Why Most Movers Use A 26-Foot Truck For Moving.
- American National Movers
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Long distance moving companies usually arrive with a 26-foot truck to load your items. A 26-foot truck is the largest vehicle you can drive without a CDL (Commercial Driver's License), making it the go-to option for both movers and DIY customers. A 26-foot truck holds around 1,600 cubic feet, which can accommodate about 3 to 4 rooms' worth of furniture or 15–17 large items.
However, if you're moving a fully furnished 3- or 4-bedroom house, a 26-foot truck may not be enough. In these cases, many movers transfer your items to an 18-wheeler for delivery. Let's break that down.
Movers May Deliver Your Goods In An 18-Wheeler Truck.
Though most movers use a 26-foot truck, your belongings may be transferred to an 18-wheeler truck. Most long distance moving companies consolidate shipments, also known as shared load moving, in a semi-truck to keep your costs down. Here is a further explanation:
Lower Costs: Running one semi-truck is cheaper than sending out multiple 26-foot trucks. It saves fuel and labor.
Shared Truck Space: If your move doesn't take up an entire 18-wheeler, you share the truck with other customers—this is called a consolidated move.
More Capacity: An 18-wheeler offers up to 4,000 cubic feet of space, enough for large homes and multi-customer loads.
This process reduces costs but also means longer delivery windows due to multi-stop routing.
Worried About The High Costs Of Long Distance Movers?
Many people start looking for the best moving truck for long distance driving due to the high costs of certain moving companies. However, there are affordable long distance movers, such as American National Movers, with an average cost of $4,800. After factoring in moving truck rental fees, fuel, packing materials, and labor, American National Movers has similar costs to PODS, U-Haul, and Penske.
What Is The Best Truck Size For Moving?
Due to its 1600 cubic feet of capacity, a 26-foot truck is the most popular and widely used van for both local and long distance relocations. U-Haul recommends 20ft trucks, but they can only hold between 8 and 10 furniture pieces—sometimes fewer. To be safe, it's best to rent a 26-foot moving truck rather than a 20-footer to ensure you have enough space for all your household goods.
Is A 26-Foot Truck Big Enough?
In most cases, yes—but not always. A 26-foot truck is usually large enough for smaller apartments and mid-sized home but things can get complicated for larger homes. This is because larger homes have more than just 15 pieces of furniture and 60-plus boxes. Consequently, a 26-foot truck is usually not big enough for homes with several items and boxes.
Here's a Breakdown of the most common truck sizes moving companies use:
Important Notes:
Use 10-12ft truck for long distance loads with just a few pieces of furniture.
Use a 20 foot truck for 1-2 bedroom homes that are lightly furnished.
Larger homes will need a 26-foot truck or a semi truck. If you don'y want to hire long distance movers you will need to rent two 26-foot trucks instead.
Final Thoughts: Choose the Right Truck for the Right Job.
Most long distance movers use a 26-foot truck to load your items—but that doesn’t mean your shipment stays on it. For large moves or longer distances, your items may transfer to an 18-wheeler for delivery. If you're renting a truck and doing everything yourself, rent a 26-foot truck to be safe. If you have a larger home, you may need two trucks instead, which will dramatically increase your DIY moving costs.
Bottom line:
For 1- to 2-bedroom moves, a 26-foot truck is usually enough.
For larger homes, expect to share space in an 18-wheeler—or pay for dedicated truck service.
If you're trying to save money, affordable full-service movers may offer better value than DIY rentals.
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