U-Haul statistics show more trucks leaving Phoenix than coming in (Tucson: truck rental, rentals)

[HX_Guy]

U-Haul statistics show more trucks leaving Phoenix than coming in - The Business Journal of Phoenix:

Was Steve22 on to something...the present day Nostradamus maybe?

Research recently released by U-Haul International Inc. indicates Colorado was the top U.S. growth state in 2007, and Atlanta was the top U.S. destination city. Arizona and Phoenix were considerably farther down on the lists.

The rankings are based on the Phoenix-based company's do-it-yourself moving business and are not related to actual census figures or other demographic sources. Also, the lists were compiled based on transactions for renting only trucks, not trailers, according to Joanne Fried, U-Haul's director of media and public relations.

For the company's U.S. Growth States Report, some 1.61 million U-Haul truck transactions that occurred between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2007, were analyzed for the percentage of inbound vs. outbound moves in each state. Colorado had the highest rate of growth, with 7 percent more families moving in than moving out. Oregon posted a growth rate of almost 3.7 percent, followed by Kentucky with 3.3 percent, Virginia with 2.9 percent and Florida with 2.7 percent. Arizona was not listed among the top 10.

The city report, also based on the same 1.61 million truck transactions, reflected the top destination metro areas for truck rentals used for moves of more than 50 miles. Atlanta, the top destination, was followed by Chicago, Orlando, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Denver and Jacksonville, Fla.

Mesa was the top destination city in Arizona at No. 33, followed by Phoenix at No. 37 and Tucson at No. 47.

Fried acknowledged the data merely reflects the movement of U-Haul's trucks. "We've issued this report for a long time, but it's just about do-it-yourself movers," she said.

Data specifically keyed to movement in and out of Phoenix in the first three months of 2008 provides additional insight into local moving patterns. In March 2008, for example, U-Haul rented almost 20 percent more trucks to people moving out of metro Phoenix than to people moving in. That follows a trend the company has seen for several months.

U-Haul (Nasdaq: UHAL) also tracked the top 10 destinations for people moving out of Phoenix and the top 10 cities where moves to Phoenix originated. That information shows a lot of movement within the metro area, such as frequent moves from Phoenix to Mesa and vice versa. Other frequent local moves are between Phoenix and Tucson, Phoenix and Prescott, and Phoenix and Peoria.

Popular routes for people moving in and out of Phoenix using U-Haul trucks include Los Angeles, San Diego, Albuquerque, Denver and Las Vegas. Those cities frequently are the most popular destinations for people moving from Phoenix and the most popular origin locations for people moving to Phoenix.

"That's pretty typical, for people to go back and forth between the same cities," Fried said.

Students, who are frequent do-it-yourself movers, also would reflect movement between the same two locations.

U-Haul's business has remained fairly steady through the roller-coaster economy, Fried said, with trucks distributed throughout the country. But that hasn't always been the case.

"A couple of years ago we had to stop rentals going out of California," Fried said. "We had a lot of rentals leaving Michigan, too."

United Van Lines, one of the largest domestic full-service movers, still sees a lot of outbound traffic from the Great Lakes region.

In United's 2007 report, released in Jan. 2008, Michigan had the dubious distinction of being the top state for outbound moves. Arizona, however, fared well. It was the third most popular destination closely behind Nevada and Oregon.

Tracking in-migration and out-migration data is difficult, especially with the U.S. Census conducted only once every 10 years. The next one is scheduled for 2010.

An interim report released March 27 still shows the Phoenix metro area with a healthy population gain of 132,513 people from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007. That rates third in the country. Dallas-Fort Worth recorded the largest population increase with 162,250 people, followed by Atlanta with 151,063. Other top growth metro areas according to the U.S. Census were Houston; Riverside, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Austin; Las Vegas; and San Antonio.