Rental truck rates skyrocketed this year? (relocation, moving truck, Budget, U-Haul)

[comandantedavid]

Last summer we moved from North Carolina to Wisconsin with a 16 ft Penske. I reserved the truck in May for a move at the end of July. Before taxes and fees, the truck cost around $615 ($515 before). It worked out great.

We're moving again, this time from WI to Connecticut, andthe rates seem to have jumped quite a bit. Now, a 16 ft truck is quoted at $900 BEFORE taxes and fees. The change in route accounts for about $100 of the difference, but not all of it. I reran a quote of last year's route and it's around $800 before taxes and fees. Every set of dates I choose throughout the summer comes up with the same rate.

U-Haul and U-Pack (neither of which I want to do) both climbed, too. Penske remains the cheapest option, but I balked at the price. Especially because we need to upgrade to a 20-footer: close to $1200!

Any idea why the rates have climbed so much? Am I missing something?

Thanks.

[comandantedavid]

Originally Posted by comandantedavid

Any idea why the rates have climbed so much? Am I missing something?

Thanks.

Feeling stupid, but still confused. I realized that the move is more expensive going from Midwest to East Coast than it was going East to Midwest. I guess that reflects overall moving trends and the cost to them to drive the truck back to Middle America?

[jkwing]

Originally Posted by comandantedavid

Feeling stupid, but still confused. I realized that the move is more expensive going from Midwest to East Coast than it was going East to Midwest. I guess that reflects overall moving trends and the cost to them to drive the truck back to Middle America?

Rates can climb simply because the company has to many trucks in the area you are moving to, and they need to get some equipment out of there, not get more equipment in.

[texdav]

Basically I suspect that demand is higher than when you moved. Alot of people moving in this economy it seems.

[donie1]

Originally Posted by comandantedavid

Last summer we moved from North Carolina to Wisconsin with a 16 ft Penske. I reserved the truck in May for a move at the end of July. Before taxes and fees, the truck cost around $615 ($515 before). It worked out great.

We're moving again, this time from WI to Connecticut, andthe rates seem to have jumped quite a bit. Now, a 16 ft truck is quoted at $900 BEFORE taxes and fees. The change in route accounts for about $100 of the difference, but not all of it. I reran a quote of last year's route and it's around $800 before taxes and fees. Every set of dates I choose throughout the summer comes up with the same rate.

U-Haul and U-Pack (neither of which I want to do) both climbed, too. Penske remains the cheapest option, but I balked at the price. Especially because we need to upgrade to a 20-footer: close to $1200!

Any idea why the rates have climbed so much? Am I missing something?

Thanks.

Try Budget Rental Trucks. I've used them this year and their pretty good. You can also go on-line and find discounts of up to 30% or google discounts from Budget. I used to use U-Haul but they are so expensive now and their trucks are old, used up and dirty that I couldn't justify using them anymore.

[Palenaka]

Penske gives a discount if you are an AAA member.

[comandantedavid]

Thanks for all the feedback. Supply and demand does seem to account for it. Thankfully we are AAA members, and my wife's employer is contributing to the relocation costs.

Budget and Penske come out about the same for this move. I had a great experience with Penske last year, so I'll stick with them for now. Hopefully it goes similarly.

[The Continental]

Locationists!

[sskkc]

During the recession of the early 90s, I called about renting a small moving truck to move from CA to MO. I was quoted $1100. But the cost to rent the same truck from MO to CA was $310.

Supply and demand and location are the reasons for the price difference