Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Getting The Right Truck Rental

Truck rentals are used for moving, for the most part. They are used for the do-it-yourself moving, whether it is in-town moving, or various one-way moves. In-town moving is where the truck will be picked up then returned to the same location in the same town, and one-way moves are where the truck is picked up from one place and returned to another.

The cost of renting a truck will differ depending on the company you are using, amount of miles traveled, truck size, and availability. As most people move on the weekend, it is usually more expensive to rent during that time.

Some companies will rent by the day, for a set rate depending on the size of the truck, where other companies rent by a daily rate and a per-mile rate. Once again, these rates can change depending on the availability and demand.

One-way rentals also are worked out on availability of trucks at the location where you will be picking the truck up, as well as the demand on them where the drop off point is, so price ranges can go up and down. The total number of days and miles you have rented the truck for are established by the departure location, and the destination, with extra days and miles charged.

Typically, you will be required to submit a deposit before renting a truck, which is to ensure that there is no damage to the truck before returning it. Most companies will accept a cash deposit, but some companies will insist on a credit card deposit.

The mandates for taking possession of a truck will vary with each company, but all renters are required to have a valid driver’s license.

A lot of truck rental companies will require the person who will be driving the truck to be 18 years old, 21 years old or 25 years old. And the person who actually rents the truck is held fully responsible for the truck in the event of an accident or theft, even if there is another person driving the truck. A few companies do allow more than one person to be insured if it is arranged in advance, and it will usually involve extra fees.

If you want to tow your car, a car carrier will carry your entire car on a trailer which attaches to a place at the rear of your truck. A car carrier is recommended for all-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles. A tow dolly is the recommended method for front-wheel drive vehicles. They lift the front wheels of your vehicle off the road, and pull it along behind your truck.

A hand truck or dolly will keep your back from being strained during the lifting of heavy objects into the truck. It will also speed up your moving process by allowing you to carry more items on each trip to or from the truck. You can also use furniture pads, as they will save your furniture from the scratches and dings which can happen during the moving process.

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