The 5 Best Truck Hire Companies in Townsville

In Australia, the minimum age to rent a truck might vary slightly from one rental company to another.

For most companies, the minimum age for renting a truck without restrictions is 25 years. For others, it’s 21 years. For such companies, drivers between the ages of 21-24 might be subject to additional fees and restrictions, such as a ‘Young Driver Surcharge’ (typically 15 AUD) which may apply to your rental.

If you need to hire a van for a one-way job, many removal companies offer this service by delivering the truck right to your door and then either picking it up or providing a convenient drop off location to your destination. However, it is important to note that some removal companies may charge a one-way van rental fee which can double the price of your rental.

Depending on the truck rental company, the additional driver’s details must appear in the rental agreement. Any additional driver must also present their driver’s license at the time of collection for the truck hire or van hire. Only approved drivers noted on the Rental Agreement are permitted to drive a hired vehicle. 

Each additional driver may be charged a small fee, usually around $8.00 per day. Share the drive and relax while someone else whose name is recorded on the Rental Agreement takes the wheel. Note that rates differ from company to company, so be sure to confirm before booking. 

For more information on additional drivers, including any applicable charges, please contact the customer service of the moving truck hire company.

(*Budget Trucks Australia)

Your moving truck must be large enough to carry all your boxes and belongings to save cost and time on multiple trips or even using multiple vehicles. Based on the size of your truck, here are a few examples. 

While most truck hire companies do provide basic truck insurance, their insurance will likely not be as substantial as your own personal insurance. Generally, you do not need additional insurance for your truck hire in Australia, because your truck hire company likely already has some sort of coverage, however, it would be highly beneficial to you to add extra protection. Truck hire companies often offer additional coverage at an extra cost. Depending on your situation, you may want to consider this type of added coverage. 

Generally, you can drive a 4.2m moving truck or Group F with a regular driving licence. A 4.2m moving truck is the size of a standard moving truck offered by many truck rental companies. To drive this type of truck, it is typically required that you have a full, unrestricted open car license, credit card, and be at least 25 years of age. 

Anything larger than a 4.2m moving truck will likely require a special license such as Light Rigid (LR), Medium Rigid (MR), Heavy Rigid (HR), or Heavy Combination (HC) licence.

Most truck rental companies mention that it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure they can drive the booked vehicle with their licence.

To calculate the carrying capacity of a truck, the first step would be to ensure you understand the terminology to find out the carry capacity. To begin, the GVM or Gross Vehicle Mass is the maximum weight a truck is permitted to have. The GVM is determined by the truck’s manufacturer; it can be located on the registration papers or plate. 

The TARE weight is the truck’s unloaded weight including fuel. The TARE weight is located on registration papers. Furthermore, the carrying capacity is the maximum weight a truck can sustain. 

The Carrying Capacity can be calculated by subtracting the TARE Weight from the Gross Vehicle Mass.