Truck Rental - Self Service Guide

Self Service Guide

Self Serve Packing – You Load, They Drive

For many years the choices were limited in how to move your belongings. You could do everything yourself from the packing to the loading of the truck rental to the driving, the unloading and then the unpacking of all the boxes. Or you could hire professional movers to do everything. Then moving truck rental services branched out and it was possible to do all the packing yourself and hire the truck team to load the truck, drive it and unpack the moving truck rental at the destination. But movers were still looking for more options to save money and still have someone else do the stressful job of driving the moving truck rental.

Now there is another moving truck rental service that is available called “U load, We Drive”.

Basically, you do all the packing and organize your belongings and the professionals do the moving truck rental driving. Companies that offer self-service moving will drop off empty packing crates or storage containers to your home. You will then pack them as you see fit and lock the crates when you are done. Then you either call the moving truck rental company to pick up the crates or the moving truck rental team will come back at a pre-arranged date.

Other terms for this type of moving are:
• U-load, We Drive
• Self Moving Companies
• Self Service Moving
• U-Pack Moving
• You Load, Movers Drive
• U load Services
• Self Moving
• U-pack, We Drive

The “you load - they drive” concept is actually quite positive when choosing between moving truck rental options for moving. When the budget is a little tight, it allows some freedom to do as much as you can without the stress and hassle of driving a truck rental vehicle you may or may not be comfortable driving. Particularly if the move is long distance and the load is large, having qualified truck rental drivers would be a benefit. Also, if drivers drive the truck rental, it frees you up to fly or travel by train.

Undoubtedly many benefits exist in using the “you load – they drive” method of moving.
• no driving required – reduces the stress of long haul trips in a moving truck rental vehicle to which you are not accustomed
• cheaper than using full service professional movers
• usually gas is included in moving truck rental self-service price
• usually pay for the space used not the moving truck rental size booked – since you are using crates to load your belongings, if you order too many crates, you are not stuck with the extra
• can go on to your new location later by airplane or train at your convenience
• leaves the driving to professionals who are responsible for the moving truck rental truck
• maintains privacy as no one knows what you own
• keeps valuables safer since they are not touched by anyone other than yourself
• allows you to pack in the order that you require the items - you know what to keep at the top or back to unpack first when offloaded
• you have a certain amount of time to unpack the crates reducing the need to get the moving truck rental back to the rental agency right away – less chance of paying penalties for a moving truck rental that is returned late.

Similar to using other types of movers, you should obtain quotes and information before making a decision to book the “u-load, we drive”. While researching moving truck rental companies to use,
• Inquire about whether or not the truck rental company offers self-serve moving,
• Provide the truck rental information about the size of your home and how much you need to pack so the moving truck rental can help determine how many crates that you require,
• Find out the crate sizes and how much is estimated to fit in each,
• Most moving truck rental companies do not allow you to keep the crates indefinitely. Normally there is a schedule and you pack within the allotted time frame. Find out the terms when booking the self-serve moving from the truck rental agency.
• Inquire about the length of time it takes the moving truck rental drivers to reach your destination
• Inquire about storage. Will the moving truck rental offload at a storage facility and then return when you are ready to move into your home.
• Inquire about moving truck rental insurance and know what type of coverage you require
• Inquire as to what you are permitted to load into the container – for example vehicles, flammables, firearms, motor bikes and any other items that are not usually kept in the home.
• Whether you need to be at the destination point to sign for the crates when the moving truck rental arrives.

Things to Remember when Booking and Packing Crates

1. You still need to pack your belongings before the moving truck rental crates are delivered. Boxes and cartons with tissue and padding are a necessity.
2. You do not throw everything into the moving truck rental crates loose. Everything should be planned and organized. The more you have packed in smaller boxes, the easier, it will be stack things neatly and safely in the moving crates.
3. Heavier and longer items should be stored on the bottom.
4. Use mattresses to protect furniture and fragile.
5. Like moving truck rental vehicles, if the storage container is too big, your belongings will bang around getting damaged.
6. Cover the furniture and appliances with moving pads.
7. If your items were going into storage at the destination, crates would be more suited to your move because they can be offloaded easily at the storage facility.
8. Use proper locks on the crates. Do not use plain padlocks or combination locks that can be cut with bolt cutters. The truck rental agencies sell specialty locks that prevent the use of a prying bar or bolt cutters and deter theft.
9. Call the truck rental agency and book in advance so that the sizes of crates that you require are available.
10. Pack the container by stacking like boxes together and filling spots with smaller items.
11. Do not pile heavy boxes on boxes with fragile items inside. Make sure the boxes marked fragile are properly secured.
12. It is helpful to tie things together with rope if possible to keep things in place.

Indeed, the “u-load, we drive” idea is a great concept. It is helpful in sticking to a budget and also helps the truck rental mover keep on schedule with the packing. The mover is free to stay on in the old location while the truck rental goes on ahead and the two would meet at the new location. There seems to be more flexibility when choosing a “u-load, we drive” and more truck rental agencies are offering the services.

The next time you need to move and are worried about the driving, search the internet for information on the “u-pack, we drive” truck rental agencies and also look for online booking sites. The internet will help to speed up your moving truck rental decision making process.