Franchise FAQ

how to get started in a uhaul franchise

by Blake Farrell Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Are uhaul locations franchised?

After being founded by Leonard Shoen in 1945, U-Haul expanded through franchising with gas stations. Opening a franchise typically requires extensive start-up costs. But you do not have to pay a thing to become a U-Haul dealer.

Is driving uhaul difficult?

Driving a U-Haul truck isn't too different from driving a regular vehicle. Our trucks are designed to make moving and driving a simple experience that any DIY mover can accomplish.

What is the corporate number for U-Haul?

(800) 468-4285U-Haul / Customer service

Is being a long haul truck driver worth it?

Long-haul trucking is a rewarding job that comes with travel and a lot of autonomy. Many truckers enjoy the power of commanding big-rig vehicles and the abundant freedom of the road. Many benefits come with long-haul trucking, including a high salary. The average national salary for the trucking industry is $53,000.

What is the hardest part about truck driving?

Working Long Hours Can Be Hard for Truck Drivers While many would assume having to maneuver a big truck would be the most difficult part of the job, the long hours are often what truck drivers say is the hardest part.

Who owns U-Haul?

AMERCOU-Haul / Parent organization

Where is U-Haul headquarters?

Phoenix, AZU-Haul / Headquarters

Who is the CEO of U-Haul?

Joe Shoen (1990–)U-Haul / CEOEdward Joseph Shoen is an American businessman. He is the president, chairman, and chief executive officer of AMERCO, the holding company of U-Haul International. Wikipedia

Is driving a moving truck hard?

The first thing to know is that driving a moving truck isn't all that different from driving a car. The scale is certainly different, and as with any vehicle that you've never driven before, there is going to be a learning curve as far as figuring out where all of your blinkers, buttons and blind spots are.

Is U-Haul truck automatic or manual?

All U-Haul trucks have an automatic transmission and it is known to be easier than a manual to drive. However, driving a long truck is still quite hard, regardless of the type of transmission.

Is driving a 26 U-Haul hard?

The moving truck can be fun to drive and rides gentle enough that it almost feel as if it is not 26-feet long. Once you complete your move and conquering your first time driving a moving truck, you can do anything! At least that was the feeling that I had when completing and a sigh of relief.

Is truck driving really hard?

For a lot of experienced drivers, what makes the job hard is the stress. From dealing with the motoring public to keeping track of hours of service to making it on time to a customer, truck drivers have a lot to juggle.

Earn high commissions with no investment

On average, we pay a 21% commission across all of our product lines -; highest in the industry. Opening a franchise typically requires extensive start-up costs, but you don't pay a thing to become a U-Haul Dealer. You'll earn extra money simply by putting unused land or labor to use.

Use our brand to build your business

U-Haul is the number one name in moving & storage and that translates to more customers, period. U-Haul Dealers get their business name in front of millions of potential customers via uhaul.com and by phone at 1-800-GO-UHAUL.

What is the upside of being a U-Haul dealer?

The financial upside to being a U-Haul dealer is significant. Dealerships earn commissions off equipment transactions originating from their locations. Commissions can approach, and even reach, 22% per transaction. The more equipment that is dispatched, the more dealers will boost their bottom lines – simply by maximizing their time and lot space.

How many U-Haul dealers are there?

This successful model is no secret. More than 20,000 independent dealers offer our trucks and trailers. They are everywhere, from densely populated cities to remote country towns. In fact, U-Haul dealers account for more than 90% of U-Haul locations. Many of our dealers have been serving the DIY moving public in their community for decades. Some partnerships are nearly as old as U-Haul itself.

When was the first U-Haul trailer made?

The first U-Haul trailers were dispatched from service stations along the West Coast for $2 a day in the 1940s. Ever since U-Haul was co-founded by a U.S. Navy veteran as WWII was coming to an end, the Company has been partnering with local businesses to reach more customers in more places.

Is U-Haul a good franchise?

If U-Haul structured its network like other large organizations, it would be the best franchise to own … not to mention the lowest cost franchise to open. But the U-Haul structure is much easier and more dealer-friendly.

Why is U-Haul partnering with independent businesses?

Partnering with quality independent business people to support the demand for U-Haul equipment in their neighborhoods enables the U-Haul Company to provide more service, to more customers, in a sustainable manner that also benefits the communities that we all serve.

What is the U-Haul Dealer Benefits Program?

The U-Haul Dealer Benefits Program is a U-Haul “do-it-yourself” national resource for affordable health insurance and employee benefit solutions for independent U-Haul Dealers hit hard by rising costs for healthcare and insurance.

What is the number one name in moving and storage?

U-Haul is the number one name in moving & storage and that translates to more customers, period. U-Haul Dealers get their business name in front of millions of potential customers via uhaul.com and by phone at 1-800-GO-UHAUL.

What is the upside of being a U-Haul dealer?

The financial upside to being a U-Haul dealer is significant. Dealerships earn commissions off equipment transactions originating from their locations. Commissions can approach, and even reach, 22% per transaction. The more equipment that is dispatched, the more dealers will boost their bottom lines – simply by maximizing their time and lot space.

How many U-Haul dealers are there?

This successful model is no secret. More than 20,000 independent dealers offer our trucks and trailers. They are everywhere, from densely populated cities to remote country towns. In fact, U-Haul dealers account for more than 90% of U-Haul locations. Many of our dealers have been serving the DIY moving public in their community for decades. Some partnerships are nearly as old as U-Haul itself.

When was the first U-Haul trailer made?

The first U-Haul trailers were dispatched from service stations along the West Coast for $2 a day in the 1940s. Ever since U-Haul was co-founded by a U.S. Navy veteran as WWII was coming to an end, the Company has been partnering with local businesses to reach more customers in more places.

Is U-Haul a shared business?

Some partnerships are nearly as old as U-Haul itself. At the core of U-Haul is a shared-business model: communities sharing our equipment, rather than individuals owning large-capacity vehicles, to provide more people access to mobility at a low cost.

Is U-Haul a good franchise?

If U-Haul structured its network like other large organizations, it would be the best franchise to own … not to mention the lowest cost franchise to open. But the U-Haul structure is much easier and more dealer-friendly.

How to buy a franchise?

Step 1: Set Your Priorit ies for Buying a Franchise. Step 2: Explore Your Options at a Franchise Show. Step 3: Dig into the Key Details. Step 4: Speak with Current and Former Franchisees. Step 5: Conduct On-Site Due Diligence on the Franchise Opportunity. Let's go through these steps in some more detail...

How to tell if a franchise is successful?

When speaking with franchisees, try to determine, as best you can, why some were more successful than others. Ask yourself: Is the franchisee taking full advantage of the system? Is the franchisee putting in the requisite time and effort to be successful? Perhaps the owner is absentee and not very involved. Perhaps the owner doesn't quite follow the franchise system's process. If you speak with a former (or current disgruntled) franchisee, try to ascertain if there were problems with the system or if the problems were caused by the specific franchisee.

How to determine how fast a franchise is expanding?

Review the "List of Outlets and Franchisee Information " (Item 20 of the FDD) to find the tables that outline the total number of franchise unit openings and closings. These tables will list the actual franchise outlets at the start of the year, the total number at the end of the year, the number that were sold or transferred, and the number that were terminated. The franchisor should disclose this data going back several years. With these basic figures you can easily determine how fast a franchise is expanding (or if they are actually contracting by closing more locations than they open in a given year). While the fastest-growing franchises aren't necessarily the best franchises (maybe they're not selective enough in awarding franchise licenses?), it's important to understand the trends among the franchises you're considering. Jot down any interesting data points or impressions you get from reading this FDD section for the franchises you're considering as well as their closest competitors.

How to know if a franchise is real?

A real franchise has to file a franchise disclosure document (FDD) / uniform franchise offering circular (UFOC), which is an FTC (Federal Trade Commission) mandated document that is supposed to be filed yearly and which explains, in detail, the terms of the franchise opportunity. If the system doesn’t have an FDD filed in the state you’re looking to operate in and they didn’t receive a special exemption from that state permitting them to skip the filing requirement, it’s unlikely you’re dealing with a bona fide franchise.

What is the benefit of buying into a franchise?

One of the benefits of buying into a franchise system is the training and ongoing support that the franchisor should offer. The FDD will detail for you both the type and duration of training as well as more subtle information like the length of the franchise operating manual (which should detail the franchise's "secret sauce" business process step-by-step, like you would outline the steps to assembling a new entertainment center). Take note of what you find - you'll be asking investors in the system to give you their own take of what the franchise claims in their disclosure document.

What is the most important thing a franchisee can do to ensure success?

The most important thing a potential franchisee can do to ensure success is to know everything they possibly can about the company they're getting involved with before investing, but it's unrealistic to expect that you could ever know everything.

What questions should I ask when considering a new franchise?

When considering any new investment, you (should) have a million questions , and getting started in franchising is no exception. Your mind will be racing: What's the best franchise industry? What's the best business model? What are the start-up costs? How do I finance the investment? How much money can this franchise make? Will I have to manage people or can I be an absentee owner?

How much commission do U-Haul dealers make?

On average, we pay a 21% commission across all of our product lines, highest in the industry. Opening a franchise typically requires extensive start-up costs, but you don’t pay a thing to become a U – Haul Dealer.

What does U-Haul stand for?

Moving-truck rates from California are wildly expensive thanks to high demand, according to Mark Perry, a professor of economics and finance at the University of Michigan-Flint, and Jalopnik.

Is uhaul first come first serve?

U-Haul is owned by AMERCO (Nasdaq: UHAL), a holding company which also operates Amerco Real Estate, Republic Western Insurance, and Oxford Life Insurance. The Shoen family currently owns, both directly and indirectly, about 55% of the publicly traded stock corporation.

What is U-Haul behind a hearse?

You must have a valid driver’s license in order to rent a U – Haul truck, trailer or towing equipment. U – Haul requires a minimum of two forms of Meaningful Assurance that our equipment will be returned at the time, to the place and in the condition agreed upon.

Do uhaul dealers make money?

The financial upside to being a U-Haul dealer is significant. Dealerships earn commissions off equipment transactions originating from their locations. Commissions can approach, and even reach, 22% per transaction .

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