Coastal Moving Services has completed Miami-to-Atlanta moves with a median shipment size of 332 cubic feet and a median completed price of $2,222. A U-Haul 6×12 enclosed trailer holds up to 396 cubic feet, so a shipment of that size fits by published volume. The rental route is far cheaper in cash, but you earn most of the difference with your own vehicle, your own time, and your own back.
How Much Could a DIY Miami-to-Atlanta Trailer Move Cost?
Miami to Atlanta is about 663 road miles. A current 2026 market range for a one-way U-Haul 6×12 trailer is about $450 to $750. If your tow vehicle averages 15 MPG while pulling the trailer, AAA’s September 3 national gas price of $4.1436 per gallon puts the fuel at about $183. A Motel 6 in Valdosta listed a room at $53 plus $13 in taxes and fees for the same week, so one inexpensive overnight stop adds about $66.
| Miami to Atlanta, about 332 cu. ft. | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| 6×12 one-way trailer | $450-$750 |
| Gas, 663 miles at 15 MPG and $4.1436/gal | About $183 |
| One budget motel night | About $66 |
| Approximate DIY cash spend | $699-$999 |
| Coastal completed-move median | $2,222 |
The DIY total does not include meals, tolls, trailer protection, pads, tie-downs, hitch work, parking, or other moving supplies. The Coastal figure comes from completed Miami-to-Atlanta moves with a median shipment size of 332 cubic feet and is not a quote for a new move.
If your costs land near these estimates, the trailer leaves roughly $1,200 to $1,500 in your pocket compared with Coastal’s $2,222 median on the same route. You earn that difference during a day that starts with carrying furniture in Miami, continues with more than 600 miles behind the wheel, and ends with the same furniture coming back out in Atlanta. Meals and tolls are missing from the table, and so is the sore back you supplied yourself.
What Does 332 Cubic Feet of Furniture Look Like?
Coastal’s records put a 332-cubic-foot shipment in the small-move range. Think of a studio, a lightly furnished one-bedroom apartment, or part of a larger household rather than a full family home.
A load around that size could include a bed and mattress, dresser, sofa or loveseat, coffee table, television and stand, a small desk or dining table, several chairs, and roughly 15 to 25 boxes. On paper, it fits inside U-Haul’s 396-cubic-foot 6×12 trailer. In the driveway, the shape of the furniture matters almost as much as the arithmetic. A long sofa, bulky dresser, or badly stacked first row can waste enough space to make the last pieces difficult to place.
Weight can stop you before volume does. U-Haul checks the tow vehicle, hitch system, and trailer together, then puts the recommended cargo weight on the rental contract. A trailer can still have open floor space after you have reached the weight allowed for your setup.
U-Haul Trailer Sizes for Household Moves
U-Haul rents enclosed cargo trailers and open utility trailers. Furniture and boxes usually belong in an enclosed trailer, where rain and road debris stay outside and the walls give you something to brace the load against. Open utility trailers are more useful for motorcycles, lawn equipment, building materials, and other cargo that benefits from a ramp or open top.
| Trailer | Capacity | Empty Weight | Max Load Listed by U-Haul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5×8 Cargo | 208 cu. ft. | 900 lbs. | 1,800 lbs. |
| 6×12 Cargo | 396 cu. ft. | 1,920 lbs. | 2,480 lbs. |
| 4×7 Utility | About 26 sq. ft. | 630 lbs. | 1,770 lbs. |
| 5×9 Utility with Ramp | About 45 sq. ft. | 1,240 lbs. | 1,650 lbs. |
U-Haul currently lists the 6×12 cargo trailer at $34.95 per day for an in-town rental. One-way pricing changes with the trailer size, pickup city, destination, move date, and equipment demand, so an interstate reservation can cost several hundred dollars even though the local sign says $34.95.
Enclosed Cargo Trailer or Open Utility Trailer?
If you are moving a sofa, mattress, boxes, clothing, electronics, or finished wood furniture, the enclosed trailer is usually the easier choice. You still need pads and tie-downs, but you do not have to build the whole load around rain protection.
An open trailer can work for household belongings, but broad items such as mattresses and lightweight furniture need careful restraint. Something that feels heavy while you are lifting it can catch a surprising amount of wind once the trailer is moving at highway speed.
Your Vehicle Has to Match the Trailer
Owning an SUV or pickup with a hitch is not enough by itself. U-Haul checks your exact tow vehicle and hitch setup before approving the trailer, and the 6×12 has an empty weight of 1,920 pounds before a single box goes inside.
For the 6×12, U-Haul requires a 1-7/8-inch or 2-inch hitch ball rated for at least 2,000 pounds, working lights, and an adequate hitch system. U-Haul also states that the curb weight of the tow vehicle must exceed the weight of the loaded trailer. Your vehicle’s own tow rating still matters, so check the owner’s manual for the engine, drivetrain, and equipment actually on your vehicle rather than assuming that every model of the same SUV or truck has the same capacity.
Hitch Ball and Wiring
U-Haul trailers use a 4-way flat light connector. If your vehicle already has the correct hitch, ball mount, wiring, and towing capacity, pickup can be straightforward. If it does not, you may be buying or installing those parts before the move starts, and that cost belongs in the DIY budget.
Loading the Trailer Without Making It Tow Badly
Even when every piece fits, the trailer can tow badly if the weight sits in the wrong place. U-Haul recommends putting about 60% of the cargo weight in the front half and 40% in the rear, with the heavier pieces closer to the tow vehicle.
Count weight, not pieces. Ten boxes of books can weigh far more than ten boxes of bedding, and too much weight at the back can make the trailer fishtail. U-Haul specifically identifies poor loading as a cause of trailer sway and tells drivers to stop and move more weight toward the front if it begins.
The furniture itself needs a plan too. You may have to take a bed apart before it clears the doorway, remove sofa legs, pad finished surfaces, and decide which large pieces go in first. If the first few pieces waste the front corners or block the door opening, fixing the load can mean carrying them back out and starting again.
Once everything fits, secure it. A dresser that can slide a few inches under braking can damage the piece next to it and shift the trailer’s weight at the same time.
Towing 663 Miles Is a Different Drive
U-Haul recommends a maximum towing speed of 55 MPH. Even if you could hold that speed for the entire Miami-to-Atlanta route, 663 miles would take a little more than 12 hours before traffic, gas, food, and rest stops. The same trip that feels manageable in a passenger car gets longer once you add a loaded trailer and a lower cruising speed.
A loaded 6×12 gives you more weight to stop and more length to steer through a turn. Leave extra braking room, swing wider where the trailer needs it, and wait until the trailer has cleared before moving back into a lane.
If the morning began with carrying a sofa, mattress, dresser, and twenty boxes down the stairs, driving straight through may not feel like the bargain it did when you looked only at the rental rate. One inexpensive motel night adds about $66 in our Miami-to-Atlanta example. Skip it and you save the money; you also keep the longer day.
Backing Up
Backing a trailer is often where first-time towing becomes awkward. A highway lane gives you room to move forward; an apartment loading area, storage lot, or narrow driveway may ask you to put the trailer exactly where you want it while cars and curbs sit on both sides.
Small steering movements can create a sharp trailer angle quickly in reverse. If you have never backed a trailer before, an empty parking lot is a better classroom than the driveway at your new home with a loaded 6×12 behind you.
If the Trailer Starts to Sway
U-Haul says fishtailing or whipping usually comes from a poorly loaded trailer and gets worse with speed. Slow down, get somewhere safe, and move more of the cargo weight toward the front before continuing. Hard braking while the trailer is already swinging can make the situation worse.
Atlanta Still Has an Unloading Job Waiting for You
By the time you reach Atlanta, you have already carried the shipment once and spent most of the day towing it north. Now the same bed, sofa, dresser, television, and boxes come back out. A driveway near the door may make that fairly quick; three flights of stairs, an elevator window, or a long walk from the parking area will not. None of that labor appears on the U-Haul receipt because you supplied it.
One-way rentals also have to reach the return location listed in the contract. After the furniture is inside, you may still need to sweep the trailer, collect rented pads or dollies, drive the empty trailer across town, document the return, and find your way back from the lot. Local rentals go back to the pickup location, while one-way contracts provide the destination return instructions.
How U-Haul Trailer Pricing Works
U-Haul’s local trailer rates start at $14.95 per day, and the company currently lists the 6×12 cargo trailer at $34.95 for an in-town rental. Trailer rentals include unlimited mileage, so U-Haul does not add a per-mile charge the way a truck rental often does.
For a one-way rental, U-Haul bases the rate on the trailer, origin, destination, and move date, then includes a set number of days to complete the trip. The company also says the price can change until you confirm the reservation.
For a long-distance move, the trailer charge is only part of what leaves your wallet. Fuel, optional protection, pads, straps, a dolly, tolls, parking, and any hitch or wiring work all sit outside the advertised local daily rate. What you already own makes a large difference: someone with a properly equipped tow vehicle and a garage full of moving supplies starts much closer to the rental price than someone buying the whole setup for one move.
What If the Trailer Gets Damaged?
U-Haul sells Safetow for trailer and towing-equipment rentals. Coverage and pricing depend on the rental, and the terms matter because your personal auto policy or credit card may not cover rented equipment the way you expect.
Check your own policy before pickup rather than assuming the trailer follows the same rules as your car. If you add Safetow or another protection product, include that charge in the DIY total. It is not included in the $699 to $999 Miami-to-Atlanta estimate above.
When Renting the Trailer Is Worth the Work
A small shipment, a capable tow vehicle, good access at both homes, and at least one other person who can lift with you make the trailer much easier to justify. A studio, lightly furnished one-bedroom apartment, student move, or partial household can fit that profile without forcing you into multiple trips.
Spending roughly $700 to $1,000 instead of a completed-move median of $2,222 leaves enough money on the table to make a long day of loading and towing worthwhile for someone who is comfortable doing it.
If the lifting and driving are the reasons you started looking for moving help, saving the money may still leave you doing the exact jobs you wanted to hand off. A vehicle that cannot safely tow the load, difficult apartment access, furniture you cannot comfortably carry at both ends, or a 12-hour towing day after loading can move the decision away from the rental price very quickly.
Comparing the Trailer With a Move Arranged Through Coastal
Coastal Moving Services is a household-goods broker. We arrange interstate transportation with an authorized motor carrier, and the assigned carrier performs the physical move under the services listed in the booked estimate.
On Miami-to-Atlanta moves in Coastal’s completed records, the median shipment measured 332 cubic feet and the median completed price was $2,222, with a common recorded range of $2,125 to $3,446. A 332-cubic-foot shipment fits inside U-Haul’s 396-cubic-foot 6×12 trailer by published volume.
A DIY trailer bill around $700 to $1,000 leaves the loading, 663-mile tow, unloading, and equipment return with you. In a move arranged through Coastal, the authorized carrier handles the transportation and the moving services listed in the estimate.
U-Haul Trailer Rental FAQ
Does U-Haul charge mileage on trailers?
No. U-Haul includes unlimited mileage with trailer and towing-equipment rentals.
How much does a 6×12 U-Haul trailer cost?
U-Haul currently lists the 6×12 cargo trailer at $34.95 per day for local rentals. One-way prices depend on the origin, destination, trailer, and move date, so the interstate rate can be much higher than the local daily price.
How much does a 6×12 U-Haul trailer hold?
U-Haul lists up to 396 cubic feet of cargo space, an empty weight of 1,920 pounds, and a maximum load of 2,480 pounds. The recommended cargo weight on your rental can be lower because U-Haul also checks your tow vehicle and hitch system.
Can my SUV or pickup tow a 6×12 U-Haul trailer?
It depends on the exact vehicle, hitch, and loaded trailer weight. U-Haul checks the combination during the reservation process, while your vehicle manufacturer provides the tow rating for your specific engine, drivetrain, and equipment.
What hitch ball does a U-Haul trailer use?
U-Haul trailer couplers use either a 1-7/8-inch or 2-inch ball. The ball and the rest of the hitch system also need enough weight capacity for the trailer you are towing.
How fast can I drive with a U-Haul trailer?
U-Haul recommends a maximum towing speed of 55 MPH. Weather, traffic, road conditions, and posted limits may require you to drive slower.
How should I load a U-Haul trailer?
U-Haul recommends placing about 60% of the cargo weight in the front half of the trailer and 40% in the rear. Secure the cargo so it cannot shift, especially dense items such as boxes of books.
How old do I have to be to rent a U-Haul trailer?
U-Haul’s current rental guidance lists 16 as the minimum age for a trailer rental and 18 for a truck rental. You also need a government-issued driver’s license.
Is a U-Haul trailer cheaper than using a carrier?
It can be much cheaper when you already own a suitable tow vehicle and do the loading and unloading yourself. Compare the one-way rental, fuel, lodging, protection, supplies, tolls, and any hitch work with the price of having an assigned carrier perform the transportation and booked moving services.
Does Coastal Moving Services physically perform the move?
No. Coastal Moving Services is a household-goods broker. We arrange interstate transportation with an authorized motor carrier, and the assigned carrier performs the physical move.
Sources
- Coastal Moving Services: Moving Cost Statistics 2026
- U-Haul: 6×12 Cargo Trailer Specifications
- U-Haul: Trailer Rental FAQ
- U-Haul: Trailer and Towing Prices, updated February 18, 2026
- AAA: National Gas Prices
- Motel 6 Valdosta, GA – University
- 2026 U-Haul Trailer One-Way Price Samples
- FMCSA: Household Goods Movers and Brokers
