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Short-Distance & In-State Moving You rent and load the truck. Our professional driver drives it, even a few hundred miles.
Not every move crosses the country. If you’re moving within your state or anywhere under 1,000 miles, such as Los Angeles to San Francisco, Tampa to Miami or Dallas to Houston, we’ll put a professional driver behind the wheel of your rental truck.
✓ Drivers since 2017 · ✓ Background-checked, licensed and insured · ✓ All 48 continental states
Do You Take Moves Under 1,000 Miles?
Yes. The route prices you’ll see elsewhere on this site start around 1,200 miles because that’s where a standard driver price works. Shorter moves are a large share of the quote requests we receive, and many of them never leave one state. We provide drivers for:
- In-state moves between cities: Los Angeles to San Francisco, Dallas to Houston, Tampa to Miami, Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
- Regional moves to a neighboring state: Chicago to St. Louis, Atlanta to Nashville, Boston to Washington, DC.
- Moves of 500 to 1,000 miles that are too long to drive comfortably in one day but shorter than a cross-country trip.
Moving more than 1,000 miles? See our long-distance moving truck rental guide.
Why Short Moves Are Quoted by a Person, Not a Price Table
On a cross-country move, the miles on the road decide most of the price. On a 250-mile move, they often don’t. Before quoting a short move, we look at:
| Factor | Why it matters on a short move |
|---|---|
| Getting the driver to your truck and home again | The driver has to reach your pickup address and travel home after delivery. On a short move, that ground and air travel can take as long as the move itself, and it depends on where the nearest available driver is. |
| Rural or hard-to-reach addresses | Pickup or delivery far from an airport, bus or train station adds travel time and ground transportation for the driver. |
| Your dates | Weekends, the end of the month and peak season (May to September) book up first. Flexible dates give us more options. |
| Truck size and towing | A 26-foot truck, or any truck towing a car trailer, drives slower and needs more planning than a cargo van. |
| Waiting time | If the truck isn’t loaded when the driver arrives, or the delivery address isn’t ready, time adds up. |
| Parking and access | Narrow streets, building rules and loading-zone limits at either end, common in San Francisco, Miami and other dense cities. |
Because each of these varies from move to move, we don’t publish a short-distance price. Send your route and dates, and a person will email you one personal quote for your move.
Example In-State and Short-Distance Moves
Common short routes we quote. Miles are approximate driving distances. Drive times are for a loaded moving truck with normal stops and change with traffic and weather. Every route is quoted individually.
In-state moves
| Route | State | Approx. miles | Typical drive time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles → San Francisco | California | ~380 | 7–8 hours |
| San Diego → Sacramento | California | ~500 | 9–10 hours |
| Dallas → Houston | Texas | ~240 | 4–5 hours |
| Austin → Dallas | Texas | ~195 | 3.5–4 hours |
| San Antonio → Houston | Texas | ~200 | 3.5–4 hours |
| Tampa → Miami | Florida | ~280 | 5–6 hours |
| Orlando → Miami | Florida | ~235 | 4–5 hours |
| Jacksonville → Miami | Florida | ~345 | 6–7 hours |
| Atlanta → Savannah | Georgia | ~250 | 4.5–5 hours |
| Charlotte → Raleigh | North Carolina | ~170 | 3–3.5 hours |
| Philadelphia → Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | ~305 | 5.5–6 hours |
| New York City → Buffalo | New York | ~375 | 7–8 hours |
| Phoenix → Tucson | Arizona | ~115 | 2–2.5 hours |
Short moves to a neighboring state
| Route | States | Approx. miles | Typical drive time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta → Nashville | Georgia → Tennessee | ~250 | 4.5–5 hours |
| Chicago → St. Louis | Illinois → Missouri | ~300 | 5.5–6 hours |
| Boston → Washington, DC | Massachusetts → DC | ~440 | 8–9 hours |
| Denver → Salt Lake City | Colorado → Utah | ~520 | 9–10 hours |
| Seattle → San Francisco | Washington → California | ~810 | About 2 days |
Route guides: movers vs. a rental truck with a driver
Each guide covers one route in both directions: miles, drive time, fuel math, tolls, road restrictions and the best time to move.
- Los Angeles ↔ San Francisco
- Dallas ↔ Houston
- Austin ↔ Dallas
- New York City ↔ Philadelphia
- Boston ↔ New York City
Don’t see your route? We quote moves between any two cities in the 48 continental states.
Moving within your state?
Send your route and dates. A person reviews it and emails your quote the same day. No obligation.
How It Works
- Rent a one-way truck in your name. U-Haul, Penske or Budget. Add our driver to your rental agreement as an additional driver (how to add a driver).
- Request a quote. Pickup and delivery addresses, dates, truck size and whether you’re towing a car. A person reviews it and replies by email the same day.
- Load the truck. Load it yourself or hire local labor.
- Your driver meets the loaded truck. On move day, the driver arrives at your pickup address. You or someone you designate hands over the keys.
- Delivery. The driver takes the truck to your new address, where you or your designee accept it. You travel separately, usually in your own car.
What You Pay For on a Short Move
| Cost | Paid to | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Driver service | Moving Truck Driver | Personal quote for each move under 1,000 miles. Covers the driver’s time and travel. |
| Truck rental | Rental company | Reserved one-way, in your name. |
| Fuel | At cost | We give you a fuel estimate before departure. |
| Tolls | Billed at cost | Depend on the route; the driver keeps receipts. |
| Towing a car | Rental company (trailer or dolly) | May add to the driver quote. |
Quick fuel math: miles ÷ MPG × price per gallon. Dallas to Houston is about 240 miles; a 26-foot truck at 8 to 10 MPG uses roughly 24 to 30 gallons, about $85 to $105 at an example price of $3.50 a gallon. See tank size and MPG by truck.
Renting a Truck for an In-State Move
- Rent one-way, not round-trip. A round-trip (in-town) U-Haul rental has to go back to the location you rented it from and is charged per mile. A one-way rental can be dropped off near your new home.
- Check the included days and miles. One-way rentals come with a set number of days and miles; Penske one-way rentals include unlimited miles. Map the real route, including the drive to pick up the truck.
- Size the truck for your home, not the distance. Use our truck size guide; for big homes, see the 26-foot U-Haul guide.
- Reserve early in peak season. Popular in-state routes run short on trucks at the end of the month and from May to September.
- Put the driver on the contract. U-Haul adds additional drivers free; other companies have their own rules. U-Haul doesn’t provide drivers, which is why we do.
Is a Driver Worth It for a Short Move?
Hire a driver when…
you’d rather not drive a 20- or 26-foot truck through city traffic in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Houston or Miami; you need your own car at the new home; you’re towing a car; or you’re working right up to move day.
Drive it yourself when…
the move is a few hours, you’re comfortable behind the wheel of a large truck, and someone else can drive your car. A cargo van or 10-foot truck is easy for most people to drive.
Hire full-service movers when…
you also want packing and loading. We supply the driver only: you rent the truck and load it.
Get a Driver for Your Short-Distance or In-State Move
Tell us your pickup and delivery cities, truck size and move date. A person reviews every short move and emails you a personal quote the same day. No obligation and no sales calls.
Short-Distance and In-State Moving FAQ
Do you take moves under 1,000 miles?
Yes. We provide professional drivers for rental-truck moves under 1,000 miles, including moves within a single state such as Los Angeles to San Francisco, Dallas to Houston or Tampa to Miami. Every short move gets a personal quote.
How much does it cost to hire a driver for an in-state move?
There is no set price for short moves. A person reviews your route, dates, truck size and pickup and delivery locations, then emails you a quote the same day. The truck rental is paid to the rental company, fuel is paid at cost and tolls are billed at cost.
Why don’t you publish prices for short moves?
On a short move, the driver’s travel to your truck and home again, rural addresses, parking and your dates can cost as much as the drive itself. Quoting each move individually keeps the price accurate for your move.
Do I need to be there when the driver arrives?
You or someone you designate should be at the pickup address to hand over the keys, and at the delivery address to accept the truck. The driver meets your loaded truck at your pickup address.
Can I ride in the truck with the driver?
No. Passengers don’t ride with our drivers. You travel separately, usually in your own car, and meet the truck at your new home.
Should I rent one-way or round-trip for an in-state move?
For a move between two cities, rent one-way so the truck can be returned near your new home. A round-trip (in-town) rental has to go back to the location you rented it from and is charged per mile.
What size truck do I need for a short move?
It depends on how much you’re moving, not how far. A studio or small apartment often fits in a cargo van or 10-foot truck; a three- or four-bedroom home usually needs a 20- or 26-foot truck. See our U-Haul truck size guide to compare every size.
Can the driver tow my car on an in-state move?
Yes. If your rental includes a car trailer or tow dolly, the driver tows your car behind the truck. Towing may add to the driver quote.
Who loads the truck?
You do, or you hire local labor. We supply the professional driver only; we don’t rent trucks or load them.
How far ahead should I book a driver for a short move?
As early as you can, especially from May through September and at the end of the month, when trucks and drivers book up first. Put your dates in the quote form and we’ll confirm availability with your quote.
Key Facts: Short-Distance Moves
- Service: a professional driver for your rental moving truck. We don’t rent trucks or load them.
- Distance: moves under 1,000 miles, including in-state moves, are accepted in the 48 continental states.
- Pricing: a personal quote for each short move, reviewed by a person. There is no published short-distance price.
- Quotes: by email, the same day, with no obligation and no sales calls.
- Paid separately: truck rental (to the rental company), fuel at cost and tolls billed at cost.
- Pickup: the driver meets your loaded truck at your pickup address; you or a designee hand over the keys.
- Passengers: none. You travel separately.
- Drivers: background-checked, licensed and insured, driving since 2017.