Answered by Kelly Martini
June 10, 2019Though renting a truck may seem like a cost-effective option for your DIY move, fuel expenses can have a significant effect on your budget. A large vehicle like moving truck (over 20 feet) burns up a lot of gas and will get about 6 to 10 miles per gallon. However, factors like the weight of your load, hours spent idling in traffic, number of times you stop and taking long distance will all vary the mileage.
How to calculate the gas cost?
To estimate your fuel cost, you need to know the distance of your move, the average price of fuel and how many miles per gallon (mpg) does the truck gets.
Once you know those numbers, use the below formula to calculate your fuel cost.
- Total distance ÷ Moving truck MPG × average price of gas = Total cost to fuel the rental truck.
- For example, if you are travelling 600 miles in a large truck that gets 6 miles per gallon (mpg), and gas averages about $3.15, then you'll be spending $315 on gas to travel 600 miles.
- Remember that you're required to return the rental truck with a full tank. Large trucks will need between 50 to 60 gallons to fill up. If you have a truck with a 50-gallon gas tank, it will cost you $157.50 to fill the tank. The final cost of the trip will be $315 + $157.50 ($472.50).
If you're thinking all that calculation is too difficult, use our fuel cost calculator to estimate your total gas cost.