Sometimes making a move is straightforward with few decisions to be made. Deciding on what size of moving truck or what type of moving service to use is usually easy. It normally depends on the amount of belongings you have and what distance you’re moving.
What’s the Timeframe and Distance?
What type of moving truck service you use also depends on the amount of time you have to make your move. There may be an urgency in getting moved between your old residence and your new home. Local moves are usually less time-sensitive than long distance moves, which require more travel time.
Interstate or international moves are even lengthier and considerably more expensive when it comes to truck rental costs. Distance is a major factor in determining whether you rent a small truck or if you upgrade to a large freight truck.
Differences Between Small Rental Trucks and Large Ones
There’s a distinct difference in how small truck rental companies operate and how large freight services handle your goods. Most rental companies that offer do-it-yourself cube vans or enclosed trucks lease them out on a daily or weekly time basis. They charge additional fees for mileage, fuel and insurance as well as upsells like handcarts, furniture dollies and packing supplies.
Small Rental Trucks
With a small rental truck, you’re in full control of how long you lease the vehicle and how many miles you put on it. Local moves might be accomplished with numerous short trips. This works well when you have the free time and volunteers to load and unload. But this might not be to your advantage with a long distance move where you have hundreds or thousands of miles to cross and a household of furniture.
Large Freight Trucks
Freight companies haul freight. They don’t rent out their vehicles to weekend movers who can save money on a DIY move. Most freight companies are not in the business of packing and unpacking. Nor do they supply labor with the exception of a dedicated driver.
A freight company will pick up a container that you’ve already loaded and they’ll deliver it right to your destination, which could be anywhere in the nation or abroad. They can deliver by road, rail or water. Freight companies can access places that might be totally impractical or uneconomical for your small rental truck.
With a freight company, you’ll be paying on a combination of bulk, weight and distance. It may initially seem more expensive to utilize a large freight truck. But when you account for all the costs in renting a small truck and doing your own driving you might be surprised to learn that a freight company is actually cheaper.
What to Look Out For When Deciding Between The Two Options
Watch for hidden amounts in small rental trucks like dead-ends or drop-offs well as late charges. A freight company will quote you a flat rate. This is nice assurance, but they’ll normally just give an estimated delivery date. That’s because freight trucks can be loaded with numerous shipments for a number of destinations and they have to work with the most efficient route.
Like most decisions in life, deciding between renting a small truck or a large freight truck needs to be weighed on the facts. With moving, the facts consist of time, distance and the amount you have to transport.