RENTAL TRUCK TIPS

Here are some points to cover and questions to ask when renting a truck for your move.  There are different price points and different characteristics that you should factor in before you choose a rental truck facility.

1.  Decide what size rental truck you need before you call for quotes.  Most truck rental facilities have a general guide of what truck to use for a studio apartment, one bedroom apartment, two bedroom apartments or house, but for accuracies sake, visit our move calculator  on our home page to see how many cubic feet of household goods you have.  Once you do that, you can call facilities to get quotes.  Get the inside dimensions of the potential rental trucks box and multiply length by width by height in feet to get the capacity in cubic feet.  For instance, a 24’ long truck box, that’s 8’ wide 8’ tall, has a maximum capacity of 1536 cubic feet.  Since furniture and boxes don’t load perfectly, give yourself a 20% margin of error when figuring your needs.  If you have a house with 1200 cubic feet of household goods you should be ok with a 24’ rental truck if loaded properly, if you have 1475 cubic feet with the same truck, you may end up with an overflow.
2. Decide whether you should rent a diesel or gas rental truck.  Diesels get considerably better m.p.g, for the longer distance moves a diesel can be better.  When renting a diesel vehicle, however, the weather can play a factor.  A diesel engine, when under about 32 degrees Fahrenheit, should be “plugged in” overnight to insure that it will start.  What “plugged in” means is there is an electrical plug coming out of the engine, that can be plugged into a garage or outdoor electrical box that powers a small heating element in the oil pan.  This helps the vehicle start on cold days.
3. Make sure the vehicle you are renting has the characteristics you need.  To tie down your load your rental truck should have slats to tie nylon straps to or “etrack logistics” (slotted metal rails that special nylon buckle straps can clip into).  For loading, most rental trucks have a built in ramp to walk up or a lift gate to lift items up into the rental truck.  A translucent roof (opaque fiberglass) on your rental truck can help light shine through better than an aluminum roof, making it easier to work and see your load.  The outside height of the truck is also something that can affect you.  If you’re renting a truck in an urban area with low bridges, etc, a shorter truck, can make navigating your city a lot easier.  It can also save you money since roof damage is generally NOT covered by the insurance taken from truck rental facilities.

When comparing pricing with the different rental truck facilities, know that they are not all the same. 

Ask these questions:

What is the per day rental rate?  Is there a grace period if returned in more than 24hours?  (do I get charged for a whole 2^nd day if I have the truck returned 24hours and 45 minutes)?

If I return the vehicle after hours, how do I confirm my actual charges?  And the vehicles condition?

What are my insurance options and the costs of each?

What is the per mile rate? (These can vary from .12 cents per mile to over .50 cents per mile) Are there any miles included with the per day rate?

Is there a surcharge if the vehicle is brought back with less fuel than it had when it was checked out?  What is the per gallon charge for fuel (it’s going to be way higher than typical pump price).

Are moving blankets/pads included with the truck rentals?  How much are they if they have to be rented, or can they be rented?

Are dollies, 2-wheelers, 4-wheelers included with the truck rental?  They can make transferring your items from house to truck a little easier if used properly.

These are just a few rental truck tips to help make a self move easier.  Get referrals from friends or business associates and always make reservations way in advance to avoid problems (especially on busy summer weekends).