Choosing the Best One-Way Truck Rental

Are you moving out of state or across the country? Rather than hiring a moving company, you can tackle the move yourself by getting a one-way truck rental. In this article, we’ll provide some information about how to find the company that best suits your needs.

We’ll cover rental options, truck and cargo van specs, how-to book, and helpful tips.

U-Haul

U-Haul is one of the oldest and most well-known truck rental companies in the United States.

They offer customers lots of truck rental options as well as the option to rent a cargo van.

Also, with thousands of rental locations around the United States, it’s simple to get a vehicle for a one-way trip.

Truck rental

U-Haul has several rental truck options.

10-foot truck: max load weight of 2,810 lbs and enough space to accommodate furniture from a studio or one-bedroom apartment
15-foot truck: max load weight of 6,385 lbs and enough space to accommodate furniture from a one or two-bedroom apartment
17-foot truck: max load weight of 5,930 lbs and enough space to accommodate furniture from a two-bedroom apartment
20-foot truck: max load weight of 5,605 lbs and enough space to accommodate furniture from a two or three-bedroom apartment

Cargo van rental

U-haul has a nine-foot cargo van available for rent with the following features.

Dimensions: 9’6″ x 5’7″ x 4’7″ (length, width, height)
Maximum load capacity: 4,000 pounds and 245 cubic feet of space
Automatic transmission and seating for two adults
Cargo vans can accommodate furniture for a studio or a small one-bedroom apartment

Booking a one-way truck rental

The most efficient way to book your U-Haul rental is to reserve it online.

Or, if you prefer, you can schedule your reservation over the phone. When booking a long-distance trip with U-Haul, the price includes a seven-day rental period and a set amount of miles.

During the booking process, you can add extra packing supplies if needed. These items include furniture dollies, boxes, and even a towing mechanism for your car.

What’s factored into the rental price

Mileage and fuel costs
Environmental fee and taxes
Insurance coverage (an optional expense)
Where you plan to pick up the truck or cargo van
Where you plan to drop-off the truck or cargo van
Dates of your rental period

Helpful tips

Before you hop in and start driving, check for scratches, dents, or other types of damage.

If you see anything unusual, ask a Uhaul employee to write it down.

Feel free to ask questions about any and all of the fees included in your one-way truck rental.

But before agreeing to the quoted price, make sure you’re not paying any unnecessary expenses.

Penske

Penske has some of the best vehicles in the truck rental business. All vehicles undergo regular maintenance and get cleaned and inspected before each rental.

Every couple of years, Penske swaps out older models for newer ones to give customers the best possible moving and driving experience.

Furthermore, Penske offers 24/7 roadside assistance, although trucks rarely have issues.

One of Penske’s best selling points is the free unlimited mileage they offer to customers booking a one-way truck rental. This inclusion in the rental cost makes Penske a budget-friendly option for a one-way trip.

Rental truck and van options

12-foot high-roof cargo van: recommended for large pieces of furniture or appliances, up to one room worth of stuff
12-foot truck: max load weight of 3,100 lbs and can accommodate furniture from one to two rooms, or a studio apartment
16-foot truck: max load weight of 4,300 lbs and can accommodate furniture from a one or two-bedroom apartment
22-foot truck: max load weight of 10,000 lbs and can accommodate furniture from a three to four-bedroom house

Features

Automatic transmission
Power steering and anti-lock brakes
USB or AUX input
Bucket seating for a driver and one passenger
Cargo tie rails and roll-up door in the rear
Cargo partition with access door
Nonslip wooden floors
Interior lights for nighttime driving

To book online with Penske, use the “Get a Quote” button on their site to get a quote and complete your reservation.

Budget

Budget is one more company that offers one-way truck rentals to its customers. So, if you’re moving from one state to another, Budget gives you an affordable option.

When comparing the price to U-Haul and Penske, Budget consistently quotes lower prices. And they usually have extra discounts to give prospective customers.

Also, when comparing their one-way package to competitors, they include eight days of driving time compared to seven days.

Finally, you can get unlimited miles during your one-way trip when you book with Budget.

Rental truck options

Even though other rental companies offer more truck options than Budget, it’s hard to beat their prices.

Here are the three truck rentals they have:

12-foot small truck: max load weight of 3,100 lbs, can accommodate furniture from one to two rooms
16-foot medium truck: max load weight of 3,400 lbs, can accommodate furniture from three to four rooms
26-foot large truck: max load weight of 12,000 lbs, can accommodate furniture from five to eight rooms

You can find Budget rental centers in many locations spread throughout the U.S. So, finding a Budget location to drop your rental truck off shouldn’t be difficult. Like the other companies discussed, Budget lets you schedule your trip online.

Even more, if you need to tow a car behind the truck, you can rent a towing dolly from them.

And they can supply you with furniture pads and boxes if you need them.

If a DIY move sounds like too much time and effort, you could pursue another option.

For instance, you can sell or donate your furniture, and consolidate your personal items into three to four suitcases.

Then you can look for fully equipped and furnished apartments by Blueground or other companies.

Having the option to rent a move-in-ready home could be your solution to relocating without the hassle.

Tracking Down a One-Way Truck Rental