Loading and unloading help for rental trucks, trailers and PODS

Plenty of people rent a truck to save on the drive and then run out of strength at the front door. The hardest hours of a self-move are the loading and the unloading, where a washer, a sofa and a dresser have to fit into a space with little room to spare. A trained crew can do those two parts and leave the rest to you.

At a glance

• Rental trucks and trailers
• PODS and portable containers
• Pads, straps and ramps provided
• Loading, unloading or both

How it works

You book the truck, trailer or container and tell the office where and when it will be. The crew arrives with pads, dollies, ramps and straps, loads your goods in an order that keeps heavy items low and against the front, and secures them. At the other end, the crew unloads, carries items into rooms and sets up beds if you ask.

Why load order matters

A truck that is loaded well rides well. Heavy furniture goes first, boxes go on top and every layer is strapped. FMCSA publishes cargo securement rules for commercial carriers, and the same principles of blocking and tying down keep a rental truck safe. Read about hiring movers vs renting a truck and portable containers vs full-service movers.

Containers on your driveway

Portable containers arrive at your house and wait while you pack. When they are full, the container company hauls them away. Our crew can load the container on your driveway or unload it after delivery. Check the rules in your neighborhood about driveway or street placement, and see container vs moving truck for planning tips.

Pairing with packing

Many customers combine labor with packing. Our crew can pack the kitchen and fragile items the day before the truck arrives, and your own boxes can be loaded alongside. See professional packing, and buy boxes at the Sparks office. The first 10 heavy-duty boxes are free with your in-home estimate.

Booking labor

Tell the estimator the size of the truck or container, the stairs at each address and the pieces that need special care. The estimate lists the crew size and what the crew will do at each stop.

If the stairs at either address are steep or the driveway is long, say so. The crew can bring extra hands or a ramp, and the estimate will reflect it. Giving the office the truck size and the date also lets the office set the arrival time so the crew is ready when the rental company's window opens.