Prior to the actual move, we’re often faced with the dilemma of whether to move completely with professionals or by ourselves while renting a moving truck. Both options have their pros and cons of course, and in the end, the decision can be made solely on your personal preferences. We’ll leave professional moves behind us for now and focus on the truck rental option. How to rent a truck for long distance move, what are the things to pay attention to, how much do you have to spend, etc. The answers to all these questions await you in this article, so read on and welcome the moving day thoroughly prepared.
Which are the main options for renting a truck?
If you were wondering which options are on the table when renting a moving truck, here’s an answer. We have the one-way rental as well as round-trip rental. In most cases, these are the only two options you’ll have, but you really don’t need any more. Again, as for most relocation dilemmas, these two types of truck rentals have their pros and cons, which we’ll discuss in more detail.
One-way rental
As the name says, this method of renting is for one way only. You would pick up a truck near your old home, or the starting point of your journey, travel with it and leave it at your destination. Nation and state-wide companies are giving you this option, and it’s usually the most convenient one, especially for long distance moves. For example, if you’re moving far away, say from California to Nevada or Arizona, let alone some East Coast state, this gives you an opportunity to just transfer your items and leave the truck at your destination. If the relocation coming your way is similar to this one, then it’s quite obvious that asking the best moving companies in California to rent you a truck for a one-way trip is the right choice.
Round trip rental
Once again, the answer to what kind of method this is lies in its very name. Choosing a round-trip rental would mean that you pick up a truck at your old home, drive it to your destination, unload it, and drive the truck back to its starting point. So, you would have to drive the same route twice, and then travel to your new home once again without a truck. At first, this may not seem like an option that anyone would take. But, its appeal lies in the price, although only when it comes to shorter trips. Yes, we know that you’re here for a long distance move. But even a long distance move doesn’t have to be too long, and round-trip rental may be worth it.
Let’s take South Florida as an example. If you’re moving between two places in South Florida that aren’t more than 70-80 miles away from each other, you can consider asking best moving companies in South Florida for a round-trip option of renting their trucks. It’s not a huge trip. It’s not difficult to get to the destination after bringing a truck back to a company. And, it may benefit you financially. So, all that’s left to do is to actually see the prices and see which option suits you the most.
How much does it cost to rent a truck for long distance move?
Well, one of the first questions to ask your movers is how much they charge, whether they will be the ones moving you, or you’re just looking to rent their truck. Of course, each company has its own rates, but usually, they are very similar. When it comes to renting a truck, the cost is mostly based on the distance, although some other things could be factored into the price. Below, we will show you the average prices for both one-way and round-trip rentals based on the distance you’re traveling.
- 25 miles; One-way – $150, Round trip – $80
- 50 miles; One-way – $160, Round trip – $150
- 100 miles; One-way – $210, Round trip – $280
- 200 miles; One-way – $300, Round trip – $500
So, as you can see, prices for round trips vary a lot, mostly due to fuel costs being calculated times two with every mile since you would be going back and forth. Meanwhile, one-way trips are steadily increasing in price, and the same logic applies to moves over 200 miles as well. Therefore, you will pay much less for a round trip if your old home and a new one aren’t too far away, but over longer distances, one-way rental becomes a more affordable option.
Make sure that the truck you’re renting has enough space for your items
The size of the moving truck is a very important thing. You need to find a truck that fits your items. Needless to say, it can’t be too small, because you couldn’t fit in all your items. However, it shouldn’t be too big either, because that would put your items at risk of damage during the trip. One of the facts about long distance moving companies is that they’re really knowledgeable regarding this matter. They could easily help you find the truck that fits you, so make sure to ask for it.
Ultimately, if you don’t feel like driving a truck, you can always hire professionals to do the job
If you still haven’t thought about you driving a moving truck, know that you have to be sure of your abilities to do so before actually renting a truck. The last thing you need is to delay the trip and waste money. Even if you’re a good car driver, driving a moving truck is a slightly different thing. The other thing is also if you don’t feel like doing it. Luckily, if you ultimately decide that you don’t want to rent a truck for long distance move, you can always hire professional movers from your area to the work for you. It may cost you more, but sometimes, it’s truly worth it. We hope that you’ve found this article very helpful and we wish you the best of luck with your move.