The Complete Review of 4 Moving Truck Rental Companies - U-Haul, Discount, Enterprise and Budget
This summer, it’s estimated that around 4 million Canadians may move home. Indeed, 1 in every five people moves home every year, with the average number of lifetime moves being around 11! Three-quarters of movers these days are “do-it-yourselfers” with the prime reason being cost. DIY moves can cost less than half of the hired company moves. I’m sure you can see why it’s, therefore, important to find a DIY truck rental company that is both cost-effective and with everything that you need.
We’ve spent a long time carrying out research on the best truck rental services out there today in Canada. With each of the companies that we have researched, we considered their truck availability in terms of sizes and types, the locations of their rentals, what additional extras and services were included as well as their customer reviews. Have a look at our table for a quick summary of the information about each of the four truck rental companies that we looked into before delving into our detailed reviews. Whether it’s a pickup for moving, a utility trailer rental, or a cargo trailer rental, these four truck hire companies will have something to suit any need and budget.
MovingWaldo’s list of moving truck rental companies
What is MovingWaldo?
MovingWaldo is Canada’s #1 Free Moving Concierge Service. Since 2016, we help millions of Canadians tackle moving tasks in minutes. We care to take the stress away from moving by offering free tools, tips and tricks and referral of service providers that you can trust. MovingWaldo is everything moving under the same roof!
How are moving truck rental selected?
We believe in saving time and saving dimes. Therefore, we selected the best moving truck rental companies that will make your move easier and provide you with the best services. Trust our list for a smooth move.
Largest Network of Moving Truck Rentals in North America
U-Haul has been established since 1945 believe it or not! U-Haul was borne out of the need for moving equipment on a do-it-yourself basis. After World War II, there needed to be a network whereby people could move equipment across the nation. The original founders’ vision shared the ownership costs with many people, which allowed the many people of the US and Canada to move things much more freely. The really were the industry’s pioneers.
Today, U-Haul works to affirm their self-storage and self-move business in order to improve the quality of life of the DIY moving public. They have the largest fleet of rentals in the self-moving industry.
Offering
U-Haul offers a vast array of truck sizes and options, which is more than most other rental companies. The smallest U-Haul moving truck is 10 feet, with the largest being 26 feet. There are also three sizes in between this, at 15’, 17’ and 20’. They also have pick-up trucks, cargo vans and U-Haul trailers if you have a smaller than average load.
All of the U-Haul truck rentals have low loader desks, making it easy to move your possessions and the majority of the trucks seat three adults in the front. The trucks that are at least 15 feet long also have a “Mom’s Attic” compartment above cab, which is perfect for the transportation of fragile items. The trucks are economic with fuel and have a fuel economy indicator so that you can monitor the fuel that you use.
U-Haul also loans car carriers and tow dollies too. These are trailers with either two or four wheels, enabling you to haul your own vehicle behind the truck whilst you are moving your belongings. You can even tow your car with the smallest of U-Haul’s trucks. Lastly, U-Haul offers one-way rentals, which makes sense when you tend to move things just one way when you move home!
Rental Price*
Let’s have a look at an example of hiring a truck to move from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. This is a journey of around 1086km and 11 hours of non-stop driving. It is worth mentioning that these prices do not include refueling during the journey or any increases in the cost of the protection plan.
U-Haul Truck Size | Home Size | Cost in $CAD |
10 Feet | Studio or one-bedroom apartment | $918 |
15 Feet | one- to two-bedroom apartment | $967 |
20 Feet | two- to three-bedroom apartment | $1063 |
26 Feet | three- to four-bedroom home | $1208 |
For comparison, let’s have a look at renting a truck from Toronto to Ottawa:
U-Haul Truck Size | Home Size | Cost in CAD | Included |
10 Feet | Studio or one-bedroom apartment | $887 | 541 km, 2-day rental |
* All prices are approximative and might have increased.
Inclusions and Exclusions
In addition to the services explained above, U-Haul also offers the possibility to hire moving blankets and a hand truck for heavy pieces of furniture. They also have moving boxes available too. Both of these are at an additional charge.
One important thing to note with U-Haul is that your reservation is guaranteed, which isn’t something that all self-hire truck services include. Indeed, if U-Haul doesn’t manage to provide your truck for whatever reason, the company will give you $50! Likewise, if anything happens with your truck while you are moving, there’s a free phone number to call to request 24-hour roadside assistance.
Reviews
Like the name might suggest, Budget Canada Truck Rental is a well-priced rental service. If you only need a truck for same day moving, this is a great choice. Their hiring process is incredibly straightforward, and they have no hidden costs or fees. There is no vehicle licence fee or city surcharge, so you can easily budget based on the information you are given. As the reviews state, U-Haul is great if you’re located rurally thanks to their thousands of locations. This also makes it easy for one-way transit too. The negatives that are mentioned in reviews are that the base price quote is rarely what you will end up paying as you will need to add on extras such as Damage Protection, gas refill and taxes.
Locations
Visit their website to find out all U-Haul locations. – U-Haul has the largest network of self-hire rentals across the whole of the North American continent. Indeed, they have more than 20,000 different locations throughout all 10 Canadian provinces and the 50 American states! It’s therefore easy to find a truck in your location, even if you’re based rurally.
Proudly Canadian
Discount is Canadian-owned and operated, and proud of it too. The company was created by Herb and Rhoda Singer in 1980 in Ontario. It is still run by the family today and it is the only car and truck Rental Company nationally that is owned and run by Canadians. They offer rents for commercial businesses as well as leisure renters, services for dealerships and temporary replacement vehicles for collision repair centers. Their mission is simply to do whatever is required to provide a rental experience that is second to none, every single time.
Offering
Discount offers a range of vehicles to suit every person’s need. They have a multitude of vans available for hire: GMC, Dodge, Ford Transit, Sprinter, Promaster, Extended, High Top, Diesel as well as 12 and 15 passenger vans. All of these have rear and side access and can hold a capacity of 1900kg in weight. The 12’ cargo vans also have a sliding side door. Next, they offer pick-up trucks. Their fleet has half, three quarter and one-ton pick-ups that suit many jobs. They can be customized depending on the client’s needs. Lastly, they rent out trucks. They have cube trucks in addition to 26 foot/5 ton and 20 foot/3 ton trucks. They suit all kinds of moves and can hold a maximum of 3500kg. Discount also have refrigerated trucks for hire too. I’m sure you’ll agree that, for all of your moving needs, there’s a Discount moving truck to suit you.
Rental Price*
One-Way | Cargo Van | Cube Van | Included |
Toronto > London | $95 | $120 | Collision Damage, 300km, 1-day rental |
Toronto > Ottawa | $255 | $300 | Collision Damage, 600km, 2-day rental |
Toronto > Calgary | $1860 | $1950 | Collision Damage, 4500km, 7-day rental |
* All prices are approximative and might have increased.
Inclusions and Exclusions
- As the above table shows, a collision damage waiver is included with all rentals from Discount.
- However, taxes, airport surcharges and tolls are excluded from the price quoted.
Reviews
Like the name might suggest, Budget Canada Truck Rental is a well-priced rental service. If you only need a truck for same day moving, this is a great choice. Their hiring process is incredibly straightforward, and they have no hidden costs or fees. There is no vehicle licence fee or city surcharge, so you can easily budget based on the information you are given. All locations have a different star rating. The average is between 3 and 5 stars.
Locations
Like the name might suggest, Budget Canada Truck Rental is a well-priced rental service. If you only need a truck for same day moving, this is a great choice. Their hiring process is incredibly straightforward, and they have no hidden costs or fees. There is no vehicle licence fee or city surcharge, so you can easily budget based on the information you are given. Visit their website to find out all Discount locations. – Over 300 different locations Canada-wide
Quality product, friendly service, and great value
Budget Trunk Rentals operates throughout Canada and is a subsidiary of the incorporation Avis Budget Group Inc. This explains why national representatives always send inquiries directly to your local dealer for information. The company is relatively new, only dating back as far as 1998!
Fun fact – Over in the US, a Budget moving truck even played a part in the 2000 presidential elections between George H.W. Bush and Al Gore. It was a Budget Truck rental that transported the famous ballots from Palm Beach up to Tallahassee which decided the election’s result. The company actually sold the truck later and donated the proceeds (all $88, 500 CAD of it!) to the American Red Cross.
Offering
Budget is known mainly for their car rentals but they do have moving truck rentals too. They offer a range of vans, trucks and pick-up vehicles for hire, in addition to people movers. They also offer towing dollies and moving supplies, should you need those too.
Rental Price
Price are available on their website. What sets Budget apart from other hire companies is that they offer promo deals regularly so you can snap up a bargain.
Inclusions and Exclusions
- Budget’s price does include all taxes and fees. However, it does not include and Personal Accident Effects or Loss Damage Waiver.
- You can add on an additional driver, should you wish, and they also charge to hire a GPS navigator.
- Moreover, their roadside assistance is chargeable too. Of course, fuel is not included, but they do have the possibility of setting up a fuel plan for you, which helps.
- Finally, they do offer help with loading and unloading but, again, at an additional cost.
Reviews
Like the name might suggest, Budget Canada Truck Rental is a well-priced rental service. If you only need a truck for same day moving, this is a great choice. Their hiring process is incredibly straightforward, and they have no hidden costs or fees. There is no vehicle licence fee or city surcharge, so you can easily budget based on the information you are given. Their customer service is friendly, and the website appealing. There are also lots of promos and deals which will mean savings for the customer. You can also hire a vehicle on the same day, should you wish. Their insurance options are a little confusing and it’s difficult to find information about the safety of the vehicles.
Locations
Visit their website to find out all Budget locations. – Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan
Ongoing American success story since 1957
Enterprise provides rental trucks with a high level of service. They claim to have competitive rates, outstanding customer service and a great selection of truck rental vehicles. Their vehicles can be rented daily, weekly or monthly.
As a company, Enterprise goes all the way back to 1957 as a car rental company with just seven cars, based in St. Louis, USA. At its beginning, the company simply leased cars, rather than renting them, but in 1962, Jack Taylor, the company founder, realized that many were needing to rent a car. Twelve years after its launch, it began trading under the Enterprise name and expanded beyond its one location. By 1993, it had gone international by opening the first office in Canada, in Windsor. At this stage, the company had over 200,000 rentals in 1500 locations. Today, there are more than 7,600 locations worldwide, spanning 85 countries. The Enterprise truck rental division is relatively new compared to the car rental side of the business.
Enterprise is looking to help the environment too. They have pledged to plant over 50 million trees in the next 50 years. Additionally, since 2015, its shuttle vehicles are run on clean fuels.
Offering
Enterprise offers a lot of choice in the moving truck rental field. They have a range of pick-up trucks, flat decks, cargo vans, high roof cargo vans and cube vans. They also provide moving equipment such as moving pads, cargo straps boxes, stretch wrap, tape, and hand trucks. They have a great range of trucks, and there is an Enterprise moving truck out there that suits most needs and budgets.
Rental Price
Enterprise offers a range of options to suit all movers. The cost of a two-day rental of a cargo van came in at $205.86 (*Price is an approximation). This included a 400km limit. There are also daily fees and mileage fees to consider for the larger trucks, but for smaller vehicles, this is included so long as you don’t go over the limit.
Inclusions and Exclusions
- For larger vehicles, there are added mileage fees and daily fees, but these are not included if you hire a smaller vehicle.
- However, be sure to read any small print carefully as there is a vehicle license fee as well as another fee for adding on another driver.
Reviews
Like the name might suggest, Budget Canada Truck Rental is a well-priced rental service. If you only need a truck for same day moving, this is a great choice. Their hiring process is incredibly straightforward, and they have no hidden costs or fees. There is no vehicle licence fee or city surcharge, so you can easily budget based on the information you are given. The reviews of Enterprise are largely positive, particularly for local moves. There are many affordable truck options and there’s a simple cancellation policy too. They do not offer one-way rentals and you must return your vehicle to the pick-up location. This is difficult if moving far away, but for local moves, is not a problem at all.
Locations
Visit their website to find out all Enterprise locations. – 62 locations across Canada
Special Mentions
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Frequently Asked Questions about Truck Rentals
Should I hire movers or rent a truck?
You can rent a truck if you are looking for a budget-friendly option. While this choice might seem cheaper, it is essential that you compare total costs that will go into packing material, fuel of the truck, etc. If you don’t have a lot of belonging, renting a truck will work for you. Otherwise, you can hire movers to assist you in packing and have an overall smoother moving process.
How much does it cost to rent a truck for one day?
Average cost of renting a truck for a day varies between $20 to $35 for small moves (one or two bedrooms) and $40 to $80 for mid-sized moves (two to three bedrooms). Cost per mile for both types of moves is approximately $1. It is advised that you should at least look at 4-5 moving truck rental companies, compare prices and services they offer, then decide upon the one that seems most satisfactory to you.
Will my credit card insurance cover my truck rental?
It is very unlikely that your credit card insurance would cover your truck rental. This is usually the case because of the size and weight restrictions. Besides, it is considered rather important that you confirm the insurance policy with your credit card company just to be more certain. However, if you are interested in getting moving truck insurance, collision damage waiver and supplemental liability insurance are regarded as safe bets. This is only possible if you have the option to choose your preferred type of insurance coverage because many moving truck rental agencies offer these insurance types in bundles. In that case, you will have to make a decision based on your needs.
Can I drive a moving truck with my every day’s driver’s licence?
Driving a big vehicle can be a little overwhelming and scary but you should know that driving a moving truck is very much like driving a standard vehicle. There is no need for a special driver’s licence to drive a moving truck. These trucks do not come under commercial vehicles, therefore, your regular government issued licence would suffice.
It is crucial that you choose the right size of truck for the move and that you have your identification documents, insurance coverage and a valid driver’s licence (make sure that your licence is not expired or suspended) to have a stress-free driving experience.
What size of a moving truck do I need for:
- A room in a student apartment: 8 ft
- A studio apartment: 10 ft
- A 2/3 BR apartment: 16 ft
- A 4 BR house: 20 ft
- A mansion: 26 ft
You can hire a professional mover for a trouble-free-moving process.
Do I need a permit to reserve a parking space for my moving truck?
You do not necessarily require a permit to park your moving truck but it is better that you do get a permit because this promises you a parking spot and helps you avoid getting parking tickets.
However, if you want to park a moving truck on public space you will need a public space permit. Even with a permit, the space you want to reserve for your moving truck must be a defined parking spot.The permit fee costs about $50 and the application process can take about almost two weeks. Getting a permit is always a good idea as it makes your moving process hassle-free.
What are 5 tips to drive a moving truck?
- Always examine the truck to get an idea of how it works. Make sure that everything (headlights, breaks, lights, turn signals) works perfectly, tires are properly filled with air and the truck has enough gas.
- Check if there is any damage to the exterior of your truck to avoid getting blamed for something you did not do.
- Remember to release the emergency break before you set off on your journey.
- Do not start off with high speed, rather build your speed gradually as you go.
- Maintain a safe distance with the car that is in front of you while driving.
Can I move my apartment with a trailer instead of a moving truck?
You can either use a moving truck or a trailer to move your apartment. Deciding between these two options depends upon several factors. If you have too many belongings, a moving truck will be more appropriate as it offers more floor space and you can easily stack your boxes on top of each other.
But, if you are considering using a trailer, you will find it easier to load and unload your belongings since a trailer is closer to the ground. Cargo trailers and utility trailers are the most common types of moving trailers. Cargo trailers are fully enclosed whereas utility trailers are open and cannot be locked.
What do I need to know before I rent a trailer?
Most important thing that you need to know is that there are different types of moving trailers. The common ones are cargo trailers and utility trailers. If you are looking for a more secure handling of your belongings, cargo trailers would be the more appropriate choice since they are enclosed and can be locked. You need to have a vehicle to pull your trailer. The vehicle should have a hitch system that can afford to pull a specific weight. Such hitch systems can be very expensive. Moreover, if the weather isn’t looking so good or you have expensive belongings, it is advisable that choose a moving truck or a cargo van.
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