it for a test drive and check for strange noises that might be coming from its engine. Inspect every corner of the truck and make sure that the truck gives to you does not have any mechanical issues.
Is U-Haul Truck Rental Right for you?
U-Haul has been in business for a lot of years now they have been doing well because they do provide their customers with high-quality services. We do recommend choosing U-Haul Truck Rental for your move as it will provide you with budget-friendly moving options with several added benefits and different kinds of moving services. U-Haul should work for you as long as you have a flexible moving schedule.
See also: Penske Review | Budget Truck Rental Review | Ryder Truck Rental Review
