Related: Rental Car Prices Surge in High-Demand Tourist Areas
Hawaiian Tourists Renting U-Hauls Due to Car Rental Shortage
Hawaii’s U-Haul stores have seen an uptick in rentals for its smaller vehicles, including pickup trucks and cargo vans.

Unlike this 15-foot U-Haul moving truck, tourists to Hawaii are renting pickup trucks and cargo vans to get around.
Photo via Flickr/HireAHelper.
Because of a rental car shortage in Hawaii, tourists are starting to rent vehicles from U-Haul, according to a report by Fox Business.
U-Haul’s local marketing office, which oversees U-Haul transactions at more than 30 locations throughout the Hawaiian Islands, has seen a parallel between foreign addresses and driver’s licenses for tourists who are renting from U-Haul in higher numbers, according to the company.
“We have seen a considerable uptick in U-Haul rentals from customers who are visiting the islands now,” Kaleo Alau, president of U-Haul Company of Hawaii, told Fox Business.
Alau said that most of the rentals are for U-Haul’s smaller vehicles, including its pickup trucks and cargo vans. The reservations for these rentals are stretching from a few days to a week, according to the report.
Normally, U-Haul’s cargo vans and pickup trucks are used for “small jobs” and rented from one hour to 24-hour rental periods.
Currently, in-town U-Haul rentals start out with a flat rate of $19.95 plus a per-mile charge and a fee for accident protection.
Many of Hawaii’s U-Haul stores and dealers have been left “with less available equipment than usual,” said Alau. He advised local movers to call in advance to reserve U-Haul equipment, according to the report.
More Rental Operations

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
