Penske® Reviews
Overall the 26 ft Penske truck was very good; clean, automatic, AC, ran well. However, the person who checked us out and explained the features of the truck told us there was a dual fuel tank. We realized this was not true, the hard way, we ran out of gas on I-95. I also think they should at least mention that the truck is not allowed on certain roads and we should map our route very carefully. For example, the Garden State Parkway is a no-no with this rental truck. This could have been really bad, thank goodness we realized this soon after entering. These two issues set us back about 3 hours.
The 26' truck was decent but had no working radio and no cushion to the seats, we drove for two days so this was a big deal. The trailer we ordered wasn't there when we arrived but they brought it to us 4 hours later. Good deal for the money, however the truck was a gas guzzler be sure to use online calculator to budget for gas then add an extra 30-50% just to be on the safe side. (We used 50% more than the calculator budgeted but we were hauling a trailer and driving through mountains for an eighth of the trip.)
I initially reserved a 22ft box truck. The week before our move their district office (Mobile, AL) called me and asked if I would consider a 26ft, power lift-gate truck - they needed to get this truck to the Orlando, FL area (we were moving near there) in the worst way. I told them that as long as it didn't cost more I would be okay with that. In hindsight, I should have asked for a reduced rate because using a lift-gate - instead of a ramp - it takes MUCH longer to load and unload the truck. As it turns out, I had to pay my "helpers" $100 more because of the extra time it took to load the truck. Also, because of a "screen" that is installed at the bottom of the neck of the gas tank, it is difficult to fill the tank with fuel. I saw diesel in the neck of the fuel tank before I turned the truck in, but the fuel gauge only read 7/8th full. The office I returned the truck to was going to charge me over $70 for fuel (at $8/gallon I might add) until I raised such a stink that they gave me a "customer satisfaction refund." Although it is unlikely that I will need another truck rental in my lifetime, if I do, it will NOT be with Penske!
I have used Penske for long moves in the past. The trucks come to me clean, inspected, ready to go. The process of renting and returning the truck is smooth. The truck is easy to drive. The backup help from Penske is superb. (The brake lights did not work on the car carrier and they sent a repair person out to my home immediately to fix them.) The truck made the trip, which included lots of steep grades, just fine.
This was the second time I've moved long distance in the last two years, and the first time I used Penske. The 26' truck was clean and everything worked the way it was supposed to. We had a small hiccup with paperwork, but the rental agents at both the pickup and dropoff locations made it as painless as possible on me. I would use Penske again if I'm moving across the country, but I hope to not have to do that again.
The truck was brand new and drove like a dream. We rented it from our local Home Depot, along with moving blankets. It could not have been easier, especially since we did not have to return it to another Home Depot, but rather a local Penske dealer. We had the 26' truck for four days, and saved us a lot of money. I will say my husband is familiar with driving large equipment, thus the reason for us doing our own move. His only complaint was the side mirrors on the truck.
