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If you’ve ever relocated, you’ve likely discovered that your belongings can easily overflow a 26-foot rental truck. This is a boon for U-Haul, a company with seven decades of experience providing vehicles to move everything from sofas to hidden pets. (We’ll get to that soon.)
Assisting entire households in moving might seem like a colossal task, and it is: This family-run business has faced its fair share of challenges over the years. Discover intriguing details about boardroom conflicts, a CEO who loved throwing cash from windows, and which of their moving products are edible.
1. U-Haul once likened its trucks to pioneer-covered wagons.
MyUHaulStory
In 1945, Leonard "Sam" Shoen and his wife faced a challenge when they wanted to move from Los Angeles to Portland: no one would rent them a one-way trailer. Fresh out of the Navy, Shoen recognized a gap in the market, allowing families in the post-World War II era to move independently. That same year, he founded U-Haul, drawing a parallel between his trucks and the covered wagons of the old frontier. For just $2 a day, customers could hire these trailers, paving the way for what his son Joe would later describe as a “better life.”
2. U-Haul's orange design is all about safety.
Initially, Shoen painted his trailers black. However, this led to an accident when he turned at a four-way intersection and was struck by another driver who claimed he couldn’t see Shoen’s vehicle. Determined to prevent future incidents, Shoen adopted the bright orange color used on highway barricades, ensuring his fleet was highly visible. This bold choice also turned the trucks into mobile advertisements for the company.
3. U-Haul lent their trailers to people they didn’t know.
MyUHaulStory
Before U-Haul expanded nationwide, their approach involved recruiting local business owners as “agents” by leaving rented trailers at service stations. Customers would travel to their destination, locate a station, and drop off the trailer (trucks weren’t added until 1959) along with a set of details on becoming an official dealer. Despite the risk of losing trailers to unscrupulous individuals, this strategy succeeded: By 1954, the company had more than 1000 locations.
4. U-Haul once offered VHS tape rentals.
The 1970s oil crisis shut down numerous service stations, a key part of U-Haul’s operations. To adapt, they opened standalone rental centers, expanding their orange-branded offerings to include RVs, jet skis, lawn mowers, paint sprayers, and even party supplies in the 1980s. Their most unexpected venture was VHS rentals. In 1985, U-Haul launched seven Michigan locations renting movies [PDF], operating as Haullywood Video Rentals. Customers could also borrow a free VCR with the iconic orange design. However, limited inventory and fierce competition from video stores led to the venture’s demise, and U-Haul refocused on its core moving services.
5. The U-Haul family was embroiled in a bitter feud.
Shoen’s 12 children frequently clashed over the company’s future. In 1979, founder Leonard appointed his son Sam Shoen as CEO, prompting brothers Joe and Mark to resign. Tensions escalated so much that, as reported by Bloomberg, Leonard once alleged Joe and Mark were involved in a scheme to kill Sam’s wife, Eva, in 1990. (She was fatally shot during a robbery attempt.) Mark sued for defamation, but the case was dismissed due to his public figure status. Per the Associated Press, Frank Marquis admitted to the murder during his 1994 trial, following a tip generated by a segment on the crime featured on Unsolved Mysteries.
6. A U-Haul shareholder meeting turned into a physical fight.
The Shoen family’s conflicts reached a peak in 1989 during a shareholders' meeting in Reno, Nevada. As noted by the Los Angeles Times, Mark Shoen engaged in a heated argument with brothers Sam and Michael, which escalated into a physical confrontation where Michael was “beaten” by Mark and Joe. Leonard Shoen, who had been pushed into retirement during the 1986 power struggle, remarked that he had “created a monster” with his business.
7. U-Haul’s founder had a habit of throwing money from windows.
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Despite the company’s outward stability under his leadership, Leonard Shoen was anything but a reserved chairman. To illustrate how easily corporations could squander funds, Shoen staged a dramatic demonstration during a 1970 meeting by throwing $1000 out of a window in front of employees. Those who disapproved had no choice but to watch, as Shoen stationed an armed guard at the door to ensure compliance.
8. U-Haul once prohibited Ford Explorers from renting trailers.
Facing numerous complaints about accidents and rollovers caused by improper trailer loading, U-Haul made the unprecedented decision in 2003 to stop renting trailers to customers using Ford Explorers. As noted in a 2007 Los Angeles Times article, the company cited the Explorer’s history of safety-related lawsuits as a key reason, fearing legal repercussions. (Faulty tires on 1998 Explorer models had led to multiple deaths.)
9. U-Haul’s CEO shared his personal phone number for customer inquiries.
When media outlets like The Los Angeles Times covered a series of accidents involving U-Haul vehicles in 2007, CEO Edward “Joe” Shoen didn’t rely on corporate statements. Instead, he appeared on Inside Edition to clarify that improper loading was likely to blame. He encouraged customers with concerns to call him directly, a promise he upheld by taking calls on Mother’s Day, at home, and even at 5:45 a.m. On average, he receives three to 10 calls daily, though he noted in 2013, “Sometimes, an angry online post with my number can lead to 100 calls in a single day.”
10. Cats often stow away in U-Haul trucks.
Marco Varisco, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0
Numerous cats have been found hiding among packed items in U-Haul vehicles. One stray even used a truck as a birthing space, delivering a kitten during a family’s journey from Florida to Utah. Another cat, missing for almost two years, was discovered across the country inside a U-Haul and reunited with its owner thanks to a microchip. The cat, named Kevin, was an orange tabby.
11. Pythons also hitch rides in U-Hauls.
While kittens are a delightful surprise, large reptiles are far less welcome. An Oregon driver spent an entire day unaware that a 3-foot ball python was coiled in the passenger-side footwell beside him. It remains unclear how the snake ended up in the cab.
12. U-Haul trucks have hosted marriage proposals.
In 1992, Indiana resident Mark Nolt devised a creative way to propose to his girlfriend, Kim Shannon. He took her to a drive-in where he and a friend had transformed a U-Haul truck into a romantic dining space, complete with a table, chairs, and flowers. The friend, Kyle, described it as “exquisitely tacky,” but it worked—Kim accepted the proposal.
13. The storage space above a U-Haul cab is known as "Mom's Attic."
MyUHaulStory
The origin of the name is unclear, but U-Haul refers to the small storage area above the driver’s cab as Mom’s Attic. This space is typically used for delicate items that might not fare well in the main cargo area. U-Haul assures customers that items stored here are as secure as those in the cab.
14. U-Haul’s packing peanuts are safe to eat.
In 1993, U-Haul addressed environmental concerns about non-biodegradable Styrofoam peanuts by switching to a greener option. Their packing peanuts are crafted from corn and potato starch, which dissolve completely in water, reducing environmental impact and eliminating risks for children or pets if ingested. U-Haul employees have even consumed the peanuts to showcase their safety—though it’s not something we’d suggest trying.
