If you’ve decided to move yourself, and you want to hire a rental truck, you should know what options are available to you. While most cities will have many local options for you to choose from, there are five major national rental truck companies: U-Haul, Budget, Penske, Ryder and Enterprise.
Here’s what you need to know about each one:
U-Haul
U-Haul is by far the most popular and well-known rental truck company out there. Here are some notes…
- Over 20,000 locations across the U.S.
- Widest selection of truck rental options: pickup trucks, cargo vans, 10’, 15’, 17’, 20’, 26’ trucks. Added bonus: even their smallest truck (10’) can tow vehicles.
- A number of cargo, utility and car trailers available for rent.
- U-Box containers: these are basically portable storage containers.
- One month of free self-storage with one-way equipment rentals.
- Guaranteed reservations: if the equipment you reserved is unavailable when you need it, you get $50.
- Storage/packing materials available for purchase: boxes, tape, furniture pads, plastic wrap, bubble wrap, etc.
- Reserve with cash, credit or debit cards.
- Offers one-way move options (good for long distance moves).
Budget
- Four different vehicle options: cargo van, 12’ 16’ and 24’ trucks. The 16’ and 24’ trucks both have 3 seats available in the cab, tow capacity and a loading ramp for easy loading.
- Car carriers and tow dollies available for rental.
- You can also rent furniture pads and hand trucks (dollies).
- No reservation guarantees. Of course, Budget claims they do not overbook, but sometimes overlap can happen, and if it does, you’re left in the dust.
- Credit card required for reservations.
- Offers one-way move options (good for long distance moves).
- Discounts for military, veterans, students, police, fire and EMT, AARP, motor club and Bar Association members.
Penske
- Large fleet of over 50,000 trucks, which Penske claims are the newest and best-maintained vehicles in the business.
- 2000 pick-up/drop-off locations, including all Home Depot locations.
- 12’, 16’, 22’, 24’ truck rental options. Loading ramps and vehicle towing available on the three largest truck options.
- Packing supplies available for purchase, including boxes, tape, furniture pads, mattress bags, hand trucks, box cutters, bubble wrap, etc.
- Offers vehicle towing equipment rentals and self-storage options.
- Guaranteed reservations if made 48 hours in advance.
- Offers one-way move options (good for long distance moves).
- Discounts for military, veterans, students.
Ryder
- 500 pick-up locations across the continental US.
- Rental options include cargo vans and 20’ and 26’ trucks, both of which have lift-gates.
- No vehicle towing options available for rental and you are not allowed to tow your own trailer if you have one.
- Does not offer one-way move options, so best for local moves. You can take the truck as far as you want, but you’ll have to return it to the same place from which you picked it up.
- Credit card required for reservations.
Enterprise
- 250 pick-up locations across the continental US.
- Many rental options: 15’, 16’, 24’, and 26’ trucks, ½ ton, ¾ ton and 1 ton pickup trucks and five cargo van options. The largest three trucks have lift gates.
- No vehicle-towing equipment available for rent. To tow your vehicle, you’d need to rent the ¾ ton or 1-ton pickup truck and use your own car carrier or tow dolly.
- No one-way rental options, so only good for local moves.
For more information on rental trucks, check out our guide on Finding the Best Rental Truck Deal.
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