Rental 101 – Tips for Renting a Trailer

August 9th, 2022

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When considering renting a trailer, there are numerous things to take into account. For example do you want to rent a flatbed, or reefer, or some other kind of trailer? Rentals are always a practical choice, whether you require a trailer for a single day, on the road for work, or working on a short-term project.

Now, there are a few things you should know before booking a trailer rental. For certain uses, there is a trailer parallel to its needs. For example, heavy transport trailers, storage trailers, and mobile offices all have special trailer requirements; depending on how long you plan to keep the trailer, you can find many different options as well. Before exploring our tips to renting a trailer, let’s look at what you need to know before you step foot in a dealership.

A flat bed trailer.

Before Renting a Trailer

By selecting the trailer that meets your demands the best, you can manage operations and expenses more successfully. There are many different types of trailers available, so you should choose one based on the requirements of the project or delivery demands. A flatbed trailer rental allows you to make fewer trips without sacrificing fleet space once you return the trailer. And with a lowboy trailer rental, it makes life easy as you won’t need to get extra permits.

Before renting a trailer, we recommend you make a critical assessment of the needs for the job. What will the trailer be used for? How much does it cost to rent a trailer? Is this a large or small project you’re involved in? If it’s a small project, could it potentially need more support for additional trailers? It’s important to ask these questions because they will impact the team you need and especially your budget to complete your tasks.

5 Tips for Renting a Trailer

The need for a trailer rental among owner-operators is widespread, yet many have trouble finding a fair bargain. Are you thinking about renting a trailer? Let’s walk through 5 tips to help you understand the rental process and how this could benefit your company.

5 tips for renting a trailer.

Book Your Rentals Far in Advance

We recommend you book your rental solutions in advance to get your preferred rates. You then have time to make your additional arrangements like setting up pick-up and return as well as coordinating the job(s) with your client. The dealership will have the time to thoroughly check that your estimated load is compatible with the trailer and ensure it’s well disinfected and inspected before your rental period.

Find the Appropriate Insurance

When renting a trailer, anything might happen. Having commercial truck insurance is essential in the event of unforeseeable accidents or damages.

Make sure your insurance is up to date and acceptable before selecting a trailer. By doing this, you may safeguard your company’s budget and feel secure throughout the process.

Find Reputable Trailer Dealerships

Some companies that offer trailers specialize in either renting, leasing, or selling trailers. It makes sense to engage with a dealership that has extensive experience renting, leasing, and selling trailers from a variety of manufacturers.

Keep close ties with the dealership you know and trust. If you lease trailers the majority of the time but expect seasonal upticks from client demands, having this close relationship will help you accommodate your needs. This method is also useful for companies starting up who wish to rent trailers. If you are on the fence about purchasing a trailer, this could be a great transition into ownership.

Mobile Trailer and Storage Usage

If you own the trailer and have it around all the time, finding a place to store it when it’s not in use could be difficult. Trailers occupy parking space and depending on where you live, that can be a premium. Instead of attempting to store a trailer where you have limited or no space, you can pick it up and return it to the rental company if you’re renting a trailer to function as one of your mobile office trailers. However, storage container rentals entail giving up availability, which adds time to getting a trailer and shipping it back.

Rental Delivery and Inspection

In order to make the retrieval process as convenient as possible, rental dealers frequently provide pickup and delivery services. Finding out what choices your local dealer has to offer can save time and money before establishing conditions regarding the rental. If you’re in a rush to complete a task, delivery services could be a huge benefit.

You can spare yourself the hassle of having to go back to the dealership by inspecting your trailer rental before you depart. When you arrive to pick up your rental, go through and check for trailer-truck compatibility, test the electrical components and technology, and make note of any existing damage.

Learning how to rent a trailer isn’t as difficult as it sounds. If you refer to our tips, you will have a smooth process when considering renting a trailer. 

Frequently Asked Questions When Renting a Trailer

Are trailer prices negotiable?

In short, yes. Rates are dependent on more than the vehicle being used. Drop-off location, tolls, fuel surcharge, and other rates are accounted for. Since many factors go into negotiating for better freight rates, we want to make sure you have an informed perspective.

How does a trailer lease work?

When you agree to lease a trailer, you agree to pay a certain amount in exchange for the right to use the trailer for the duration of the lease period. The trailer will be your responsibility for maintenance during the term, but it remains the dealer’s property. The length you need the trailer for will mostly determine the cost with some additional fees.

You have two options when it comes to returning the trailer to the dealer at the end of the term: buyout or return. The trailer will be formally given to you after you pay the buyout, if you choose the ownership route. This is a great way to test out equipment with a low dollar, low risk investment.

Is it better to lease or buy a trailer?

Working with a trailer provider that can meet your needs is key. To make sure you have an ideal experience, let’s look at the pros and cons of renting vs buying:

Renting a trailer:

Pros:

  • Lower upfront costs
  • Less commitment for short term or seasonal needs
  • Flexibility to regularly upgrade trailers

Cons:

  • Binding of rental agreement
  • No opportunity to sell or trade

Buying a trailer:

Pros:

  • Growth in assets
  • Readily available to you
  • Cheaper investment over time

Cons:

  • More money down upfront
  • No flexibility to upgrade trailer for special jobs

If ownership is not your route, you can use leasing as a way to see your future as an owner as your business grows. In the meantime, you can avoid the maintenance, insurance, repair, upgrade, and inspection costs among other factors. This makes sense in the leasing vs buying scenario if you only need trailers from time to time.

Rent with Hale Trailer

When renting a trailer from Hale Trailer, you receive equipment that has been carefully examined and will far exceed your expectations; not to mention the top-notch assistance when understanding how to rent a trailer. We’ll help you make the decision that makes the most sense for you.

Hale Trailer offers the necessary expertise to get you on the road in a trailer that’s in good condition no matter how long you need to rent it. Our sizeable inventory and trailer experts will make the rental process as seamless as possible. We have a line-up of trailers ready for the road now, available to you for purchase or rent. Browse our vehicle line-up online or stop by one of trailer rental locations to learn more about working with us.

All the information on this website – https://www.haletrailer.com – is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Hale Trailer Brake and Wheel does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website, is strictly at your own risk. Hale Trailer Brake and Wheel will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website.