Budget Truck Rental Review
Prepare to kick off your DIY move by hiring an affordable, reliable moving truck. There are many steps that go into your move. Learn more about Budget® Truck Rental’s services and the pros and cons of choosing Budget with this guide.
Budget Truck Overview
Budget Truck Rental is a highly rated national chain with locations in the continental United States. They’re owned by Avis Budget Group and offer an extensive fleet of truck rentals and shipping materials, like dollies, boxes, and furniture pads.
You can rent a truck for a local move or head across the nation for a long-distance relocation. Budget offers a mobile app that allows you to manage reservations, check out locations, review truck sizes, and schedule same-day pick-ups.
Keep in mind that the company doesn’t offer storage containers or self-storage facilities, so if you need these services you'll want to consider other moving companies.
What Do the Reviews Say?
Budget Truck Rental has an overall positive score in many customer reviews. The few complaints include limited truck size options and some issues speaking with customer service agents about the rental process. This left some customers frustrated and unsure of how to handle a maintenance situation with a rental vehicle.
Many customers were pleased with the affordable rates, clean trucks, transparent policies, and convenient in-app reservation scheduling. Budget offers competitive rates whether you’re preparing for a local or long-distance move. Overall, customers feel the fleet is well maintained, and customers typically have fewer issues with overbooked reservations with Budget when compared to other truck rental companies.
Budget Truck Pros and Cons
Like other major rental companies, Budget excels in some aspects that make it a competitive option for truck rentals while it could use improvement in others. Consider whether the pros outweigh the cons for your next DIY move before connecting with experienced moving labor with MovingLabor.com.
Pros:
Choose Budget Truck Rental and prepare for convenient, reliable truck rentals near you. Here are some positive features of this national company:
- Convenient locations: Budget has over 1,600 locations around the United States. There are locations in all 48 continental states where you can pick up and drop off rented vehicles.
- Reliable trucks: Thanks to a 10-point inspection and regularly updated vehicle inventory, Budget offers reliable vehicles for your drive. You can also call their 24/7 roadside assistance number for support in the event of an accident or other situation.
- App support: The Budget mobile app makes it easy to find your nearest location, schedule a pick-up, and review your existing reservation.
- Discounts: Budget Truck Rental offers discounts for veterans, students, AARP members, and other customers.
- Low rates for local moves: Compared to other leading truck rental companies, Budget offers competitive local rates thanks to low mileage costs.
- Unlimited mileage for one-way rentals: Reserve a Budget truck for a long-distance move and enjoy unlimited mileage. Simply drop off the rental truck at the scheduled drop-off location before the end of your reservation.
Cons:
Consider these cons as you compare Budget with other truck rental companies:
- Limited truck sizes: There are four different moving truck sizes available (see our size chart below), up to a 26-foot truck. Other truck rental companies offer more truck sizes, including tow-behind utility and cargo trailers.
- No reservation guarantees: With some companies, you might schedule a pick-up online only to find your truck isn’t available at your preferred pick-up spot. Almost no truck rental company offers guaranteed reservations, but Budget customers rarely have a problem with oversold reservations as other competitors do, such as U-Haul.
- Customer support: One frequent customer complaint is the quality of customer service. Some customers have struggled to communicate vehicle difficulties, cancel reservations, or discuss issues with reservations.
- Fewer locations: While Budget boasts 1,600 locations, this is less than other moving companies like U-Haul®.
Budget Moving Truck Sizes
There are currently four different moving truck rentals you can choose from with Budget. Here are the sizes and basic features of each:
Cargo Van
A two-seat cargo van can accommodate up to 3,400 pounds, including up to 40 medium boxes and two medium furniture items. Van rentals are recommended for a one-room or studio home, not for larger homes or moving a king-sized bed.
Small Truck
Choose the 12-foot Budget rental truck for a one- or two-room home. It can hold 3,610 pounds, which means up to five medium pieces of furniture or up to 120 boxes. There are only two seats in the front, and towing isn’t recommended with this truck.
Medium Truck
Consider this 16-foot moving truck for up to 250 medium boxes totaling up to 4,460 pounds. It’s ideal for a one-bedroom home and can accommodate up to 10 medium pieces of furniture. It features two seats, a loading ramp, and towing capabilities to tow trailers or car carriers.
Large Truck
The largest vehicle in the Budget line is a 26-foot truck capable of handling a five- to eight-room home. Pack up a two- or three-bedroom home in up to 500 boxes in this spacious vehicle. It’s capable of hauling up to 10,000 pounds and can tow a trailer. Use the loading ramp to transport up to 15 medium furniture items. It’s the only Budget Truck Rental vehicle with three seats available.
And here's a breakdown chart with more specs about each of the truck sizes mentioned above:
| Size | Inside Dimensions | Capacity | Volume | Fuel Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo Van | 11' x 4'5" x 6' | 1 Room, Small Studio Apt, Dorm Room | 357 cu. ft | 8-14 MPG |
| 12' | 10' x 6'3" x 6' | 1 Bedroom Apt | 380 cu. ft. | 8-14 MPG |
| 16' | 16' x 6'3" x 6'7" | 1-2 Bedroom Home, 2 Bedroom Apt | 658 cu. ft. | 6-10 MPG |
| 26' | 26' x 8'1" x 8'1" | 3-4 Bedroom Home | 1698 cu. ft. | 8-10 MPG |
How Does Budget Truck Rental Work?
If you’re ready to choose Budget for your moving truck rentals, follow these steps for renting a truck near you before seeking loading and unloading assistance from MovingLabor.com. From one-way moves to round-trip moves, here are the basic steps to create a reservation and secure a truck rental:
- Enter your pick-up location.
- Choose your pick-up date and time.
- Add a different drop-off location, if applicable.
- Select the vehicle you wish to rent.
- Calculate your mileage.
- Confirm the pick-up at your nearest location.
Finalize the reservation by entering your credit card information to secure a deposit. You’ll receive a full refund if you cancel the reservation up to 48 hours in advance of the reservation, but you may be required to pay a $75 fee for cancellations within 48 hours of the pick-up time.
How Does Budget Truck Work With Local Moves?
Local moving truck rentals are typically more affordable if you select a round-trip rental. This means picking up the Budget truck in one location, loading it at your old home, and unloading it at your new home before returning the truck to the same location. Local movers can help you plan a move up to 50 miles from your current location.
How Does Budget Truck Work With Long-Distance Moves?
Long-distance moves operate the same way. Simply enter the pick-up and drop-off locations separately and calculate the mileage to approve a long-distance move. Once you schedule your reservation, you’ll have unlimited miles for a one-way move. Consider the number of days required for your truck rental and plan ahead with long-distance moving help for any move of more than 50 miles.
How Much Do Budget Truck Rental Cost?
Budget Truck Rental costs vary depending on a number of factors. While their prices are competitive with other top-name truck rental companies, you need to consider the length of the move, fuel, optional insurance, and any necessary equipment rentals.
For a local move, you’ll pay a daily rate and a mileage rate, typically around $0.47 per mile. This makes a local move of under 100 miles average about $27.60, which is far more affordable than most of the company’s competitors. Standard rates across the industry vary from $29.99 to $39.99 per day, with mileage rates between $0.39 and $1.99 per mile. The daily rate and mileage rates combined to make the total rental price for local moves between $80 and $150 a day.
The costs of a long-distance move are higher. Budget lines up more closely with the industry average with an average price of around $2,080 for moves over 100 miles.
Budget offers an easy online quote system to help you factor in the size of the truck you wish to rent and the specific mileage you need. You can also find discounts for renting a Budget Truck if you’re an AARP member, U.S. Military personnel, student, or qualifying first responder.
Find the Right Movers With MovingLabor.com
Renting a Budget Truck for your DIY move? Whether you're making a local move or heading across the country, turn to MovingLabor.com for help with loading and unloading your Budget Truck Rental. When you hire moving help on MovingLabor.com you can sit back and relax while the movers do the heavy lifting! Find out how MovingLabor.com works today to save money, and your back, on your next big move.