U-Haul Truck Rentals: The Ultimate Guide


U-Haul offers numerous trucks and other services that help you move your belongings safely and efficiently. It’s no secret that moving can be one of life’s most stressful events, but you can use these rentals to take some weight off of your shoulders.

If you want to know more about U-Haul truck rentals, you’re in the right place. They’re designed to allow you to move everything with a budget-friendly price. Pick your size, calculate the mileage total, and start loading up the truck to move!

The rest of this article will contain information to help you with your U-Haul rental, including:

  • Discovering all of the different U-Haul movers available
  • Costs and rates of various U-Haul trucks
  • A detailed description of the entire process from start to finish
  • Instructions on how to return and pay for your U-Haul rental

What Types of U-Haul Truck Rentals and Movers are Available?

U-Haul offers two separate services, both of which are equally useful in their own right.

  • Self serve. The first service is its famous truck rentals

    Also of Interest: 7 Best Lightweight Truck Campers for Short Bed Trucks (2022). They have all sorts of options available to any mover. Whether you’re packing up to move to a new home or you need assistance when you’re changing offices, they have what you need.

There are so many U-Haul rentals to choose from, but the most popular models are included below.

Pickup Trucks 

Pickup trucks are a common choice for people who only need to move a small piece of furniture, a TV, and so on. They’re easy to drive, and most people feel very comfortable behind the wheel. If you’re worried about operating one of their big trucks, this medium-sized pickup will be a good option.

Alternative option: consider Home Depot truck rentals. They are very cheap ($20/90 minutes). So if you have a simple move and just need a pickup truck, then consider HD. They are pretty quick and it is an easy process.

Cargo Vans

Cargo vans offer a step up from pickup trucks when it comes to moving. U-Haul’s cargo vans are spacious and perfect for moving a few pieces of furniture as well as small household belongings. Moving into your first apartment, college dorm, or an office calls for a cargo van!

The U-Haul 10’ Truck 

The U-Haul 10′ truck is a fantastic moving choice. In fact, it’s one of the best options all around. It’s debatably their most popular option on the website currently. Furnish your apartment, set up a bedroom, or use it for a few trips to move all of your house’s belongings

Also of Interest: How Much Does It Cost To Furnish A Bedroom (2022).

Pros

  • Inside: 9’11” x 6’4″ x 6’2″ (LxWxH)
    • You can stand up in it with 2 guys to get a sofa. Make sure you measure the sofa 1st!
  • Deck floor is 2’5″ off the ground
    • This is one of the best parts of the uhaul trucks…their ramp and deck are very close to the ground. This means you won’t have to pull your butt off and use all your force to get your crap into the uhaul. The ramps are higher on other types of trucks…which makes it much harder to push, pull your stuff up the ramp.
  • Door Opening: 5’11” x 5’7″ (WxH)
  • Max Load: 2,850 lbs.
  • Towing Capacity: Up to 6,000 lbs

    .
  • Cab specs:
    • A/C
    • 2 people…no you can’t fit a whole family.
    • Air bags, seat belts, radio, good mirrors

Cons

  • No loading ramp in smaller 10 foot trucks. So you will have to use a little muscle to get you stuff in the truck.
  • Its not ideal for an apartment or house move.
    • Volume: 402 cu. ft.Remember, this is every cubic square foot used…which no one ever does.
  • No back up camera. Use a spotter to back you up so you don’t run anyone over.
  • Poor gas mileage (all trucks do, unfortunately)

Ideal customer: Really small move (few pieces of furniture, or washer, dryer or dorm move.

The U-Haul 15’ Truck 

The U-Haul 15′ truck is a top option for people who own small houses or large apartments. If you want to skip the multiple trips from a 10’ truck, then you should opt for this truck.

If you’re on the verge of filling up a 10′ truck, then you should consider 15′ truck since it holds 50% more stuff. It is only a little bit more than the 10′ truck and will save you a lot of time.

Other Trucks

U-Haul also offers several other truck sizes, including 17’, 20’, and 26’ trucks. All of them are useful for big moves, boasting upwards of 3 to 4 bedroom moves

  • MEDIEVAL CASTLE ROOMS: FASCINATING EXAMPLES FOR YOUR HOME!
. It’s all up to you to decide which of these large trucks will work. Keep in mind that you can make multiple trips, but some trucks tack on a bit more for mileage.

Trailers

If you have a trailer hitch, then you should try out one of U-Haul’s trailers. They include a 4’ x 8’ model, a 5’ x 10’ model, a 6’ x 12’ model, and a couple of others. You can also choose from utility trailers and auto transport trailers for your vehicles.

It should also be noted that U-Haul offers a U-Box service. This allows you to fill up a box to be transported from one place to another, removing the need for wheels. You can move it yourself or request that U-Haul comes to pick it up and move it for you.

As far as mover services are concerned, U-Haul is as good as it gets. 

They perform four primary services:

  • Loading and unloading of your items from point A to point B
  • Packing and unpacking before and after the move
  • Home cleaning to make your new or old home look fresh and clean
  • Heavy furniture and specialty moving

If you’re on the fence about their moving services, you can rest assured that there are no cancelation or rescheduling fees. You can also request a quote to know how much it’ll cost before you start the move. Once the move is finished and you’re completely satisfied, you can pay them when it’s all done.

What are the Costs and Rates of Renting a U-Haul Truck?

U-Haul offers some of the best prices compared to other moving companies. Most of their vehicles come with their respective prices labeled on the side in paint. 

However, you can currently expect to pay around $19.95 for the average U-Haul truck. The large vehicles come out to around $10 to $20 more depending on the size that you choose.

It would be best if you also kept mileage in mind when you’re using a U-Haul vehicle. The current mileage prices for U-Haul trucks range from $0.59 to $0.99 per mile.

You’ll also have to pay for a refill charge to top off the tank if you return the truck without any gas in it. So fill the tank before you return the truck. They will charge you more than you would have if you got the gas yourself.

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However, despite these potential fees, it still costs less than most other companies.

These prices are only for local moves within the area. For an accurate quote or ballpark of how much you’ll spend for big moves (100+ miles), contact U-Haul directly or try out their online calculator. One of the main reasons for using U-Haul to move long-distance is the fact that you can return your vehicle to any U-Haul location.

What’s the U-Haul Truck Renting Process Like?

U-Haul does its best to make the moving and rental process as easy as possible. 

The rental process for U-Haul starts with a quote. However, you can skip the quote by renting a truck, heading out to your moving location, and start packing. They take note of the mileage and gas left in the tank before and after the move to calculate the moving costs. Don’t worry about those parameters unless you want to put in gas to avoid the fee.

Once you’re done using the U-Haul rental, you can return it to any of their locations, as mentioned previously. After the agent adds up the days used, mileage driven, and gas left in the tank, you can pay. Most U-Haul facilities will also do a quick inspection to make sure that the vehicle isn’t damaged.

Other than that, there’s not much else to it! U-Haul is fairly beginner-friendly when it comes to moving services. Choose the size, pack and move, return it, and pay. If you need help, don’t shy away from asking for their movers’ assistance.

What Do I Need to Do Before Returning My U-Haul Truck?

When you’re all done moving, and it’s time to return the truck rental, you should fill it up with gas to the agreed amount. This will be discussed before renting the truck, so you don’t have to worry about hidden fees. You should also check to see if you scuffed or otherwise damaged the vehicle in any way and take note of it.

When you return the vehicle, take your paperwork and the keys into their office. Everything will be done in there, followed up by the inspection mentioned above. Pay once it’s all said and done, then you can head back home!

U-Haul also offers a self-return option that you can follow through an app if you need to give it back before or after opening hours.

Summary

Here’s what you should take away from this article:

  • You can choose from several truck sizes, depending on which one you need for your move.
  • Feel free to use their moving services for additional help.
  • Review local prices through their calculator. This price is agreed upon by adding mileage prices, gas left in the tank, and the price of the vehicle rental.
  • Return your rental through the self-service app or in-person with the keys and paperwork.

D. Hahn

DIY guru, dad, husband, blogger. When I'm not creating life hacks I'm teaching my kids how to fix stuff after their dad breaks it.

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