Also known as a "mother's attic" or "granny's attic," this small section of the truck's cargo area is somewhat isolated from the rest of the inside of the truck because it is above the driver's cab. The size of the granny box depends on the size of the truck's cargo area; larger trucks have larger granny boxes. For household truck rentals, granny boxes are offered exclusively by U-Haul. Competitors like Penske, Budget and Ryder do not typically rent moving trucks equipped with granny boxes.
A granny box provides more cargo space than a truck of comparable size without one, which can be important for someone who plans to pack the truck to its maximum capacity. In addition, because of its location above the cab, a granny box can keep your fragile or special items away from the rest of your boxes, thus reducing the chance of being accidentally smashed or destroyed. Additional security is provided by using the moving rails, which are located inside of all U-Haul moving trucks--including within the granny box--and are used to secure cargo with moving straps or ties. By using moving straps, either purchased from the moving company or your local hardware store, you can add another level of isolation by strapping your items to the moving rails, keeping them separate from the rest of the truck's cargo area.
Anything that has the capacity to break easily should be packed in the granny box. This includes fine china, stemware, porcelain collectibles, and other fragile items. However, you should not pack items you will need immediately upon reaching your destination in the granny box. With a fully packed truck, you will not easily be able to reach the items located in the granny box until the rest of the truck is unpacked.
U-Haul advertises that their trucks have a larger cubic capacity then their competitors' similar-sized trucks. That means that the granny box can be a bonus for the renter financially. By having this additional cargo space, you are able to fit more in the truck, possibly reducing your need for renting the next-larger-sized truck. By keeping the size of the truck smaller, you also save on gas.
