Is Renting a Uhaul as Cheap as it Sounds?
We’ve all seen the giant $19.95 emblazoned on every Uhaul truck that drives by. Unfortunately if you’ve rented one of these trucks recently, you have likely found out that it can actually cost quite a bit more than the stated $19.95 to rent one of these trucks for the day.
Potential Additional Charges:
Gas
You can expect your Uhaul truck to get around 9-12 mpg.
Mileage
Uhaul charges $1.09 per mile for all of their box/cargo trucks from 10’ to 26’.
Insurance/Damage Protection
Uhaul offers Safemove damage protection for $14. This covers damage and theft of your U-Haul truck and any damage to your belongings.
Equipment
Need a dolly and some blankets? You probably don’t have these items on hand and U-Haul is quick to offer them to you. Just tack on another $10 for a dolly and $10 for a dozen moving blankets/pads.
Environmental Fee
U-Haul also requires that you pay a small $1 environmental fee per rental.
Dropping off at a different location
There are usually additional fees for dropping off at a location different than where you picked up the truck from. Be sure to let your U-Haul representative know that you are planning to drop off the truck at a different location before completing the paperwork.
Now lets look at some examples and see how much you may actually spend on a U-Haul truck:
Notes:
1. Each of these examples assume the same pickup and delivery location. There is a substantial fee to dropoff at locations other than where you picked up the truck.
2. The rates shown are for Southern California and were taken from the U-haul website in April 2017.
What else should I consider when renting a U-haul truck?
Driving a Large Truck
You will have to drive the truck. Sometimes these trucks are quite large. Make sure you are comfortable driving it before renting it.
It can take a lot of time
You should plan on setting aside at least a half day to rent the truck and complete the task. You’ll need time to pickup the truck, drive to the first location, drive to the second location, and drop off the truck. You’ll likely need just a half day if your picking up a couple items within the city. You’ll want to set aside a full day if you plan on moving your 1-2 bedroom apartment/condo.
Summary
As you can see, the price of renting a U-Haul truck can change dramatically depending on your needs. It is however, usually the cheapest option when moving if you have the necessary equipment and you don’t mind spending your time and labor to do the all of the heavy lifting. If you are getting ready for you move, checkout our How to Pack For Your Move article.