About two months ago a notary customer of mine told me he’s planning to have the furniture from his deceased mother’s mobile home, in the park where I live, hauled to his property in Pueblo, Colorado (I’m in Gardena, in southern Los Angeles County). He’d have this done in late September or early October 2006; he may ask me to get a U-Haul truck and load it here in Gardena and drive it the 1100 miles to Pueblo–he’ll arrange transportation for me back home.
According to some U-Haul people I’ve already spoken to, most trucks they rent out are as simple to drive as a car. I’ve been a licensed driver since 1969, but I only have a California Class C License (which the U-haul people said is adequate) and I’ve never even driven a pickup truck in my life.
Any suggestions?
I’ve driven several models, including one that had a stick shift, and I had no problems at all. Just remember you have a lot more vehicle behind you than you’re used to. Piece of cake!
Get used to perceiving your space on the road in relation to others via side mirrors. Make sure they’re adjusted to cover blind spots, because invariably, a car will sit there. Impatient people will pass you on the right, even when you’re trying to yield a faster lane. Increase your following distance, and be prepared for idiots to jump into that safety zone. Having a CB is nice so you can yak with the truckers and be aware of a wreck, construction, or if you need to call for help and you’re in a cell hole.
Yeah, the automatic shift U-haul trucks are only as difficult to drive as any other big vehicles. One word of warning however, when my friend tried to get a U-haul truck at the last minute, all they had avilable was a stick shift model. Niether of us were any good at driving stick.
If you’ve been driving since '69, I’d bet you won’t have that problem though.
Yep, I’ve driven a few U-Hauls – including trips from Maryland to Virginia and from New Jersey to Maryland – and they do drive pretty much like cars. Like FairyChatMom says, you’ll just have to adjust to the fact that it’s a much longer vehicle than you’re used to, and that it has a higher center of gravity. You’ll also notice a difference if it’s windy while you’re driving, but I crossed a few bridges between NJ and MD and never had a bad or scary moment.
Mostly, I think the quality of your experience will depend on what kind of a driver you are: if you don’t like to drive, or if you get nervous on the interstate even in a car, then you probably won’t enjoy driving a truck 1,100 miles. But if you’re a fairly confident driver, I think you’ll be just fine.
Getting used to the feel of the truck only takes a few miles. I had more trouble getting used to the bench seat, the crappy pickup, and the fact that the stereo controls were so damn far away! 
Add my name to the U-Haul club - I drove one by myself from Tacoma, WA to Melbourne, FL when I was a lass of 28, and I really had no prior big vehicle experience. It was not that difficult, although parking made me a bit nervous the first few - ah, hell, every damn time! And the windy bits on I-5 near Sacramento area were kind of nerve-wracking, too. But I did fine, no mishaps.
Good luck to you!
As danceswithcats said, get used to relying on your side mirrors. There will be no rearview mirror on the windshield, as it’s useless. Give yourself more turning room, and right turns will be the trickiest.
I’ve driven one a few times, and they really aren’t all that bad. They’re even pretty comfortable. The radio does feel like it’s in the next car over, though.
When you pack it, pack it securely and evenly. A sudden weight shift can be pretty scary. Closest I’ve come to peeing my pants in a long long time.
If you’ve only ever driven small vehicles, you may want to practice in someone’s SUV or other truck-like vehicle for a bit, just because of the fact that you will have a LOT more moving mass than you’re used to, and that does change the way you drive. More mass = slower acceleration = longer braking time and wider turns. NEVER tailgate in a U-haul, unless you enjoy losing lawsuits.
Otherwise, yeah, they’re pretty much just cars. Steering wheel, brake, turn signal (IMPORTANT!) etc. There are no dilithium crystals to maintain a magnetic anti-matter containment field around or anything.
If you’ve ever gone from, say, a Miata to a Suburban, then you know what I’m talking about. That vaguely off feeling of ‘oops, didn’t mean to do that’ when the inertia hits.
I drove a U-haul from Dallas to Albequerque a couple years back. Was kinda fun, as I both enjoy driving and enjoy looking at the desert. The only problems I had were finding the headlight switch (I thought they were already on; a kindly truck driver informed me otherwise as he passed me in the rain) and when I pulled over to find said switch and almost tipped the thing over getting off the highway. They can be VERY topheavy, depending on how the load is placed.
And watch the height of the vehicle… my brother took down a good chunk of tree a few years ago, simply pulling up in front of my mother’s house in a U-haul to the same place he always parked his Taurus. What he didn’t consider was that the U-haul was a good 6-8 feet higher, and easily caught the overhanging branch he’d never even needed to notice before.
Best advice I can give ya: Before they load the thing up with furniture, drive a lap or two around the block. Do the same thing again afterwards. And if at all possible, borrow someone’s Big-Ass Truck or SUV and really ‘feel’ the difference.
And bring a CD player or something, and a LOT of beef jerky, for that thousand-mile drive! I’m jealous!
Yet another ‘Be aware of how big you are’ post.
Be aware of how big you are. You’ll not want to bump into anything!
I used a U-Haul on my first trip up here from L.A. I bought the additional insurance. Good thing, too. The 5 has a lot of truck traffic on it, and those trucks throw up rocks. The truck got hit with one, and there was a four-inch crack in the windscreen by the time I got to NoWA. If I hadn’t bought the insurance it would have cost me another $200.
Take some care with where you rent from U-Haul, too. Try to find a rental place to seems to have a good stock of trucks and appears to know something about maintenance.
I’ve rented from U-Haul several times and always seem to have a problem. I’ve reserved a specific size vehicle and been told when I arrive that it’s not available and given a much bigger truck that I really didn’t need.
Mechanical problems also are frequent. I’ve never had a break down, but I’ve had trucks that didn’t have turn signals or brake lights. Check out your truck throughly before you start driving to check for such problems. Try to reserve a newer truck, if possible; less chance of mechanical problems. Take a cell phone with you. And join AAA, which will provide assistance you no matter who owns the vehicle you’re driving.
As far as driving them. Just remember that you’re in a much bigger vehicle. Don’t drive into the McDonald’s drive-thru, pay attention to clearance signs, use your mirrors and stay under 60 and in the right-hand lane.
Good luck.
Helpfull tip from my friends who own a McDonald’s. Please don’t use the drive-thru while driving a U-Haul. (They have to replace part of the roof, etc. about every year when someone drives a U-Haul through it).
I’ve never driven one, but my dad has driven their smallest truck filled with my possesions for a couple of 800ish mile journeys. Visibility is a problem (as others have mentioned). In fact, if you caravan with people, you probably want the U-Haul to bring up the rear, as it is very difficult for the U-Haul driver to keep track of other vehicles. It is much easier for people with rear-view mirrors to locate the U-Haul. Also you should be aware that it doesn’t accellerate as quickly or easily as many smaller vehicles do. (Back to that lots of mass thing that others mentioned with stopping distance and not tail-gaiting). Finally, my dad found that while most of the time he could get out of a parking space by himself, he had problems with visibility, so at one point Mom blocked traffic (in her mini-van) while Dad backed out at a rest stop. They forgot about me. (I had my little Saturn. We had walkie-talkies. I caught up eventually, it just took longer than expected at first for me to find them in the traffic post- rest stop).
In this thread, here, I mention that U-haul once rented me a truck that was low on oil.
3 and a half gallons low on oil.
They aren’t the most reliable place on earth, but they’re cheap. YMMV.
I drove a U-Haul (might have been a Ryder, same difference) with my car on a trailer from Los Angeles to Kansas City in two days when I was 21. I had a small SUV for years before hand, but it was no bigger than a car for parking purposes, so that wasn’t much help.
I also got it stuck in a parking lot of a hotel in Oklahoma City around midnight on the first day. I went around the building thinking I could get out, but the lot dead ended. I had to back the truck and trailer around three corners in order to get it out. That was fun! 
One great piece of advice. Big trucks will flash their lights to let you know that you’re clear to merge in front of them on the interstate. ALWAYS flash to let big trucks know they’re clear, and flash to thank them for flashing you over. It’s just neighborly. I do it in my car, but trucks never flash back.
Also, always use turn signals.
At least if you notice the truck is low on oil, they will reimburse you for oil, so hang onto the receipt.
Of course, you’re on your own for fuel. Speaking of which, be aware of canopies over gas pumps, and that the box of the truck is going to be a few feet further out from the doors of the cab - you’ll not be able to slide up next to fuel pumps the same way as you can in a car.
Unless you’re getting their big honker 26’ truck, chances are good to excellent that you’ll be in an underpowered truck with a gas engine and automatic transmission. Trick I learned from one of their trucks - if the transmission won’t shift when you think it should have, let off the gas quickly and stomp back down - that should result in a shift.
Something else to be aware of, and to ask U-Haul is truck inspection facilities, better known as truck scales. Some of the ones in California have recently been requiring all trucks, including rentals and delivery trucks to stop.
Finally, for this distance, plan on dividing the trip into four days, which comes to a bit under six hours of driving per day. U-Haul should allow five days for this journey, and you really don’t want to beat yourself to death on this trip. Watching everybody else shoot past you at 70 while you’re tooling along at 55 gets old quickly. Try to scope out where the rest areas are in advance, and look to take a leg-stretching break every two hours or so.
dougie_monty I can’t give you any better advice than you already have. Just let me chime in with being aware of the mass, even if it’s a smaller UHaul, use the turn signals, rely on the sideview mirrors and stay in the right lane as much as possible. It’s been a while since I’ve driven a big UHaul or a Ryder but AIR they have govenors on them and you may not be able to go over 60MPH. Just be aware of that. I’d also find out how much stuff you’re going to be hauling so you can get an idea of what size truck you need. No need for one of the big ass ones if you don’t need it. Also, I second the reserving in advance so you get what you want.
Another U-Haul user checking in. I never had any problems, but, then again, I used to drive ambulances, so I guess I am used to larger vehicles with no rear view.
Most folks have given you the same driving advice that I would have, so I’ll skip that.
However…
Packing, packing, packing. I don’t know what your moving experience is, but pack everything as far forward as you can. It may be a good idea to put a mattress/boxspring set up against the front wall and something heavy behind it. Then fill in with the rest of the heavy stuff. The heavier the item, the more forward (and, of course, closer to the floor) it should go. Then, assuming it’s packed in tightly, just run a couple of straps to a.) keep everything together and b.) prevent anything from moving towards the door.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
-Geek
That may indeed be something to look out for, but just FYI none of the trucks I’ve driven have had governors.
I had a friend (complete nerd) who ran a U-Haul out of oil just outside of Chicago
and blew the engine. The company replaced the truck (they had to change the cargo themselves) and went on their merry way. No cost to them except some dirty looks form the mechanics.
One up for U-Haul.
This pretty much says what I was going to. I’ve had no problems. You have a lot of vehicle behind you so give the guy in front of you pleny of stopping space, take the turns more slowly and give everything more room.
Good luck.
The driving aspect has been well covered.
The last time I rented a moving truck one way was in 2003, from central Illinois to the SF Bay Area. Budget was at least 30% cheaper than U-HAUL. I found out that I could also save around 15% by not moving at the end of the month.