Moving to a new house across a city or country costs more money than ever. You’ll have to spend money to rent a truck to do the job you want to do. In addition, the cost of renting a moving truck includes the cost of gas to get to where you need to go.
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Here are some estimates based on how much gas a U-Haul truck will consume during the course of a typical trip. It all depends on how big you want to move, what size truck you will need, and what size people you are moving with.
You don’t want many items in your house, so make sure to get rid of everything you don’t need before you rent a U-Haul truck. Also, try to keep everything organized as much as you can. Everything you own that is large enough to accommodate a larger container of something is better left empty because that will save you money on a bigger moving truck.
Likewise, you can line the inside of a multi-cooker or any other kitchen appliance with kitchen towels or other useful items. Rearrange the items in your suitcases to make them fit, and even fill your laundry basket with clean items (like socks).
Eliminating things that you do not need will help you get a moving truck that is smaller and less costly than a gas-guzzler.
What kind of truck do you need to complete a move?
U-Haul has many vehicles available, ranging in size from nifty cargo vans to huge trucks.
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8 Ft. Pickup Truck
If your move is a little less than a large one and you want to save money, rent an eight-foot pickup truck. It is an excellent option when moving locally or in order to move a one-room apartment. Also, in the case of students who are relocating to a college, they frequently use this truck to move into their dorms.
A moving van can carry up to 1980 lbs. This is equivalent to a moving bed or a few boxes. It is as though you are moving upholstered furniture or even moving two boxes.
- Capacity of the Fuel Tank: 34 gallons
- Gas mileage expectation: 19 MPG
Cargo Van
Several large items can be moved in a van, such as a queen bed.
- A van can easily carry a few boxes and move a few furniture items in it, but it is costly to run a fuel engine in order to move all your items.
- This van can handle 4000 lb, including a few boxes and a queen size bed.
- You could move a small flat with the van.
- A van has a tank that holds 26 gallons of gas and gets 19 MPG.
10 Ft. Truck
There are several reasons why it is easier to use a 10-foot truck to move household items. The truck holds 2800 lbs. Mattresses, bunk beds, furniture, and boxes to transport are able to be moved with a 10-foot truck.
- Capacity of the Fuel Tank: 31 gallons
- Gas mileage expectation: 12 MPG
15 Ft. Truck
This much larger pickup truck can hold a queen-sized bed, dresser, small sofa, and some other small appliances.
- These trucks can transport over 6,000 pounds, making them great for hauling large furniture or even one-bedroom houses.
- The tank has a capacity that holds 40 gallons of gas, and the gas mileage you get is 10 MPG
17 Ft. Truck
This rental is a medium-sized one that is perfect for moving 6000 pounds or several people and some stuff. It’s perfect for moving 2-3 bedroom apartments or larger ones.
Trucks with a maximum length of 17 feet can hold 40 gallons of gas and get 10 miles for every gallon of gas.
20 Ft. Truck
- This huge truck is perfect for carrying up to 5605 lbs., and is used for the long distance relocation of two- or three-bedroom apartments.
- The larger cab in which the moving truck resides allows for three people to sit in comfort, and it is ideal for a long distance move.
- It has a fuel tank that can hold 40 gallons of fuel, and it gets 10 miles for each gallon.
26 Ft. Truck
It’s the biggest truck that you can rent from a truck rental company. It was built to move large items for a family. You may want to move into an apartment or a house that has four bedrooms. This truck has a capacity of 7500 pounds. The storage tank is at 57 gallons, and has 10 MPG.
Gas Mileage calculation
You should first figure out how much gas a truck costs and how much time it takes to drive a long distance. A small truck with a capacity of 16 feet and 10 feet can be driven with a tank of gas, but a larger truck with a capacity of 26 feet can drive on diesel fuel.
Diesel costs more to fuel than gasoline, so be sure to compare prices for diesel across the country and in the states you plan to drive.
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Ask a Mechanic Live NowU-Haul’s Tips on How to Save Gas
U-Haul pickup trucks are designed to help you stay on the road and travel efficiently. You can save money by using some of these tips.
Depending on the size of your pickup truck, how you load the cargo and how you drive, your fuel efficiency will depend on how quickly you load it and how you drive.
Pick a truck that will do the job right
U-Haul has many types of trucks, so you can choose the truck that gives you the most MPG. The larger the vehicle, the less MPG it has.
Pack right, not light
The gas mileage will be much higher if the truck has less space than one that is loaded to the brim. If you weigh all the items that you are packing in your moving truck, you will save gas by having less weight in your moving truck.
Keep 60% of your loads in the front of your moving truck, which includes heavy items like furniture and other appliances. It is important that you keep the weight evenly distributed across the front and back of the truck.
Speed is not necessary
Increasing the speed of your vehicle causes a lot of fuel to be wasted; it also causes it to not get very far. Even though cars get better fuel mileage when they travel at various speeds, you will be wasting your gas quickly when you get over 50 mph.
It’s very useful to drive slowly and maintain a steady speed. You will get more gas mileage if you drive at a steady speed while you are driving.
Conclusion
U-Haul diesel trucks are not that good when it comes to fuel economy. It’s extremely difficult to get good gas mileage with the U-Haul trucks, which are not even made for driving with a heavy load. U-Haul says its estimates are based on ideal driving conditions, but driving a heavy load isn’t ideal.
That’s one reason reducing clutter is such a great way to cut costs when you’re moving. Plus, by packing your stuff as well as you can, you’ll use less fuel to drive.
Max Anthony
Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.
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