the Price of In Town Truck Rentals

Moving truck rental for in-town move, including boxes and two dollies.

Last December, I helped my friends move. They had gotten other people to help as well, and wanted the job to be done as quickly as possible. I had always rented the smallest trucks available and returned them the same day, so I was rather surprised when I pulled up to their house and found a 24' truck sitting there.

When packed correctly, a 24' truck will easily hold the contents of a three-bedroom home, including diningroom and rec-room. My friends' house wasn't quite that big. When I got into the house, I discovered that they were using a number of boxes from the truck rental company. This is something I had always avoided, because I was sure those boxes were more expensive than they were worth. I also noticed that they were using two dollies--one standard sized and the other a utility dolly.

When my friends rented the truck, they paid a $100 cash deposit. (They don't use credit cards.) They were given a number of boxes which were labeled with the types of items that should go inside. The truck had a full gas tank, the utility dolly, a smaller dolly, and several thick pads for protecting your furniture and/or appliances from scratches.

The amount of the deposit to be kept by the truck rental company was determined by what had been used when the truck was returned. Had they not broken the seals on any of the items and if they had returned the boxes unused, then they would have received a refund of about $40. Instead, they used everything, returned the truck the next day, and received a refund of about $20 from their $100 deposit. Of course, they had to fill the gas tank back up before they returned the truck.

I was sure a 24' truck was too much, but thinking back, I have realized that the small truck I usually rent would have required much more time and several trips between the houses. In this case, they saved time and effort, as well as some gas money. The dollies made moving the large items easier and saved several backs, and the boxes were just the right size for those miscellaneous items that had not been packed yet.

When you are ready to move, take a very good inventory of what you have. If you pack as much as possible ahead of time and put it all in one room, it will give you a much better idea of the volume of your belongings. Be sure to consult with the sales person at the rental place. They are trained to help you determine the right size truck to use. You are not required to use any of the conveniences they offer, but be sure to take into account how many people are helping you and the amount of time you have to complete your move. Sometimes saving time and effort is worth the extra money.