Truck sizes
26 ft truck: what fits, and how U-Haul, Penske and Budget compare
A 26 ft truck fits a three to five bedroom home and is the largest size you can drive without a CDL. Payload is what separates the brands: U-Haul lists 12,859 lb, Penske 10,000 lb, and Budget 9,180 lb.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-28
- Cargo vanA dorm, a studio, or a few big items246 to 404 cu ft
- 10 to 12 ft truckA studio or a small one-bedroom380 to 450 cu ft
- 15 to 16 ft truckA one or two bedroom apartment658 to 800 cu ft
- 20 to 22 ft truckA two to three bedroom home1,016 to 1,200 cu ft
- 26 ft truckA three to five bedroom home1,682 to 1,700 cu ft
Who this size fits
fill the weight limit before the box looks full.
Three to five bedrooms. This is the truck for a full house: furniture from three to five bedrooms, plus the boxes that go with them. It is also the largest truck you can drive on a regular licence, since a CDL starts at 26,001 lb GVW. U-Haul sits at 25,999 lb and Budget at 26,000 lb. If the house is that size, start here before you look at smaller truck rentals.
Size up or down on weight, not bedrooms. Volume is close across brands, but payload is not, so a heavy load of books, tools, or appliances can fill the weight limit before the box looks full. Size down when the home is smaller than three bedrooms or the load is light; a smaller truck is easier to park and burns less fuel. Use the truck size calculator if you are unsure.
Published specs at this size, from each brand's own truck page, read 28 Sep 2026. Specs vary by model year and location: check the truck at pickup.
| U-Haul 26' truck | Penske 26' truck | Budget 26' truck | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside (L × W × H) | 26'2" × 8'1" × 8'3" | 25'11" × 8'1" × 8'1" | 26' × 8'1" × 8'1" |
| Cargo volume | 1,682 cu ft | 1,700 cu ft | 1,698 cu ft |
| Max load | 12,859 lb | 10,000 lb | 9,180 lb |
| Door opening (W × H) | 7'9" × 6'10" | Not published | 7'10" × 7'7" |
| Loading ramp | EZ-Load ramp, 2'7" wide | 1,000 lb loading ramp | Ramp, 1,000 lb |
| Fuel | Gasoline, 60 gal tank | Diesel, 70 gal tank | Diesel, 50 gal tank |
| Miles per gallon (brand estimate) | 8 to 10 | Up to 13 | 8 to 10 |
| Seats | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Towing | Up to 10,000 lb | Can tow a vehicle | Tow dolly or car carrier |
| Clearance height | 12 ft | Not published | 13 ft |
| Fits | A three to five bedroom home | Five to seven rooms | Five to eight rooms or a two to three bedroom home |
| Extras | Mom's Attic, 2'7" × 8'1" × 3'3" |
Sources: U-Haul 26' truck (brand spec page); Penske 26' truck (brand spec page); Budget 26' truck (Budget's page also says a max load of up to 12,000 lb; we print the 9,180 lb payload.).
How the brands differ
the box size will not decide the rental.
Cargo space is nearly the same. U-Haul lists 1,682 cu ft, Budget 1,698, and Penske 1,700, so the box size will not decide the rental. Payload will. U-Haul rates 12,859 lb, Penske 10,000 lb, and Budget 9,180 lb. That gap is thousands of pounds, which matters more than a few cubic feet when the load is dense. Specs vary by model year and location.
Fuel, ramps, and towing split them. U-Haul runs on gas and lists a ramp 2'7" wide, three seats, and a tow rating up to 10,000 lb, plus Mom's Attic. Penske and Budget are diesel, both with a ramp and three seats. Penske quotes up to 13 mpg and a 70 gal tank; Budget quotes 8 to 10 mpg and 50 gal. A side by side view is on the compare page.
Fuel for 1,000 loaded miles, at the US average price for the week of 21 Sept 2026. Uses the low end of each brand's mpg estimate, because a loaded truck does worse than the brochure.
| Truck | Fuel | Loaded mpg | Per 1,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul 26' truck | Gasoline | 8 mpg | $560 |
| Penske 26' truck | Diesel | 13 mpg | $502 |
| Budget 26' truck | Diesel | 8 mpg | $816 |
Source: US Energy Information Administration, weekly retail prices (week of 21 Sept 2026).
Driving and loading it
Those mpg figures are ideal estimates, and a loaded truck on hills does worse.
Check height before you leave. U-Haul lists 12 ft of clearance and Budget lists 13 ft. Measure the route for anything lower than the figure on your truck. All three brands list a ramp. U-Haul's ramp is 2'7" wide, which is a tight squeeze once the sofa leaves the living room. Budget lists a door of 7'10" by 7'7". Confirm the ramp and the door at pickup.
Match the pump to the truck. U-Haul is gasoline, at 8 to 10 mpg with a 60 gal tank. Penske and Budget are diesel; Penske quotes up to 13 mpg. For the EIA week of 21 Sept 2026, gasoline is $4.48 a gallon and diesel is $6.53 a gallon. Those mpg figures are ideal estimates, and a loaded truck on hills does worse. Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand.
Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand. Drafted with grok-4.7-medium via cursor-agent on 2026-09-24, then edited.
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- Do I need a CDL for a 26 ft truck?
- U-Haul lists a GVW of 25,999 lb, which is under the 26,001 lb line where a CDL is needed, so a regular licence is enough. Budget lists a GVW of 26,000 lb, which is also under that line. Penske does not list a GVW in these specs, so confirm it on the truck at pickup.
- How do the cargo volumes compare?
- U-Haul lists 1,682 cu ft, Budget 1,698 cu ft, and Penske 1,700 cu ft. The boxes are close enough that volume alone should not pick the brand. Payload and fuel type will.
- Which fuel does each 26 ft truck use?
- U-Haul takes gasoline and quotes 8 to 10 mpg with a 60 gal tank. Penske and Budget take diesel; Penske quotes up to 13 mpg and 70 gal, and Budget quotes 8 to 10 mpg and 50 gal. For the EIA week of 21 Sept 2026, gasoline is $4.48 a gallon and diesel is $6.53 a gallon.
- When is a 26 ft truck the wrong size?
- It fits a three to five bedroom home, so size down for a smaller place. This is already the largest truck you can drive without a CDL, so a regular licence does not get you a bigger box. For a hired crew, see [truck rental vs movers](/guides/truck-rental-vs-movers).
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About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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