Moving into a new home? It’s really vast! But to be frank; it entails a ton of logistics that can leave you dizzy. The first one on your checklist: figuring out how to really haul all your stuff from the old to the new place. For many people, renting a truck and doing-it-yourself is the way to go. After all, there is total control and some serious cash savings.

But wait, now you have some new questions popping up. Which company is really reliable? What size truck do you need, anyway? And what’s the deal on all those sneaky fees lurking in the fine print?

Don’t you worry; we’ve got your back. We’ve thoroughly researched the top moving truck companies, their pros and cons, estimate pricing, and check their availability. By the end of this article, you will know exactly which truck rental will ease your move without breaking a sweat.

Why You Should Consider DIY Truck Rental for Your Best Move

Before jumping in to compare companies, let’s just make sure that this is truly what you need. Yes, full-service movers are convenient, but there are some very nice benefits to renting your truck:

• Big Checks on Your Cost: This is the biggie-cost. You are pretty much trading off your time and muscle power for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars you would have otherwise paid to a moving crew.
• Aces Your Flexibility: You run the entire show. Pack when you want, load when you want, and drive on your schedule. How cool is that?
• Peace of Mind About Your Stuff: No one else is touching your stuff. So there is no worrying about things getting misplaced or damaged by a stranger or accidentally end up in some other truck.

Now, to be honest, this will require extensive planning. If you’re still not sure, comparing handling it yourself versus hiring the pros might be worthwhile, especially for something more complicated like residential moving.

Quick Comparison: The Top Moving Truck Rental Companies

Company	Best For	Price Point	One-Way Rentals	Key Feature
U-Haul	Unbeatable availability & local moves	$	Yes	Largest network of locations by far
Penske	Long-distance & one-way moves		Yes	Newer, high-quality fleet & free mileage
Budget	Discounts & budget-conscious movers	$	Yes	Frequent discounts and promo codes
Enterprise	Large or specialty commercial moves		Limited/No	Wide variety of truck sizes & great service
Ryder	Commercial moves & business rentals	$	Yes	High-quality commercial-grade trucks

In-Depth Reviews: The Best Moving Truck Companies

Let’s dig into what makes each of these companies worth your time.

U-Haul: The Ubiquitous Mover

When you think DIY moving, you think U-Haul. With over 21,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada, they’re basically everywhere – and that’s exactly why they’re so hard to beat.

Why They Made Our List (The Pros):

• Unmatched Convenience: Nobody else even comes close to U-Haul’s massive network. You’ll find pickup and drop-off spots practically anywhere, which is huge whether you’re moving across town or across the country.
• Guaranteed Reservations: Here’s something cool – U-Haul puts their money where their mouth is with a $50 guarantee. If your truck isn’t ready when promised, they’ll actually pay you $50. Nice, right?
• Extensive Equipment Selection: These folks have everything. We’re talking trucks from tiny pickups to massive 26-footers, plus all the boxes, tape, furniture pads, and dollies you could need. Need to tow your car? They’ve got that covered too.
• Competitive Local Pricing: That famous “$19.95” deal for local moves? It’s usually the cheapest starting price around (though watch out for those per-mile charges).

Potential Drawbacks (The Cons):

• Per-Mile Fees Add Up: Here’s the catch with those local moves – you’re paying $0.69 to $1.29 per mile, which can really bump up that final bill.
• Fleet Condition Varies: With so many trucks out there, you might get a shiny new ride or something that’s seen better days. It’s a bit of a lottery.
• Customer Service Can Be Hit-or-Miss: Your experience really depends on where you pick up. Could be a great corporate center or just some guy at a gas station who doesn’t really care.

Truck Sizes & Offerings:

• Pickup Trucks, Cargo Vans: Great for small studio moves, single items, or quick store runs
• 10′ & 12′ Trucks: Perfect if you’re in a studio or tiny one-bedroom
• 15′ Truck: Works well for 1-2 bedroom apartments
• 17′ Truck: Just right for a 2-bedroom home
• 20′ Truck: Handles 2-3 bedroom homes nicely
• 26′ Truck: The big kahuna – built for 4+ bedroom homes

Who is U-Haul Best For?
People who want the easiest possible pickup and return, especially if you’re just moving across town.

Penske Truck Rental: The Long-Distance Champion

You’ve seen those bright yellow Penske trucks cruising down the highway. There’s a reason they’re everywhere on interstates – these folks know how to handle cross-country moves.

Why They Made Our List (The Pros):

• High-Quality, Newer Fleet: Penske keeps their trucks in tip-top shape. We’re talking newer models that sip gas better and won’t leave you stranded on the roadside.
• Unlimited Miles on One-Way Rentals: This is the game-changer. Moving cross-country? Your quote covers all the miles – no watching the odometer and doing math in your head.
• Excellent Customer Support: These guys get it right. Professional service and 24/7 roadside help that actually shows up when you need it.
• Valuable Discounts: Got AAA? In the military? College student? Penske’s got discounts that can take the sting out of their higher prices.

Potential Drawbacks (The Cons):

• Higher Upfront Cost: You get what you pay for. Penske costs more than U-Haul or Budget upfront, but for long hauls, it’s often worth it.
• Fewer Locations: With about 2,500 spots, they’re not as everywhere as U-Haul. Could be tricky if you’re in the middle of nowhere.
• Environmental Fee: Heads up – they often tack on an environmental fee at checkout. It’s not huge, but it can catch you off guard.

Truck Sizes & Offerings:

• Cargo Van: Perfect for small loads and quick deliveries
• 12′ Truck: Just right for dorms and studios
• 16′ Truck: Their sweet spot – ideal for 1-2 bedroom apartments
• 22′ Truck: Handles 2-3 bedroom homes comfortably
• 26′ Truck: Built for bigger 3-5 bedroom homes

Who is Penske Best For?
Anyone making a long-distance move who wants a reliable truck and doesn’t want to stress about mileage costs.

Budget Truck Rental: The Deal Hunter’s Dream

Just like the name suggests, Budget’s all about saving you money on your move. They’re right up there with the big names like U-Haul and Penske, but here’s the thing – they’re basically the coupon champions of truck rentals.

Why They Made Our List (The Pros):

• Aggressive Discounting: Budget’s got promo codes for days. Seriously, take five minutes to search online and you’ll probably find a discount code (think AARP, military, student, police/fire/EMT) that’ll knock 10-25% right off your bill. Nice, right?
• Large and Widespread Fleet: With over 2,800 locations and 30,000 trucks ready to roll, you won’t have to drive far to pick one up. Plus, they’ve got every size you could need.
• Transparent Quoting: No mysteries here – their online booking shows you exactly what you’ll pay, and it’s super easy to plug in those discount codes.

Potential Drawbacks (The Cons):

• Reservation Reliability: Here’s the not-so-great part – some folks have shown up to find their reservation wasn’t honored, especially when everyone’s moving in summer. Their guarantee isn’t quite as solid as U-Haul’s.
• Fewer One-Way Miles: They do offer one-way rentals, but you won’t get as many free miles as Penske gives you. Go over? You’ll pay for each extra mile.

Truck Sizes & Offerings:

• Cargo Van: Perfect for small deliveries or tiny moves.
• 12′ Truck: Got a studio or 1-2 rooms? This’ll do it.
• 16′ Truck: Works great for 2-3 rooms or your one-bedroom place.
• 26′ Truck: The big kahuna – handles 3-5 bedroom homes.

Who is Budget Best For?
If you’re the type who loves hunting down deals and knows how to work those discount codes, Budget’s your best friend.

Enterprise Truck Rental: The Customer Service All-Star

You know Enterprise from their car rentals, but guess what? Their truck division is pretty impressive too, especially if you’re moving across town or need something special like a pickup. They’ve brought that same “we’ll pick you up” energy to their truck game.

Why They Made Our List (The Pros):

• Exceptional Customer Service: These folks know how to treat customers right. Enterprise always tops the charts for satisfaction, and their staff actually makes renting a truck feel easy (imagine that!).
• Well-Maintained, Diverse Fleet: Just like their cars, their trucks are usually newer and super clean. Need a pickup or stake-bed truck? They’ve got you covered with options the other guys don’t offer.
• Great for Local Moves: Their pricing and vehicle choices are spot-on for moving within your city or when you just need a pickup for the afternoon.

Potential Drawbacks (The Cons):

• Very Limited One-Way Rentals: Here’s the catch – Enterprise is all about round trips. You can’t really pick up a truck in one city and drop it in another, so forget about them for cross-country moves.
• Mileage Caps: They’ll give you a decent chunk of miles (like 300 miles for 3 days), but go over and you’re paying extra.

Who is Enterprise Best For?
If you’re staying local and want top-notch service with a pristine truck – or if you need something specific like a pickup or stake bed – Enterprise is your go-to.

Ultimate Guide on How to Choose a Moving Truck

You have heard about all the players in the big game, so next comes the most important question: how to choose them. Let’s take this one step at a time:

Step 1: Measure Accurately as to What Size You Will Need.

One of the most atrocious mistakes most people make when relocating is choosing the wrong truck size, i.e., too small to fully accommodate items so they have to waste time making too many trips carrying items or too large that they waste money on the extra space that will not be used, and nuisance of dealing with the thing.

• What am I moving beyond counting the rooms? Huge sectional that hardly fits through doorways? A king-size bed? That old fridge you really can’t seem to let go of?
• When in doubt size down: Look, the price jump between truck sizes is usually pretty minimal. But the headache (and cost!) of running out of space? That’s a whole different story.
• Checklist it: Believe me, I know this: the surest way to know just how much space you will need is to make an entire list of everything you own. Our full moving checklist is sure to have your back this time around to ensure you don’t leave anything behind.

Step 2: Know What the Cost Really Is (Understanding Your Quotation).

This is what both these do not come through with at the call: that online price? Well, it’s not what you would really pay. Here’s what goes on, really:

• Mileage Fees: This is what they optionize under local renting (U-Haul, Budget, Enterprise).
• Mandatory Insurance/Damage Waivers: Damage waivers or insurance are very important in guarding your wallet. We’ll dig this next.
• Environmental Fees: A very tiny fixed charge that the companies love to attach to their pricing.
• Taxes: Yes, even Uncle Sam.
• Equipment Rentals: Are you dolly-ing, furniture padding, and hand trucking? Extra.
• Fuel: Here’s the kicker-once you drop that baby back off, it has to have the same amount of gas, but if it doesn’t, they hit you with some crazy-high rate per gallon to refill it.

Pro Tip: Most worth their weight in salt would advise getting quotes online from at least three companies, comparing those “all-in” prices-this could surprise you.

Step 3: To Buy or Not to Buy Insurance.

Let me put it down straight: Oh, and really, you’ll want to go rental insurance almost 99% of the time.

What is the argument?

• Most of the time it doesn’t: your personal auto insurance would generally not cover a moving truck. Most policies contain a weight limit; most moving trucks exceed that limit.
• No, Credit Card Coverage Doesn’t Apply: True, that fancy credit card is supposed to provide benefits in consideration of rental cars, but not for moving trucks. You’re out there taking care of yourself.

Risk Too High: Actually, it’s easy to picture you handling this huge and unfamiliar truck and something happens, and there goes tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. That
        20−20-20−

•      
  40 a day damage waiver suddenly becomes a pretty darn good deal to sleep well at night.

Step 4: { declutter } ANONT before moving in

Why should you pay to move things that you do not even want anymore? Honestly, decluttering before a move is one of the smartest things you can do; it saves you money on the truck rental, saves you tons of time not packing an endless horde of stuff, and saves you time on unpacking in the new place.

As you sort through everything, make three piles: Keep, Donate/Sell Really for the stuff that’s broken or nobody wants, a professional junk removal service can come in there before you even start boxing things up.

Step 5: Random Preparation for Moving Day with Your Rental Truck

You did it-all done and booked! So let’s make sure everything goes down smooth sailing like the wind.

• Inspect the Truck Before You Leave: Walk around that truck. Do you see any scratches or dings? Put them on the rental agreement. It’s time to check those tires, mirrors, and loading ramp. Fire that engine, crank on the A/C radio, and make sure the gas gauge is right with what’s on paper.
• If you load the truck with professional packing:
  • Heaviest things first: Your refrigerator, washer, dressers? They go up front near the cab.
  • Balanced weight from left to right: Keep things balanced from left to right.
  • Built tiers: Stack everything tight-think solid walls of boxes and furniture so nothing slides around.
  • Protect your furniture: Those are your friends-those furniture pads and blankets. Use ’em.
• Handling Furniture Correctly: A lot of huge things-bed frames, dining tables, huge bookshelves-need to come apart to be able to be transported safely. Prepare for this! Not comfortable playing furniture Tetris? Professional assembling & disassembling services can handle this simply to ensure nothing is damaged.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Will a Driving licence be needed to drive a Rental truck?
A: No! All the normal rental trucks (26 ft) will have no problems with your normal driving license. U-Haul, Penske, Budget are just a few examples.

Q: Can I tow my car behind the moving truck?
A: You can! Most companies do-take U- Haul and Penske for examples-rent car carriers and tow dollies that will hook with their trucks. Just be sure your car is safe to be towed and you’re okay driving a long one.

Q: What Happens When a Moving Truck Breaks Down?
A: No worries because all the big rental companies have 24/7 roadside assistance. Exactly why you hang with those reputable companies. Someone will come out to either fix it or, if needed, bring you a replacement truck.Q: When should I book my moving truck?
A: Minimum of 2-4 Weeks Prior. Moving in the summer, end of month, or on a weekend? Get it booked 1-2 months out. That’s when you’ll have much better luck on availability and might even find better pricing.