Truck Rentals

Making Smart Moves with a Truck Rental

When you make a move you have a lot of expenses to consider. Hiring moving companies is a costly affair. If you have the money then there is not much holding you back; if not, you still need to figure out a safe and sensible way of getting your belongings to your new home in one piece and with as little hassle as possible. One of the most sensible and cost effective options available for the moving process is a truck rental service. The big names in the business of truck rentals are Penske, U Haul, and Ryder. There are smaller players in the fray also and these are cheaper than the big names; however their facilities and services offered may not be as good.

A truck rental is a great way to get your moving process completed with ease and peace of mind. You are in control of all aspects of the moving process and the risk of your belongings getting damaged during any part of the moving process is minimized as you are supervising everything and are taking personal care of all aspects.

A truck rental company offers you various plans so you may choose as per your convenience. You could opt for a self service option or a full aided service. In the self service option you may choose to drive yourself or enlist a company driver to do the driving for you.

Some tips for choosing a truck rental company

• Plans on offer: Good truck rental companies have a variety of plans to choose from. E.g. unlimited truck rental, one way truck rental etc.

• Size Issues: When choosing a truck rental company, see that the company is offering you a variety of truck sizes to choose from. Common truck sizes range from 10 to 26 feet.

• Storage: If you have the need for temperature controlled storage see that the company you are considering actually has that facility on offer

• Additional facilities: A truck rental company should offer aid in terms of packing, loading and unloading apart from the actual truck on offer. It should offer you packing materials that you may pick up from them; it should offer you moving aids such as dollies and trolleys.

• Truck condition: Make sure to check out the condition of trucks on offer. A good truck rental company will have well maintained trucks with good brakes and tires. The seating should be comfortable as you have long distances to cover and you do not want to develop shoulder or back trouble on the way.

• 24/7 is a must: You never know when you might have a breakdown. The bigger truck rental companies have 24/7 on road assistance to aid you in case of any untoward incident.

A few things you should keep in mind:

• Bookings: A truck rental company has its peak season in May to September. Book well in advance if you are planning to undertake your trip during these months.

• Radii of turning: Trucks have larger radii of turning than cars. It is important to keep this in mind when driving a truck. Be sure to have adequate space to make a safe turn.

• Overhead Bridges: Your route needs to be planned carefully as the overhead bridges on the way should allow your truck to pass through.

• Test drive: See that your mirrors offer you good vision of the traffic. When selecting the truck check the mirrors, tire condition and brakes. Take a small test drive to be sure everything is in order.

• Rest: Get up fresh and well rested on the day you are to set out on road with the truck. You have a long distance to cover in a vehicle that you are not used to driving hence it is essential that you have had a good night’s sleep and are wide awake and raring to go.