Where can I find the cheapest moving truck rental?

It takes some planning to coordinate a move— it can also take a chunk of your savings if you're not careful!  For those of us who don't want to break the bank, trying to find the cheapest moving truck rental seems like a natural solution.  However, there are a few budget-breakers that you should consider before locking down a rental truck.

The first thing to keep in mind is the fuel cost.  Most rental trucks get an average of 6 to 10 miles per gallon.  If you're moving 1,600 miles using the current national gas average of $2.95/gallon, you're looking at a minimum of $472 just for fuel.  Plus, if you're towing a vehicle or driving through the mountains, the fuel economy on a rental truck gets worse.  Even the cheapest moving truck rental still has to have fuel to make it anywhere!

Other costs associated with driving a rental truck are the actual travel expenses.  Sometimes referred to as ’soft costs', things like hotel stays, meals while you're on the move, and road tolls fall into this category.  Since the maximum recommended speed for rentals is less than 60 MPH, you may not cover as many miles per day as you could compared to driving in your own vehicle.  That makes it hard to avoid staying at least a night or two in a hotel when making a long distance move in a rental truck.  Although you may find the cheapest moving truck rental, those extra costs can quickly diminish the perceived savings of using a rental truck.

Self-move alternatives like ABF U-Pack actually compare to truck rental rates— and U-Pack prices already include the fuel, taxes, and tolls.  The best thing about U-Pack: an ABF professional does the driving.  You're free to drive yourself without frequent stops for fuel, better handling on curves in the road, and no worrying about your belongings sitting in a parking lot should you need to stop at a hotel for the night.

Don't spend time searching for the cheapest moving truck rental.  Get a free U-Pack moving quote online, or call us at 800-413-4799.  If you have questions, leave us a comment!