Uhaul Rental Trucks

Uhaul (U-Haul) International, Inc., is the biggest North American DIY (do-it-yourself) moving and storage business. The main headquarters is located in Phoenix, Arizona. Uhaul also rents other moving equipment and provides self-storage rooms at many of its locations. It has a well-known fleet of distinct orange-and-white trucks and trailers. Uhaul competes with a number of other self-moving companies. Its two biggest competitors are Penske Truck Rental and Budget Truck Rental. Uhaul has nearly 1,500 company-managed locations and almost 15,000 independently run ones across North America.

History

Uhaul was begun in 1945 in Washington state by Leonard "Sam" Shoen and his wife, Anna Mary Carty. At the end of the year there were 30 4-foot x 7-foot open trailers offered in Oregon (Portland), Canada (Vancouver) and Washington (Seattle). The first trailers often broke down and were replaced with better-constructed ones. In 1949, Uhaul offered trailer rentals over nearly all of the United States. This grew to include the majority of Canada by 1955 and continues to expand all over North America.

Identification

Uhaul created a distinct identity that is recognized worldwide. Its first trailers (and every vehicle utilized since) were painted with bright orange paint. The business name, U-Haul Company, was established. The rental vehicles were covered on the sides and back with company advertisements and sales pitches. These rental trucks were retailed in service station businesses. These businesses are now recognized as U-Haul dealers.

Function

Uhaul rental trucks are used for moving things. The rental vehicles can be obtained for one-way moves all across North America. Uhaul trucks can be utilized for local moves or deliveries, too. Businesses and individuals employ Uhaul rental trucks. A Uhaul truck is rented, paid for and picked up from a local dealer. It is then packed and driven to another destination. It is unpacked and returned to a different dealer (or the same if it was a local move).

Types

Uhaul rental trucks include a number of models. This includes a pickup truck and cargo van that are good for small loads, DIY jobs or local deliveries. Uhaul has a 10-foot Mini Mover rental truck that is good for apartment moves. The 14-foot Thrifty Mover is used for 1 to 2 bedroom homes, the 17-foot Easy Loader for 2 to 3 bedrooms, the 24-foot Household Mover for 3 to 4 bedrooms and the 26-foot Super Mover for 4 or more.

Features

Uhaul rental trucks offer numerous features. These include automatic transmissions, air conditioning, fuel-efficient V-8 motors, gentle-ride suspension and SRS/airbags. The larger Uhaul rental trucks also are available with cloth seats for up to three adults, disc brakes, hitch with 2-inch ball, low decks, AM/FM radios and wide and short loading ramps. The trucks use unleaded fuel, but some diesel fuel rental trucks are also available.

Resources

• U-Haul: Truck Rentals