At Exodus Moving and Storage, we highly recommend hiring professional movers to ensure that your stuff gets where it needs to go safely. But, we also understand that sometimes you have to move items on a small scale, and that might require renting a moving truck or van of some sort. Since we want you to be safe no matter how you move (or what you’re moving!), we’ve compiled a list of things to look for when renting any kind of moving truck.
Tip 1: find out what’s included first! When you call a moving truck rental company, the person on the other end of the phone may not provide you with every single detail you need to know about. This could be a problem if you want to book a truck that has a special size, tie-down options, or other items. Never assume that you’re getting exactly what you have in mind, and always ask about extras first.
Tip 2: make sure your reservation is solid. This might sound strange, but some rental companies don’t actually reserve the truck you have requested. What? That’s right! Some companies will reserve a truck that kind of represents what you wanted when you booked, and some may not have anything that’s close to what you wanted. This brings me to my next point…
Tip 3: read all of that fine print. If the guy on the phone didn’t tell you everything (and he probably didn’t!), make sure to check out a company’s finer print on the truck rental website. Most of the time, websites will feature all of the details that you need to know. If that information isn’t available on a site, ask a customer representative to send you details via email.
Tip 4: plan where to park beforehand. If you’re renting a really big truck, you may want to find parking spots along your route that are easy enough to navigate. If you’re just moving one item to a new location, scope out the area ahead of time. If you live in a packed city, you may need to get a special oversize-parking permit first.
Tip 5: towing a car? You’ll quickly discover that some moving vehicles can’t actually tow cars! You’d think those trucks would be big and strong enough to tow any car, right? It’s actually not the case at all. If you need to tow a car, make sure to ask (and reserve) a truck that has towing capacity.
Tip 6: budget for gas. You will have to return the truck the same way that you found it, and that means that you will have to bring it back with the same amount of gas. But, that doesn’t mean that the truck will be filled up when you pick it up! Most of the time, trucks are at a quarter or half tank; so keep this in mind (and budget accordingly!).
Tip 7: ask for a loading gate. Some trucks have loading gates or ramps that can be lowered and heightened when you need size adjustments. If you’re moving something really heavy, this kind of a truck can be very useful.
Tip 8: bring your own dolly. Some truck rental companies will throw a dolly into the back of the truck (and cloth pads) to make your life easier, but most will not do this. If you need any extra moving equipment, make sure to ask (or bring your own).
Tip 9: buy the insurance. You never know what you could get into along the way, so do purchase that extra insurance (just to be safe).
Tip 10: find out mileage pricing beforehand. Mileage prices vary from company to company, but this isn’t something that you’ll want to find out last minute.
Another Option
Just from reading through these tips, you can probably discern that moving anything isn’t simple. Plus, renting a moving van can be costly and difficult at times. If you are just moving one thing, this might be a good choice. But, most of the time, hiring professional movers to handle all of the details is the way to go – so you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.
We know that you have questions about moving, so feel free to ask us. We’re here to help you out with moving of all kinds, and you never know what you might learn when you give us a call. For more moving tips and information, send us a note or call one of our knowledgeable movers – we are one of those full service moving companies that can help with anything. We’re here to make your move simple!