Finding a Truck Rental Service

Death, taxes, and moving: Why is it that the things that are the most inevitable are also the most depressing? Nobody likes moving, they may like the excitement of a new place or starting a new phase of one's life, but nobody likes rolling 4 dozen glasses in newspaper or soft-packing material. Finding a truck rental service is not the most pleasant process of moving, either. It's kind of like trying to find an honest car salesman and a reliable auto mechanic at the same time, while transplanting everything you own and starting your life over. Once you've decided you're ready to talk to a local truck rental service company, here's a couple things you can expect from the process and a few tips to make the process easier.

Planning Ahead Will Save You Money
The price of renting a moving truck varies widely from company to company, from day to day, from month to month, from state to state. The price of renting a truck works almost purely on supply and demand—the fewer available trucks, the more people asking for one, the higher the price, and vice versa. Here's the extreme: Moving from Los Angeles to a small, Midwest town (where nobody ever leaves), leaving on a Friday afternoon, at the end of the month, in the middle of winter: Plan on working an extra year before you can retire and maybe throwing in one of your kidneys for a deposit.

Still, one thing you can do that will almost always save you some money is to plan ahead and get an early reservation. Truck rental services are more likely to give you a lower price if they know they still have half a dozen other trucks to rent out that day or week. If possible, try to avoid moving at the end of the month. See if you can rework your leasing agreement or the terms of closing on your new home to reschedule the move-in date. Try to rearrange your work schedule, too, so you can move during the week. The more of these conditions you meet the less expensive renting your moving truck is likely to be. If you're really on the ball, you might try talking to truck rental services to see how much each condition will save you in overall cost.

Requirements for Renting a Moving Truck
A deposit is required before renting a truck. Some companies insist upon a credit card deposit, others will accept a cash deposit. The requirements for renting a truck vary by company, but all renters must have valid drivers' licenses. If the renter is handicapped, they must bring proof that the person who will be driving is licensed. Some require the driver be 18 years old, 21 years old or 25 years old. The person who rents the truck is responsible for the truck in case of an accident or theft, even if someone else is driving the truck. Some companies allow more than one person to be covered if arranged in advance and/or for an extra fee.