Can I do this? (moving truck, ABF, Uhaul, U-Haul) - General Moving Issues -moving companies, movers, relocation, self-storage, transport, packing... - City-Data Forum

TexasGirl@Heart · 08-06-2008, 05:42 PM

I am moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Austin, TX. I have NO experience driving big trucks. I researched PODS/ABF cubes and moving trucks. I found the cheapest way to do it is to rent a 16 ft truck and haul my belongings plus my truck (Ford Explorer Sport Trac) on a trailer behind. My question is...Can I do this? I will have one other person with me who also has NO experience driving big trucks or hauling stuff!! I'm getting worried.

BarberStudent · 08-06-2008, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

I am moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Austin, TX. I have NO experience driving big trucks. I researched PODS/ABF cubes and moving trucks. I found the cheapest way to do it is to rent a 16 ft truck and haul my belongings plus my truck (Ford Explorer Sport Trac) on a trailer behind. My question is...Can I do this? I will have one other person with me who also has NO experience driving big trucks or hauling stuff!! I'm getting worried.

PODS is great! I used them from NY to SC, not the cheapest but not one thing got broke or even moved if you pack it tight. I would use them again in a heartbeat. ABF is the opposite from what I hear in terms of breakage, etc. the best part of it is you don't have to worry about anything, let them handle all your stuff.

TexasGirl@Heart · 08-06-2008, 05:55 PM

I've ruled out using PODS or reloCubes. I want to do the moving truck and haul my truck behind. I want to know if this is doable having NO experience driving trucks!

IonRedline08 · 08-06-2008, 05:58 PM

It is doable.

However, I think on your route, I may be wrong, you would be driving through Mountains, which would make that way more difficult.

Maybe you could try driving only at night, maybe from 8pm to 8 am or something along those lines to avoid traffic?

TexasGirl@Heart · 08-06-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

Maybe you could try driving only at night, maybe from 8pm to 8 am or something along those lines to avoid traffic?

That might be an option. I would be by myself from Pittsburgh to Louisville, where I am picking up my friend. Gosh, this is turning into a headache. Maybe I should go with PODS or ABF. PODS quoted me >$3,000.00 for a 16 ft trailer!!

I only need a 7 ft cube but they have none available until mid Sept. I have no idea when I am moving because the house hasn't sold yet. ABF quoted me $1351.00 for terminal to terminal. I might go with them

IonRedline08 · 08-06-2008, 06:19 PM

Have you priced a truck. I know that when I priced one for a similar move (Va Beach to San Antonio) that it was about 1300 just for the truck, another 400 for the car trailer. When you factor in the 10mpg (if you are lucky) for GAS, thats basically $25 an hour you spend driving for gas. Then food, and hotels, etc..Adds up to a pretty penny. You could always do the ABF and rent a Uhaul when you get there

I was going to rent a truck (before I found out that my work was going to move me) and it was going to be so much of a hassle that I had resigned myself to selling everything but my clothes and TV and starting fresh!

molochai2580 · 08-06-2008, 06:24 PM

I don't see why not. I drove a 17' U-Haul through the Rocky Mountains in mid March from Bend Oregon to Rochester Minnesota. It was the first time I had ever driven anything bigger than a Ford Station Wagon. I found it a lot easier to just remember to pull into places so that I could pull out, no backing up. When I finally can get my house sold then I will be driving a 24' truck and my husband will be towing my car behind his truck. He's never had experience towing anything, but I'm sure he'll be fine.

TexasGirl@Heart · 08-06-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

Have you priced a truck. I know that when I priced one for a similar move (Va Beach to San Antonio) that it was about 1300 just for the truck, another 400 for the car trailer. When you factor in the 10mpg (if you are lucky) for GAS, thats basically $25 an hour you spend driving for gas. Then food, and hotels, etc..Adds up to a pretty penny. You could always do the ABF and rent a Uhaul when you get there

I have...almost a $1000.00 for truck and $400 for carrier. So that would be 1400.00 + gas (about $500-600)....bringing total to ~$2000. So I guess a ABF cube would be cheaper.

ABF--$1351.00, then rent a cargo van (that is all I would need--selling mostly everything. Actually I have a Ford Exp. Sport trac with a 4 ft bed. I could do it with my truck making several trips. It still might be cheaper to rent a cargo van (gas for several trips w/my truck!).
Plus gas driving my truck down to TX would be about $400. So that is $1751. The hotels would be a wash because either way, I am going to have hotel costs.

Why is PODS so much more costly vs ABF???

IonRedline08 · 08-06-2008, 07:32 PM

Actually though, it is very hard to rent a cargo van for a one way. I really don't know if anyone offers that, so you would have to factor in bringing it back.

I may have missed something, but you are renting a cargo van and either a moving truck or abf?

TexasGirl@Heart · 08-06-2008, 07:59 PM

I would do the ABF to Austin and then once in Austin, rent a cargo van for the day to move stuff from the ABF terminal into my apt or a normal storage unit. ABF storage is more expensive than a normal storage unit. I would return the van in a few hours after moving stuff.

It's cheaper to use AFB from terminal to terminal, than door to door (about $500.00 cheaper!)