Published on March 31st, 2015 Smacked on the side of some U-Haul vans and trucks is a number — $19.95 — that only begins to tell the story of how much you’ll end up paying for the rental. As much smaller text below the figure notes, the $19.95 is actually just an “In-Town” base rate that is only offered to those who return the vehicle where they picked it up. And the $19.95 doesn’t include the cost of mileage (you know, if you actually want to move the truck to move your stuff) and “fees,” a generic term that can really mean anything that U-Haul wants it to mean. In truth, renting one of these 9-foot vans or 10-foot trucks will probably cost you at least double or triple the amount advertised on the vehicle. And, if you are dropping the rental off at another U-Haul location, there is an inclusive flat rate for which there is no discount for unused days or mileage. Here’s a look at what the $19.95 excludes and how it may all add up in a very consumer-unfriendly fashion:

Mileage: Rack up 50 miles between pickup and drop-off, and you’re looking at an added mileage cost of $29.50 for the van (at 59 cents a mile) and $44.50 for the truck (at 89 cents a mile). (Theoretically, U-Haul arrived at these specific mileage rates so that it could charge — and advertise — the $19.95 base fee.) Gas: A rental must be returned with the same amount of gas in the tank as when it first left the lot. In keeping with the previous example of 50 miles, that means tacking on at least another $10 or so to the final bill for gas. FYI: The van gets 16 mpg and the truck 12 mpg. Damage protection: The first pre-checked box in the online reservation process selects damage protection, at an added cost of $11. The only other option on the page is to “[i]mmediately reimburse U-Haul for damage.” The page further notes, “Credit cards and most insurance policies do not cover damage to rental trucks.” Do you even have a choice? (Check your individual policy to find out if you are already covered and don’t need the damage protection.)

Environmental fee: In what may be the cherry on top of this horribly stacked sundae, U-Haul charges renters a $1 environmental fee that the company says goes toward reducing “the negative impact of our business on future generations.” What’s a buck, you might be thinking. Enough when the fee is not adequately disclosed to consumers, a recent class-action lawsuit says. Moving can be a headache. So too can hidden fees that jack up an advertised price. Figure out your total real costs of renting that van or truck before you sign on the dotted line. Click here for more of our coverage on fine print. This article was updated 7/7/16.How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Truck If you have chosen a do-it-yourself move, renting a moving truck is a great option that can save you a lot of money. how much money will it save you as opposed to hiring a moving company? importantly, how much does it cost to rent a truck? The price that you'll pay will be dependent on several different factors, including how big of a truck you

need and how far you're moving.Read on to find out the different variables that go into the total price of renting a moving truck. Prices vary based on truck sizeThere are five different sizes of moving trucks available for rent, and the one you choose will depend on how much stuff you'll be moving. smallest size (10-foot) is typically used to move one-bedroom or studioHomes For Sale On Ono Island Al apartments, and the largest size (26-foot) can be used to move a four-bedroomVacuum Cleaners Burning SmellHere is an example of the price breakdown for each truck size,House For Sale Fort Smith Nt according to prices taken from U-Haul: 26-foot: $39.95These prices only represent the base price that you will pay, without considering mileage fees and other charges.

rent a truck, it's important to remember that the price you see advertised is often not the price you will end up paying. Mileage fees and insuranceWhen you rent a moving truck, you will typically pay one flat rate based on the size of the truck, and then another amount when you return the truck based on how many miles you drove it. You can also choose to purchase insurance.Here is how these extra feesThe rental company will charge a specific amount for each mile driven with the truck. While this amount will vary depending on the rental company and even the day of the week that you rent, it typically ranges from $0.79 per mile to as much as $1.29 per mile. The price for mileage will be directly related to how far your move is, which makes rental trucks an extremely affordable option for people moving only a few miles away.While insurance is optional, all rental companies will offer it to you. The insurance will protect against any accidents

that may occur while you're driving the truck. It's a smart choice to make, especially if you're going to be driving on busy roads. This fee will vary with each company, but U-Haul charges $15 per day for liability insurance and $29 per day for full coverage. Rental tax and other fees. These will be added to the total when you return the truck and will vary from company to company. Often, the rental tax is used in place of sales tax and will be anywhere from 6 percent to 10 percent of the total cost of the rental. Some companies like U-Haul also add an "Environmental Tax" to their rentals, which amounts to $1 per day. When you rent a truck, they will mark the gas level when you leave the lot and it's your responsibility to return it with the same amount of gas when you're finished with your move. the tank is half-full when you rent the truck and you use the remaining gas during your trip, you must refill it to at least half a tank before returning

If you fail to refill the tank, the company will refill it with gas of their own when you return it. But you won't get out of it that easily! They'll still charge you for the gas that they used, and they will often charge a much higher price per gallon than you'll get at your local gas station. While it's hard to predict the cost for renting a moving truck without knowing the variables involved with your particular move, we can set up a hypothetical scenario that you can then apply to your own move to figure out the cost: Size and distance of the move: Let's say you're moving a three-bedroom house to another similar-sized home that's 20 miles away. all of your belongings comfortably and efficiently you rent a 24-foot truck, which will cost you $39.95. Driving to your new home: You rented the truck on a Saturday, so you are charged a weekend fee for miles, which is $1.29 per mile. miles in total (going to your new home and back, plus the miles in between