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New York & New Jersey to Florida Moving: Movers vs. a Rental Truck With a Driver Rent the U-Haul, load it, and our professional driver takes it down I-95. Heading north? Same service, other direction.
Most New York and New Jersey households moving to Florida price two options: a full-service moving company, or renting a truck and driving it 1,000+ miles themselves. There is a third: you rent and load the truck, and a professional driver delivers it while you fly or drive your own car.
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New York and New Jersey to Florida at a Glance
Most trips run down I-95 the whole way. Miles are approximate driving distances from New York City; central New Jersey is roughly 50 to 80 miles shorter. The driver fee is a typical range for that route; your quote is personal and depends on truck size, towing and dates.
| Route (either direction) | Approx. miles | Drive it yourself | With our driver | Typical driver fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC / NJ ↔ Jacksonville | ~950 | 2 days | 1–2 days | $1,075–$1,475 |
| NYC / NJ ↔ Orlando | ~1,080 | 2–3 days | 1–2 days | $1,150–$1,550 |
| NYC / NJ ↔ Tampa | ~1,140 | 2–3 days | 1–2 days | $1,175–$1,575 |
| NYC / NJ ↔ Miami / Fort Lauderdale | ~1,280 | 2–3 days | 1–2 days | $1,250–$1,675 |
Driver fee covers the driver and the driver’s travel. The truck rental is paid to the rental company; fuel and tolls are paid at cost.
Movers vs. Renting a Truck and Hiring a Driver
Full-service movers price a long-distance move by weight and miles, and the bill includes their truck, their crew and their driver. With a rental truck and our driver, you pay for each piece separately and do the loading (or hire a local loading crew for a few hours at each end).
| What you pay for | Full-service movers | Rental truck + our driver | Drive the truck yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truck | Included | One-way rental, quoted by the rental company | One-way rental |
| Driving | Included | $1,050–$1,700 driver fee (by city) | Your time: 2–3 days each way |
| Fuel and tolls | Included | At cost (see below) | At cost |
| Loading and unloading | Included | You, or local help by the hour | You, or local help by the hour |
| Hotels and meals on the road | None | None for you; you fly or drive your car | 1–2 nights of hotels and meals |
| Typical total for a 3–4 bedroom home | $3,850–$15,250+ (national estimate, 1,000–2,500+ miles) | Rental + driver fee + fuel + tolls | Rental + fuel + tolls + travel costs |
| Delivery timing | Often a multi-day delivery window | Your truck, driven straight through | You set the pace |
Extra Space Storage puts full-service moves of 1,000 to 2,500+ miles at about $3,150 to $13,650+ for one or two bedrooms and $3,850 to $15,250+ for three or four. Angi’s range for a two-bedroom Northeast-to-Southeast move is about $3,000 to $8,000, and it puts a cross-country truck rental at roughly $1,200 to $2,100 before gas, tolls and hotels. These are national estimates; get a one-way quote from U-Haul, Penske and Budget for your exact dates.
Where this option wins: you keep control of the truck and your schedule, your belongings stay on one truck from your driveway to your new driveway, and you skip two or three days behind the wheel of a 26-foot truck on I-95.
Route Notes: I-95, Tolls and Florida Inspection Stations
- Parkways are off-limits in New York. U-Haul trucks count as commercial vehicles in New York, and commercial vehicles are banned from New York parkways, many of which have low bridges. Leave the city on interstates.
- Tolls are charged at truck rates. The New Jersey Turnpike, the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the Maryland I-95 toll facilities bill two-axle trucks at truck rates, which are higher than car tolls. The I-95 stretch from Virginia to Florida is largely toll-free unless you use express lanes or Florida’s Turnpike.
- Plan for a Florida agricultural inspection stop. Florida law requires vehicles other than exempt ones, such as passenger cars, RVs and certain pickups, to stop at agricultural inspection stations. A rental box truck isn’t on the exempt list, so expect to pull in at the station on I-95 when it’s open.
- Traffic choke points. The Washington, DC and Richmond stretches of I-95 slow down at rush hour. A professional driver plans around them; first-time truck drivers often lose hours there.
Fuel Cost: New York to Florida in a Moving Truck
Fuel is the largest extra. The math is miles ÷ MPG × price per gallon. A loaded 26-foot truck gets about 8 to 10 MPG:
| Route | Approx. miles | Gallons (8–10 MPG) | Fuel at $3.50/gal (example) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYC ↔ Jacksonville | ~950 | 95–119 | $335–$415 |
| NYC ↔ Orlando | ~1,080 | 108–135 | $380–$475 |
| NYC ↔ Tampa | ~1,140 | 114–143 | $400–$500 |
| NYC ↔ Miami | ~1,280 | 128–160 | $450–$560 |
Smaller trucks use less. See U-Haul truck sizes to match the truck to your home.
When to Move Between New York and Florida
- Snowbird season fills trucks early. Southbound demand peaks in the fall and northbound demand in the spring, so reserve your one-way truck and your driver several weeks ahead in those windows.
- Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Keep your delivery date flexible by a day or two, and watch the forecast for the Florida and Carolina coasts in the week before you move.
- Summer heat is hard on a loaded truck. Pack heat-sensitive items (electronics, candles, medications) in your car instead.
- End of the month is busiest for truck rentals in both states. Mid-month dates are easier to book.
How It Works
- Request a quote. Pickup and delivery cities, truck size, dates and whether you’re towing a car.
- Rent a one-way truck in your name from U-Haul, Penske or Budget and add our driver to the rental agreement.
- Load the truck yourself or with hired local help.
- Our driver meets the loaded truck at your pickup address; you or someone you designate hands over the keys.
- Delivery. The driver takes the truck to your Florida (or New York or New Jersey) address. Passengers don’t ride along, so you fly or drive separately.
Get a Driver for Your New York or New Jersey ↔ Florida Move
Tell us your pickup and delivery cities, truck size and move date. The owner prices every trip personally and replies within hours. No obligation.
New York and New Jersey to Florida FAQ
How much does it cost to have someone drive a U-Haul from New York to Florida?
The driver fee typically runs about $1,050 to $1,700 depending on the Florida city, plus the one-way truck rental, fuel and tolls at cost. Every trip is priced personally by the owner.
Is it cheaper than hiring movers from New Jersey to Florida?
Often, yes. National estimates put full-service moves of 1,000 to 2,500+ miles at roughly $3,150 to $15,250+ depending on home size. A rental truck plus our driver costs the rental, the driver fee, fuel and tolls; you or local help do the loading.
Do you also drive from Florida back to New York or New Jersey?
Yes. Every route on this page works in both directions, including snowbirds heading north in the spring.
Does a rental truck have to stop at Florida agricultural inspection stations?
Plan on it. Florida exempts passenger cars, RVs and certain pickups, but rental box trucks aren’t on that list, so expect to stop at the I-95 station if it’s open.
Can I ride in the truck with the driver?
No. For insurance and safety reasons, passengers don’t ride with our drivers. Most customers fly or drive their own car.
How long does the drive take?
About 950 to 1,280 miles, so 2 to 3 days if you drive it yourself, and typically 1 to 2 days with a professional driver.
Can the driver tow my car to Florida?
Yes. If you rent a car trailer or tow dolly with the truck, the driver tows your car; towing may add to the quote.
Key facts
- Route: New York City and New Jersey to Florida and back, mostly on I-95.
- Typical driver fee: about $1,050 (Jacksonville) to $1,700 (Miami); truck rental, fuel and tolls are separate.
- The customer rents and loads the truck; the driver meets the loaded truck at the pickup address.
- No passengers ride with the driver.
- Quotes are personal and come back within hours.
Related
Sources: Extra Space Storage, How Much Does It Cost to Hire Movers (Oct 2026), Angi, cost to move across the country, U-Haul, Moving in New York: parkway restrictions, NJ Turnpike Authority, 2026 Class 2 (2-axle truck) tolls, Florida Statutes §570.15 (agricultural inspection stations); checked November 2026. Mover and truck-rental prices are third-party national estimates, not quotes. TruckRentalDriver.com is an independent driver service and is not affiliated with U-Haul, Penske, Budget or Enterprise.