Under the specific circumstances that surround your upcoming residential move, sometimes attempting a self-move might be the better course of action for you and your family in terms of price. Your informed decision to move locally or to another state altogether without using the reliable services of a top rated moving company is usually a brave move that should be the result of a careful analysis of the pluses and minuses of both major types of residential moving.
In addition to being a bold decision, DIY moving not only requires you to play an extremely active role in your own household move, but it also demands impeccable organization from you as each self-moving mistake can inflict more damage due to the lack of professional counseling and assistance.
Still, nobody understands your own relocation needs better than you, so if you’re seriously thinking of renting a moving truck, loading it together with a few friends and driving that big vehicle to your new home, then you must definitely understand what one way moving truck rental is all about.
Read on to find out what moving one way means when it comes to renting a moving truck and how you can and should take full advantage of the convenient idea behind one way moving truck rental.
What is one way moving van rental?
If you somehow manage to get a really good truck rental deal, then you’re likely to save money as renting a moving vehicle is expected to be your biggest expense when moving by yourself. In reality, it all comes down to understanding how the truck rental price is formed and then doing whatever is necessary /see below/ to reduce that quoted price through proven cost saving techniques. And, of course, one of these factors affecting the final cost directly is the move distance between the two homes.
If you’re moving within the same city, then you can easily return the rented truck to the same location from where you picked it up in the first place. This is the ideal self-moving scenario as the truck rental company should charge you less. Why? Because they won’t have to possibly incur more costs by having to drive the vehicle empty to another location in order to balance out their fleet to answer the needs of their customers.
However, if you’re moving to another city in the same state or even to a city in a different state, then you will be asked to return the vehicle at the lot of the rental company that is nearest to your new address. That convenient drop-off method is known as one way moving truck rental (one way move) and here we will explore its benefits and flexible options. Also, we will cover in detail various ways to save money when renting a moving van.
Have you made up your mind yet which one way truck rental company to use?
Remember that you’re not only looking for the cheapest truck rental agency – you’re primarily looking for the cheapest one way moving truck rental company that has offices in or near your destination city. This is actually your very first step – to verify that the rental agency whose services you will use offers moving truck rental one way to your desired destination point. Otherwise, you will have to drive back all the way to the point of origin to return the vehicle, which in reality will defeat the purpose of attempting a self-move in the first place.
When searching for reputable one way moving truck rental companies, you are strongly advised to contact nationwide or the local van rental agencies in your area and ask them for free quotes of the final costs. And right there and then, while filling out those costs calculators on their respective websites or discussing the details of your move over the phone, you are required to submit both pickup and drop-off locations, together with your pickup date, so that the rental experts on the other side can work out a customized offer for your specific needs. Don’t forget to ask for binding quotes too.
Then, once you’re holding the binding quotes of the one way moving truck rental companies, follow these quick steps to single out the rental agency that will work out best for you:
Compare carefully the quoted prices. Generally speaking, these prices should be somewhat similar but sometimes there can be big differences. Each truck rental company has its own algorithm and internal logic of forming their tariffs, and at times good timing is all you need to get a great one way moving deal.
If you’re eyeing local truck rental companies, run those agencies with the Better Business Bureau to check if they have any complaint history.
Ask your friends and coworkers if any of them can recommend a one way truck rental company they may have used recently. Any recommendations from trustworthy sources will be more than welcome as they will help you single one the one rental agency that is right for you.
In general, calling up a few one way moving truck companies for price estimation and advice concerning your decision to rent a moving vehicle will tell you a lot about the levels of professionalism and customer support of your future partner. Good rental companies will take the time to give you all the information you might need and will try to win you over as a new customer by responding adequately and professionally to your needs and requirements.
Major national one way moving companies to consider for your one way move:
This is vital – one way moving means that you’re planning on driving to a new home that is a fairly long distance away from your current home. And to be able to do just that with no strong headaches or costly setbacks, you will need to select the right size of moving truck rental. Which size you pick in the end does matter because
choosing a much bigger one way moving truck will mean that you are practically paying for storage room you won’t be able to utilize completely and your items will have a higher probability of being damaged unless you load and secure them really well, while
choosing a smaller truck can be even worse because you will need to leave some of your stuff behind (not a good option), make multiple relocation trips (depending on the move distance it can be simply impossible), or swap the rental truck for a bigger one (that option may be out of the question depending on the exact time of your move).
Always opt for a one way moving truck rental with larger capacity than you think you need for your stuff.
Calculating the right size of one way moving truck can be rather tricky and you’d better consult the experts at the truck rental agencies before anything else. As guidance, truck rentals are supposed to hold a specific amount of household items that are measured in cubic feet. For example, a 10’ truck should be okay if you’re moving out of a studio apartment while a 17’ van should be enough for the items found in a 2-bedroom home. Need more space for your stuff? Moving truck rentals one way go up to 26’ vehicles which should fit most of the items found in a 4+ bedroom homes.
Take a look at our Truck Rental Guide with useful information about the various truck rental sizes. If you’re still not sure which size of rental van you need or you feel more confused than before, contact a few van rental agencies or directly the one you’ve already chosen and seek advice from their specialists. In most cases, the price and current availability will limit your options which should simplify the decision-making process.
How to save money when renting a moving truck one way
Ultimately, it’s good to remember that you’ve decided to rent a one way moving truck instead of hire a full service moving company with only one goal in mind – to save money, if possible. However, when the bottom line is drawn after the completion of the household move, you might find out that your preliminary calculations have not led to a clear winner when it comes to going with the more affordable relocation option.
To really save money when renting a moving truck one way, take a closer look at the following time-tested cost reduction techniques:
Go with the cheapest one way moving truck rental company. This is pretty obvious but it can still serve as a reminder to do your homework right – get price estimations from various rental agencies and compare carefully the received quotes before making up your mind.
Choose your pickup date wisely. You may not know this but renting a one way truck during the peak moving season (May-September) is more expensive than doing so in the off-peak season. Also, one way moving vans are in greater demand at the beginning and the end of the month when rental leases tend to expire so you should avoid these periods, if possible.
If we could somehow disregard the bad climatic conditions, winter would have been a great season to rent a one way moving truck.
Book your one way moving truck in advance. Ideally, you’ll have the flexibility to rent the vehicle you need mid-month in the off-season. To save even more cash, book your affordable move as early as you can, preferably a few months in advance to get a genuinely good deal.
Get the one way moving truck with the right capacity. As explained before, getting the correct size of vehicle is more important than you might think. When in doubt, consult the knowledgeable experts from the rental companies or rent a larger vehicle than you originally intended.
Look for good deals on moving truck for rent one way. Some truck rental deals are better than others, so it’s just a question of how much time and resources you can spare for a more thorough research. Reduced rates as a result of seasonal discounts is one thing, getting one way unlimited mileage is something completely different. Deals such as unlimited miles on one-way truck rentals anywhere in the country are hard to pass up, aren’t they?
Avoid perfectly avoidable penalties and extra fees. If you’re not careful enough, your one way truck rental company can overcharge you for neglecting a few minor details on your van rental contract. For example, if you return the rented truck late, with less amount of fuel in the tank as expected or dirty, expect to be overcharged for the inconveniences you’ve caused. To stay on the safe side, read carefully the chargeable items before you sign the rental agreement.
Rent a truck or hire a professional mover?
It’s hardly surprising that one of the very first dilemmas people face when moving house is whether they should attempt to a self-move by renting a moving van or whether to hire the services of a professional moving company. The chances are you will probably be asking yourself this very question as well.
Understandably, the overall moving cost will be the initial criterion for the upcoming comparative analysis, and as such, it’s definitely a good idea to know what professional movers will offer you for the same unchanged parameters of your forthcoming move. Yes, the quoted price is often the deal breaker or the deal maker but it’s essential to keep in mind that a number of other essential factors should influence your decision as well – time, safety, insurance, experience, equipment, and risk.
The DIY vs Movers conundrum is still puzzling millions of people each year.
Self-Moving vs. Movers will help you understand better which relocation option is the right way to go for you and your family since it draws direct comparisons between the two major types of residential moving. What you win and what you lose in each moving scenario is a good way to figure out what you need. Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that unless you answer yes to all of the following 5 self-move prerequisites, your decision to move on your own against all odds could easily turn into a disaster.
You’re moving locally within a move radius of around 100 miles or you’re moving to a neighboring state;
You don’t own any specialty items in your home such as a piano, a pool table, a hot tub, antique furniture, and other expensive or sentimental pieces that require special packing and moving techniques;
You have a bunch of loyal friends who will give you a hand when you need it the most and won’t back up in the last moment;
You have previous experience in organizing and executing a self-move, and that self-move was successful;
You have previous one way moving truck rental experience, plus you know the basic rules of loading a moving truck and the safety rules of driving a moving truck across the country.
I reserved a truck with Budget Truck rental for Saturday October 22 in Naples Florida on Bonita Beach Road. I phoned ahead to the manager to ensure my truck would be there when I arrived. He would not confirm but would only say “it should be here” – I asked him twice more to confirm my reservation and again, he would not, only saying “it should be there,” and never saying it would (or would not) be there. My wife and I drove 160 miles (2 and 1/2 hours) from the Tampa area and arrived at the rental location just after it opened on Saturday morning. THERE WAS NO TRUCK. The manager shrugged and said he did not know where the truck was and could not help me locate another. I asked him to phone me if a truck became available. I did not hear from him. My wife and I called and drove to other truck rental locations for the next two hours until we found an alternative at a higher price ($50 higher than our Budget quote) through Penske. The Penske agent told us the difference between them and their competition was that they guaranteed their reservations. Had I known my reservation was not guaranteed but only a “hope” – I would never have used Budget. What is the point of a reservation without a guarantee? The experience I had with Budget was deplorable and a terrible business practice.
You did an amazing job explaining the process of renting out a truck and how to do it in the easiest way possible. One thing that stuck with me was that you should find a company that will let you rent the truck, fill it up, drive it to where you are relocating to, unload it and then drop it off at the nearest shop. Finding a company that is big enough for us to do this will be the task at hand since we do live in a smaller rural town. With that being said, we will be careful of the prices when they do quote us. Thanks again!
This was an extremely helpful article and I appreciate you taking the time to write it. I do know that U-Haul will rent you ‘guys’ to load and unload your truck for you. It’s about $100 bucks an hour with a two hour minimum. Saves wear and tear on you and your friends. Not as cheap as pizza and beer, but you’re getting professionals.
Also, driving a 26′ truck is not like driving your normal vehicle. Keep that in mind before you consider going with the big one.
Thank you for explaining the importance of getting the right size truck to move your things. I never thought about how your things could be damaged if you get something that’s too big. We’ll be sure to look into this so that we can get the perfect size for our home.
My husband and I would like to find a moving truck rental service so that we can move across the state in one trip. We have 5 mattresses and a lot of large furniture pieces like couches and television sets to move. Your information that we should look into a moving company’s reviews on the Better Business Bureau before hiring them is really helpful.
I like the idea of getting the cheapest rental service by getting prices estimation from various rental agencies to do that you can compare them and choose the most affordable one which offers the best quality service. My boyfriend and I are planning to rent a moving truck service as we are moving across the state in just one trip. I will suggest the idea to my husband so that we can find a low-cost truck rental service.
I think renting a truck because I need to self-move is the best option for me right now. Since I have an impeccable organization, I’m sure handling this move by myself will be a breeze. Thanks for saying that no one understands my own relocation needs than me so I will consider renting a truck next week so I can move out of my mother’s home.
Thanks for the tips on getting rentals for moving trucks. I am going to move so I can live closer to work. I’ll be sure to find a rental service so I can get a truck for moving.
I was surprised to read that we should rent a truck if we’re moving locally. It makes sense how this would be helpful so you wouldn’t have to go back and forth with your car to move. My sister is moving across the city soon. I’ll let her know this so that she can look for a moving truck to rent.
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Under the specific circumstances that surround your upcoming residential move, sometimes attempting a self-move might be the better course of action for you and your family in terms of price. Your informed decision to move locally or to another state altogether without using the reliable services of a top rated moving company is usually a brave move that should be the result of a careful analysis of the pluses and minuses of both major types of residential moving.
I reserved a truck with Budget Truck rental for Saturday October 22 in Naples Florida on Bonita Beach Road. I phoned ahead to the manager to ensure my truck would be there when I arrived. He would not confirm but would only say “it should be here” – I asked him twice more to confirm my reservation and again, he would not, only saying “it should be there,” and never saying it would (or would not) be there. My wife and I drove 160 miles (2 and 1/2 hours) from the Tampa area and arrived at the rental location just after it opened on Saturday morning. THERE WAS NO TRUCK. The manager shrugged and said he did not know where the truck was and could not help me locate another. I asked him to phone me if a truck became available. I did not hear from him. My wife and I called and drove to other truck rental locations for the next two hours until we found an alternative at a higher price ($50 higher than our Budget quote) through Penske. The Penske agent told us the difference between them and their competition was that they guaranteed their reservations. Had I known my reservation was not guaranteed but only a “hope” – I would never have used Budget. What is the point of a reservation without a guarantee? The experience I had with Budget was deplorable and a terrible business practice.
You did an amazing job explaining the process of renting out a truck and how to do it in the easiest way possible. One thing that stuck with me was that you should find a company that will let you rent the truck, fill it up, drive it to where you are relocating to, unload it and then drop it off at the nearest shop. Finding a company that is big enough for us to do this will be the task at hand since we do live in a smaller rural town. With that being said, we will be careful of the prices when they do quote us. Thanks again!
This was an extremely helpful article and I appreciate you taking the time to write it. I do know that U-Haul will rent you ‘guys’ to load and unload your truck for you. It’s about $100 bucks an hour with a two hour minimum. Saves wear and tear on you and your friends. Not as cheap as pizza and beer, but you’re getting professionals.
Also, driving a 26′ truck is not like driving your normal vehicle. Keep that in mind before you consider going with the big one.
These are some great tips and it proves that its the true efforts which make your blog a successful one.
Thank you for explaining the importance of getting the right size truck to move your things. I never thought about how your things could be damaged if you get something that’s too big. We’ll be sure to look into this so that we can get the perfect size for our home.
My husband and I would like to find a moving truck rental service so that we can move across the state in one trip. We have 5 mattresses and a lot of large furniture pieces like couches and television sets to move. Your information that we should look into a moving company’s reviews on the Better Business Bureau before hiring them is really helpful.
I like the idea of getting the cheapest rental service by getting prices estimation from various rental agencies to do that you can compare them and choose the most affordable one which offers the best quality service. My boyfriend and I are planning to rent a moving truck service as we are moving across the state in just one trip. I will suggest the idea to my husband so that we can find a low-cost truck rental service.
I think renting a truck because I need to self-move is the best option for me right now. Since I have an impeccable organization, I’m sure handling this move by myself will be a breeze. Thanks for saying that no one understands my own relocation needs than me so I will consider renting a truck next week so I can move out of my mother’s home.
Thanks for the tips on getting rentals for moving trucks. I am going to move so I can live closer to work. I’ll be sure to find a rental service so I can get a truck for moving.
I was surprised to read that we should rent a truck if we’re moving locally. It makes sense how this would be helpful so you wouldn’t have to go back and forth with your car to move. My sister is moving across the city soon. I’ll let her know this so that she can look for a moving truck to rent.
Very Impressive! This article helps me to understand the whole concept of Truck rental
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