How to Get a Better Moving Truck Deal With a Simple Trick
As with any type of car rental, the prices of moving trucks are not always what they seem. You will see a lot of interesting things – “Going from $ 19.95!” or “Reserve for just $ 20!” – but inevitably, when you call to make this reservation, it turns out that the cost is often double, maybe more. When you start looking for a longer ride, such as cross country, the price difference becomes even greater. As frustrating as it may be, there is a way to increase your chances of getting a better price.
Pricing problem
I ran into this problem myself a few years ago when I was evaluating the cost of moving trucks for cross-country travel. U-haul quoted me at $ 1400. The Penske cost about $ 900, while the Budget was significantly cheaper at $ 600. The difference in price was quite large, and I decided to figure out why. So I called U-haul with a quote from my budget and asked for a deal. The U-Haul rep was unable to do this, and as it turned out, mainly because the dates I chose were popular. A U-Haul rep helpfully explained that it was all about deliveries and the dates I asked for were busy weekends. MarketWatch confirms this pricing model :
What gives? Similar to airlines and hotels, truck rental companies have adopted sophisticated algorithms to help them manage inventory. While this means more efficient use of vehicles – savings that could theoretically be passed on to customers – it adds a lot of complexity.
Rental companies say the prices for city and cross country travel differ for various reasons. According to the budget, customers tend to pay higher one-way rental rates due to the additional costs associated with getting trucks to and from popular pickup locations, and to offset additional wear and tear.
A U-Haul rep also told me that I had just picked a bad week to move. It’s like the end of the month when everyone needs a truck. Add to that the fact that it was right on Labor Day weekend, which means they could charge me whatever they wanted because they knew I needed a truck.
Essentially, the algorithm chooses the price of the truck. The lower the demand, the cheaper the truck. And the more demand, the more expensive the truck becomes. This has nothing to do with the quotes in the advertisement, and like a plane ticket, it is possible that you will pay a different price for the same company in the same city at different times of the year. It’s obvious when you think about it, but how often do any of us really think about it?
So why was the budget so much cheaper? It turns out, most likely because I did them a favor. They had a lot of stock in Denver, not much in Seattle where I bought them. That means I move their inventory for them, someone else can use the truck in Seattle, and we all win.
Take a closer look to save
The hint here is simple: when you buy a moving truck, compare prices from each truck rental supplier and play with the dates. From there, also try changing different pick up and drop off locations in your city because different places offer different prices. Your previous experience doesn’t really affect who gets the lower price. Avoid moving in summer if possible, especially between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Making a deal with a moving truck is a lot like a plane ticket deal, which means a lot of shopping. Unfortunately, there is no exact equivalent of a site like Kayak comparing moving truck rentals from large companies. The best option right now is Unpakt , which compares and offers instant quotes for the many local shipping companies near you. There is also Moving101 which offers many price comparisons for different types of moves.
The bottom line is that you need to do your homework before renting a moving truck, thinking of it like booking plane tickets. Moving is a serious expense, so if you spend a little extra time, you can get some pretty big savings.
This story was originally published on 08/12/13 and updated on 10/25/19 to provide more complete and up-to-date information.