U-Haul is set to begin renting out Peterbilts to individuals without a CDL requirement.

      U-Haul / Peterbilt (edited by The Drive)

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      For many individuals, towing a U-Haul trailer marks their first experience with towing. Now, it appears that U-Haul customers will have the chance to embark on a new experience: driving a Peterbilt. The rental service teased an announcement on Tuesday featuring one of these hardworking trucks having its cover removed, and the caption indicates that no commercial driver’s license is required to drive one on the open road.

      I first caught wind of this in April when a striking Facebook post appeared in my feed. Someone shared a picture of a Peterbilt adorned in the classic white-and-orange livery in the Vintage U-Haul Trucks and Equipment group. Naturally, I reached out to the company’s PR team, who promptly replied, “We will have exciting details to share with you in the coming weeks.”

      And now we are here. Based on the images, these are likely Peterbilt Model 535s or 536s—medium-duty trucks with GVWRs of up to 19,500 pounds and 26,000 pounds, respectively. Once a vehicle’s GVWR reaches 26,001 pounds, a CDL is mandatory. This versatility is what makes these models appealing.

      Peterbilt

      When a commenter on Facebook inquired about the legality of these Peterbilts, U-Haul responded, “U-Haul trucks are non-commercial rental vehicles, so they comply with the weight and usage regulations that do not necessitate a CDL.”

      Depending on the specific models U-Haul provides, they will probably be equipped with either the 6.7-liter Paccar PX-7 or 8.9-liter Paccar PX-9 engines, both of which are diesel engines co-developed with Cummins.

      It’s somewhat amusing to think that some people will be driving these trucks without ever having operated anything larger than a Corolla. Simultaneously, it’s a little alarming as well. The largest vehicle U-Haul currently rents to the public is a Ford F-650 box truck that stretches 26 feet from front to back. We will see how things unfold when these Peterbilts finally join the fleet, but as U-Haul remarked in its announcement, “It’s your favorite moving truck. Just bigger.”

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