One way Rental

 

One-way moving truck rentals are becoming increasingly available—and popular—across the industry. Convenient for both long-distance and local moves, it comes without the stress of having to drive a truck back to the point of origin. Often, rental companies will offer incentives and discounts to those driving a one-way rental, and some companies even offer unlimited mileage for a flat rate. With so many options to compare, the choice can seem overwhelming. Here, we condensed a comprehensive guide to one-way moving truck rentals to help you understand the process.

What is a one-way moving truck rental?

A one-way moving truck rental is simply a truck rental that you do not have to return to the point of origin. For example, if you were moving from New York City to Daytona Beach, Florida, New York City would be the point of origin, and Daytona Beach would be the destination. At the point of origin, you would rent a truck, drive from there to the new destination, then leave the truck at the Daytona Beach rental location. One-way moving truck rentals are extremely useful for long distance moves, but they are also convenient for short distance moves. In fact, one-way local moves are often cheaper than long distance by up to half the price. The stress of driving the rental back to the point of origin is no longer when renting one-way. It is a low-stress, simple option for both provider and consumer.

When should you consider renting a moving truck one-way?

When considering renting a moving truck, one-way would be your best option for long distance, time-sensitive local moves, or for short-distance moves without a need to return to the point of origin. Renting a moving truck one-way for long-distance moves is one of the best reasons to choose one-way, especially if the rental company does not offer unlimited miles. Driving the rental hundreds, if not thousands, of miles back to the point of origin is a hassle you want to avoid. In addition, renting one-way for short-distance or local moves may still be a great option, because if you’re in a time crunch, or simply do not need to go back to the point of origin, you can unpack, return the truck locally at your new destination, and settle in. That way, you’re not paying for extra miles, risking traffic on the way back, or having to fill up with fuel yet again!

Interstate one-way moving cargo/ van rentals

The process of reserving a one-way moving truck rental for the interstate is nearly identical to reserving a local one-way moving truck, but the biggest difference will be the type of vehicle and insurance types. Often, when reserving a moving truck for the interstate, you will be selecting a larger vehicle, most likely a box truck or the next size down. Check your local rental companies for truck availability at the size you desire. Be sure to let them know your point of origin and your destination, as this is how the company will determine the price of your rental. You will then have to purchase insurance for your trip, any add-ons you desire, such as fuel plans and toll services, then make the deposit for your reservation.

Upon arrival the day of your rental, the rental company will ask for your driver’s license and two identification methods to ensure you are qualified to purchase the rental. Be sure to remember that if you are renting a commercial truck, you must possess a valid CDL. After that, you load up, drive to the point of origin, unload, and return the truck to the drop-off location. Any fees, such as damages not covered by insurance, will be paid upon drop-off.

Local one-way cargo van and box truck rentals

Just as with the interstate one-way moving truck rentals, find your local rental company and check their availability for the size truck you need. Give them your destination, and once you have your price, make sure to still buy the insurance you’ll need for your trip! Things can still go wrong in a local move, and you want to be protected.

You’ll be asked for a driver’s license and two valid forms of identification upon arrival the day of your rental. You will not need a CDL for anything the size of a box truck or smaller. Then load up, get to your new location, unpack, and return the truck to the drop-off location in your new destination. Again, any fees will have to be paid upon drop-off. With proper insurance, most of these fees can be avoided, but some are unavoidable. They can charge you a fee for the next fill-up for the vehicle if you return it low on fuel!

Choosing a one-way moving box truck or rental cargo van for a long distance move

When moving long-distance, choosing the proper-sized vehicle for your one-way trip is ultra-important. Before you can even assess how much you’ll have to transport, the most important question to ask yourself is: how comfortable are you driving a large vehicle? If the answer is not at all, the cargo van is your go-to. It’s small and compact, but there’s still enough space for a large amount of stuff. You can always add on a small tow-behind trailer to bring more stuff with you. If you’re comfortable driving large vehicles, then any size is an option for you.

The other question to ask yourself is: how much stuff do you have? If you’re moving from a studio apartment, you won’t need more than a cargo van. If you’re moving from a three-bedroom house, a box truck is a must. Do not underestimate how much stuff you have, because if you run out of room in your truck, it’s hard to switch out the size on-demand. Most companies have no issues with availability during off-season, but during the busy peak-season, you will not be able to suddenly switch your rental. Be absolutely certain that you will have enough room in the truck you rent. If you have any doubt whatsoever, get the next size up!

Another thing to think about is fuel mileage. If you are on a tight budget, large box trucks will not be your friend. Compact cargo vans would get the best fuel mileage. If you have more stuff than you can fit into a cargo van, smaller moving trucks still get decent gas mileage, especially compared to box trucks. Address your budget and take fuel mileage into consideration before choosing your rental.

The benefits of renting a one-way box truck for moving

Although you may be able to fit all of your stuff into a smaller moving truck, a box truck may be your best option. They are almost always available, especially for one-way moves. Moving truck rental companies have fleets chuck-full of these vehicles. They are almost guaranteed to fit all your stuff with ease. You can even use products such as furniture pads and foam pads to cushion all of your more fragile items without worrying about running out of room. And speaking of room, the driver’s cabin has much more space to stretch out in than a cargo van, which is especially useful on those long-distance moves.

A one-way box truck also has a large fuel capacity, so you will not have to refuel as often and can take to the road for longer stretches. In addition to this fuel capacity, inclement weather will not delay your trip nearly long when driving a box truck, as these heavy-weight vehicles do not struggle to maintain friction with the road during rainy or snowy weather. Hydroplaning and slipping on snow are much rarer in these vehicles.

Additionally, if you’re in need of bringing your car to your new location, but do not have an extra driver, box trucks can easily tow your car behind with rented equipment from the rental company. They can also tow a trailer for any miscellaneous large items or extra stuff that did not fit into your truck. A one-way box truck rental ensures that you don’t have to worry about a return trip or bringing an extra truck—it can bring it all, and it can bring it all safely.

Round trip moving truck rentals versus one-way moving truck rentals – pros and cons

Round-trip moving truck rentals have their merits. If you’re simply renting a moving truck for a day event, like a traveling show, a round-trip moving truck would be perfect for you! In addition, if you’re planning to return to the point of origin for any reason, as in the situation of moving in small increments over time, a round-trip truck would be very convenient. The price of a local round-trip moving truck rental is also super cheap compared to one-way local truck rentals!

Unfortunately, round-trip for long-distance moves is just not practical. Not only is it very inconvenient to have to drive the truck all the way back to the point of origin, but you can run into more delays and inclement weather, which can threaten late fees and damage. Not to mention, all those extra miles and fuel-ups on the way back will skyrocket the price of the rental. It’s overall a very stressful situation for long-distance moves.

Instead, for long-distance moves, one-way truck rentals are the best bet. The convenience of having a drop-off location local to the new living space reduces the stress on you for an already stressful life event. There are also great discounts out there for one-way rentals, especially if you’re driving into a city in need of trucks! The lack of a return trip means less driving time and less risk of things going wrong. If unlimited miles aren’t an option at your rental company—which is rare, as it’s almost become a standard for long-distance truck rentals—one-way is still your best option because you drive only half the miles of a round-trip rental. Less miles, less problems, less money!

One-way rentals still have a few drawbacks, however. If you are making a local move, one-way rentals cost around twice as much as round-trip rentals. In addition, if you need to return to the point of origin, one-way doesn’t account for that extra trip, and you’d have to reserve another vehicle and go through the rental process all over again.

What is the average price difference of a one-way moving truck rental?

When compared to round-trip rentals, one-way rentals typically cost 2-3 times less for long distances. Round-trip tends to have a price per mile and a limited number of days, whereas one-way tends to have a flat rate for unlimited miles and more days. Those miles on the return trip for round-trip rentals add up quickly and drive up the price of your rental. If you are moving locally, however, round-trip truck rentals can cost up to half the price of one-way truck rentals. The discount will depend on the company you work with. For example, it would cost about $269 to rent a 20-foot U-Haul truck to drive one-way from Chicago to Indianapolis, including up to 2 days and 221 miles. For that same truck and distance round-trip, the cost would shoot up to close to $700. This is due to the extra miles and the extra driving day for the return trip. At around 100 miles, one-way becomes cheaper than round-trip.

Insurance for one-way moving truck rentals

Insurance is a must when renting, especially for one-way long-distance moving truck rentals, although all insurances are available to renters regardless of whether they are renting one-way or round-trip. The main insurance policies for moving truck rentals are as follows:

Damage Waiver: This covers all damage caused to the vehicle during the duration of the rental.

Limited Damage Waiver: The renter is only responsible for $500 worth of damage and the company covers rest.

Supplemental Liability Insurance: This policy protects the renter against hitting another vehicle, but it has certain exclusions and exceptions, and only covers up to $1 million.

Personal Accident and Cargo Protection: This plan protects you and your belongings while inside truck, but there are still exceptions, such as no coverage against theft or shifting cargo.

Auto Tow Protection: This policy covers damage done during transportation to a trailer rental due to fire, collision, flood, hail, windstorm, landslide or explosion.

Roadside Assistance Protection: The renter is provided 24/7 roadside assistance without additional charge, including replacement of lost keys, flat tire services, jumpstarts, and fuel delivery service.

Additional insurance bundles are offered directly through moving companies to cover what the main policies do not, such as SafeMove through U-Haul, which offers extra medical assistance for the driver and all passengers in the vehicle. As with all insurance plans, do your research, read the fine print, and make sure you are covered for any and all circumstances.

Calculating mileage and fuel cost during a one way move

Mileage and fuel cost can be a big concern during a one-way move, especially if it is a long-distance move that charges by the mile. To calculate your mileage and fuel cost, first enter your point of origin and your destination into Google Maps, Apple Maps, or a similar mapping application. Let the system calculate a few routes, choose one that suits your needs, then write down the predicted mileage of your chosen route. Multiply the predicted mileage by the price-per-mile your rental company quoted you, and the product will be your mileage cost.

Next, to calculate fuel cost, either look up the average miles-per-gallon estimate for your chosen vehicle or ask the rental company for their estimate. Make sure you ask for highway miles-per-gallon, as there is a big difference between miles-per-gallon for the highway versus in-town driving.

Once you have both your mileage and your miles-per-gallon estimate, divide the mileage by the miles-per-gallon. The product will be the estimated gallons of fuel you will use on your trip.

Take the estimated gallons of fuel and multiply it by the average price of gas or diesel fuel (depending on your vehicle). The product is your estimated fuel cost!

If you are worried about delays or construction changing your plan, find two alternate routes you will likely take and repeat the process above for calculating your mileage and fuel cost. Always plan for extra fuel stops and extra miles! If you have a backup plan for if things go wrong, you will not be shocked or stressed when they do.

As a side note, take into account the time of year you are moving. During peak-season, both the price-per-mile from the rental company and the price-per-gallon of fuel will go up. If you’re on a tight budget, and you have control of the timeframe of your move, try not to move during spring!

What to look for when renting a one-way moving truck and how to get the best rate

The name of the game when looking for a one-way moving truck is options, options, options! The more options you have, the more likely you are to find the availability, price, and extras you need. The first thing you’ll want to look for is multiple different vehicle size options from the rental company. With more size options, you’ll likely find a truck that fits your exact needs for a smaller price. In addition, the more drop-off locations near your destination, the better fit the company will be for you. More drop-off locations will mean less driving for you once you get to your destination. Often, companies with a high density of drop-off locations near your new living space means they are always in need of more trucks driving into the city, so you’ll likely be offered a discount just for driving there!

Another thing you will want to look for is the add-ons the rental company offers. One-way trailer rentals and tow-behind car supplies rentals are a huge plus when moving long-distance. 24/7 roadside assistance is included in some companies’ insurance bundles for a low price, so gravitate toward the companies that offer this! Also look for companies that offer unlimited miles for a flat rate or flexible drop-off dates, as this will take much of the stress out of the trip. Rental companies that offer storage on-site at drop-off locations are great to look for, too, especially if you’re not able to move in immediately upon arrival. Some companies provide packing materials, loading assistance, and unloading assistance for free or for a small fee, and these are some great options to look for, too!

For the best price, search for companies with flexible dates, flat rates for unlimited miles, all-inclusive insurance bundles, and fuel plans. These tend to keep the cost of your one-way rental down. Additionally, try not to move during peak-season, as this will shoot up the price of your rental. Move during winter to avoid the high prices and low availability of peak-season.

No matter what your situation is, always look for the company that offers the best options to fit your needs and your budget!