How to Calculate Fuel Costs When Renting a Moving Truck?

When renting a moving truck, the question is how to choose the right moving truck for your needs? You’ll want to make sure that it’s the most suitable type of truck for your move and that its size is suitable for the size of your household. It only makes sense that you’ll want it to be the most affordable one too. In order to include all rental-related expenses in your overall budget, you must also calculate the fuel costs when renting a moving truck. That’s the moment when you’ll wish you had a gas calculator. But, you’ll need more than MPG to determine the final cost.

To calculate the gas money, you’ll also have to think about how far you’re moving, what the price of gas is, and how heavy your shipment is. If you’re wondering how much it will cost you to make it to your destination by a rental truck, we’ve got you. When moving with a truck rental, there are a number of things you must consider before coming to a final price. In the following text, we’ll share a simple basic formula and we’ll list all factors that impact fuel costs when moving. Carry on reading to learn how to calculate the fuel costs when renting a moving truck.

Fuel cost estimate

We’ll go into more details in this text and explain each thing that affects the cost but first, we’ll look at this basic calculator to give you a general idea about how much gas you will need to make it to your final destination. Keep in mind that this is only an estimate and it will not give you the exact amount of fuel needed but it’s a good starting point.

• Calculate the gallons: number of miles/miles per gallon = gallons needed
• Calculate the cost: gallons needed x gas price = cost of fuel

How to calculate fuel costs when renting a moving truck

Consider the size

The first thing you’ll want to take into account is the size of the moving truck and MPG (miles per gallon). Your general rule is that the bigger the truck the more gas it will need. A big truck is going to have a much worse gas mileage compared to a smaller more compact truck. As for the fuel consumption, this is the main difference between a moving van vs. a moving truck, for example. So if you’re moving a huge household you’ll be looking at a higher fuel cost than if you’re moving a smaller one that only requires a small moving truck. Small moves are naturally more affordable but there are other things to consider as well – we’ll go through all of them in the following sections.

Moving distance

The second thing you must consider about calculating the fuel costs when renting a moving truck is the distance of the move. Of course, the longer you drive the more gas you’ll need and you’ll want to measure the miles between your starting point and your final destination. Once you have that info, you’ll be able to calculate approximately how much gas you will need but also how many times you will have to stop for gas during your travel. Again, local and short-distance moves are easier and more affordable, plus, you won’t have to stop for gas at all. However, if you choose a smaller truck for moving locally and you have a huge household, then you’ll need to make several trips so you may end up spending more than you would in case you rent a bigger moving truck and make only one trip.

Driving speed

It may seem easy to calculate a number of miles, use the truck’s MPG and call it a day. However, stops and driving speed will mess with that calculation. To calculate the fuel costs when renting a moving truck as correctly as possible, you must understand as well that speeding increases fuel consumption and decreases fuel economy.

The price of gas

Prices vary from state to state, even from place to place, so you must also be ready to spend more if you’re moving long-distance and have to stop for gas in another city or state. You can figure out the cost in advance because you’ll be able to look up gas prices in different locations by online search. Also, don’t forget that different types of fuels come at different prices, and make sure you know which gas you’re looking for – rental companies nowadays offer eco-friendly trucks that run on biodiesel so have that in mind as well.

The weight of the moving truck

To calculate the fuel costs when renting a moving truck, you must also keep in mind that weight affects it. Moving a huge household with a fully loaded truck is more expensive. Of course, a smaller move is more affordable. In order to make the move more affordable, it’s always a good idea to declutter before the move and get rid of all unnecessary items. By doing so, you’ll have less to move, less to pack, and less to pay for gas.

Are you planning to use a rental truck for your next move? If the answer is yes, we hope that this text helps you figure out how to calculate the fuel costs when renting a moving truck. However, if you decide to skip the DIY and let professional movers handle it instead, that’s just fine as well. Plus, you’re not alone – many people are not sure about how to drive a rented moving truck for thousands of miles and deal with potential issues on the road.

So, if you decide to hire movers, make sure you choose licensed and reliable NYC movers because they’ll help you relocate stress-free. Dumbo Moving and Storage may be the best fit – why not give us a shout and see for yourself? You can contact us via phone or email and we’ll be happy to chat about your upcoming move. We’ll create a customized plan for your move and help you organize a stress-free moving day. Contact us for a price by truck free moving quote.