Moving your home to a new location is a lengthy and time-consuming process. Many people foresee how difficult it will be to move all of their furniture and personal belongings and they decide to hire moving help. With the current state of the economy, more and more families are choosing to rent a moving truck instead of spending more money to hire professional movers. Moving trucks or vans are less expensive than hiring labor help, and most people recruit their friends and family to help load up all of their belongings. If you have decided to hire a truck and hit the road, you must know that finding the right truck or moving van could be just as challenging as finding a good moving company.

Before you begin your search for the right moving truck, take the time to do some research on each of the options available for your geographic location. Call at least three moving companies in your area and write down the different pricing options and types of vehicles available. In order to get the most helpful and accurate information, you should know what size of a truck you are going to need to move all of your belongings. Information about what is required to be a renter and how to safely operate the vehicle is also helpful.

Keep in mind that timing will play a critical role in your ability to rent a truck, especially during the peak moving seasons like summer. Book a truck at least one month before you plan to move just to be safe. Some rental companies allow you to book everything online and others require a phone confirmation in addition to online reservations. Truck rentals will be more expensive during certain seasons and at the end of the month, and may fluctuate depending on the days of the week too. If possible, moving at a non-peak time is the best way to make sure that the truck you want will be free to rent.

Before you decide on a rental company, check into the insurance options that are available. Most auto insurance carriers do not cover rental truck liability in the case of an accident, and you are far better off paying a little extra for accident coverage. Moving across the country or even to a different state means that you will be spending a lot of hours on the road and your chances of an accident are increased tremendously. Make sure that your insurance covers the total loss of the truck and all of your belongings that will be in it as well.

If you are moving long-distance, your rental price will be based on the availability of the trucks and the variance of pick-up and drop-off locations. Your final destination will dictate the number of days and miles the truck is rented, and the company will charge you extra days and miles for the amount that you go over. For those looking to move in-town or a short distance, most rental moving truck companies require the truck to be picked up and dropped off at the same location. If this is not convenient for you, you can look into a company that allows you to rent the truck at one location and drop it off at another city or state.

One of the last key factors in finding the right rental company is the requirements for driving a moving truck. Every renter must have a valid driver's license and some companies place additional requirements on age, requiring the driver to be 18 years old, 21 years old or even 25 years old. In almost every situation, the person who rents the moving truck is the only one who drives it. Once you have secured your rental and you are ready to hit the road, take the time to familiarize yourself with the truck and how it drives. By taking thirty minutes to get used to driving a larger moving truck, you may save yourself from accidents or other problems while on the road.