Renting a Truck
Face it- some moves are dreadful. A once quaint home can quickly transform into a deadly dust cloud, complete with strewn boxes and years worth of junk you’ve never even seen. It’s times like these you thank your lucky stars for movers, so you can sit back and marvel at the cat-like agility these men and women show as they maneuver through this newly created obstacle course. Many moves, however, a far less complicated- in fact, bribing a few good friends (well, not that good if you have to bribe them) and getting them to help you move is usually the most efficient means of relocating, especially if it’s a close move.
In cases like these, however, you will almost always need a way to transport your goods- after all, tying that 400 lb. armoire to your hood or walking a TV 8 blocks can really spoil your vehicle, not to mention your back. To avoid such mishaps, check out these trustworthy van and truck rental companies if you’re looking to move yourself out. (please select either “One-way” or “Local/ In-town” to begin the process, and note that each of these companies charges a (large) fully refundable deposit for all rentals!!)
Ryder: http://reservations.ryder.com/Reservation1cing.aspx
Ryder only has one location in NYC (Long Island City in Queens), and they operate from 7:30 – 5:00 pm every day but Sunday. They are somewhat pricey, but they charge $.59 per mile, which is great.
U-Haul: http://reservations.uhaul.com/(kegjtn55oq2mty3uo1koqh55)/Default.aspx U-Haul seems the cheapest, and with the additional boxes and rolls of tape they throw in with some of their rentals, they have offer a nice package. Be weary, however, of their outlandish mileage price- a whopping $1.69 per mile! Also, they default one dolly and 12 furniture pads when your checking out, so be sure to tick ‘0’ if you don’t want these (saving you an extra 17 bucks). Also, you cannot select a location from their site- “A local U-Haul representative will call you by 5pm tomorrow to schedule your equipment pickup at the most convenient location with available equipment,” so be sure you stick by a phone.
Penske: http://www.pensketruckrental.com/personal_rental/
Penske has a number of locations, especially in NYC, including Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. They do not operate on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, which is a bit of a bummer, but their trucks are very well priced and their mileage rate is $.99, which is reasonable. They charge for every 6 hours, so be sure to get the truck back by the allotted time if you don’t want to be overcharged. They also have great customer service.
Budget: http://www.budgettruck.com/default.asp?txn_typ=LO
Like U-haul, Budget also has a hand truck and (2!) dozen furniture pads pre-selected, so be sure to tick these off if you don’t want/need them (which would save you $36 per day). They offer a side-by-side comparison of each of their trucks when you click on the “More info” link, which is pretty useful. They also provide you with a total estimated price, breaking down each of your charges in the process. Their trucks, however, are somewhat pricey and they charge $.79 per mile traveled.