Blog · Cambridge
Renting a moving truck and hiring loaders in Cambridge: what you need to know
A labour-only move means you rent and drive the truck, and a crew does the heavy carrying at each end. It works well for some Cambridge moves and not for others, and there are a few Ontario rules to check before you reserve a truck.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Reviewed by the Movers Cambridge team
What labour-only actually means
In a labour-only move, you supply the truck, whether a rental cube van, a trailer or a portable storage container, and hire movers by the hour to load it, and often to unload it at the other end. The crew brings pads, dollies and straps, wraps furniture and packs the truck tightly and safely. You do the driving, the fuel, the truck rental and the return.
It suits moves where:
- You are moving a long way and want to drive yourself.
- You are loading a portable container that will be shipped.
- You already have a truck or trailer from work or family.
- The heavy lifting is the problem, not the driving, for example a basement with a sofa and a freezer in a Preston bungalow.
Can you drive the rental truck on your licence?
Ontario's Class G licence covers any car, van or small truck, or a vehicle towing another, up to 11,000 kilograms combined, as long as the towed vehicle is not over 4,600 kilograms. Most rental cube vans used for household moves are within that, but check the truck's weight rating with the rental company before booking, especially for the largest trucks or a truck towing a car trailer.
If you hold a G2 licence, the G2 rules still apply: a zero blood alcohol level, a working seatbelt for every person, and passenger limits at night for drivers 19 and under.
Do you need a CVOR?
A Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration is normally required for trucks with a registered gross weight or actual weight over 4,500 kg. Ontario exempts trucks leased by an individual for 30 days or less to move personal goods. A household rental truck for your own move falls within that exemption. The exemption is about your own personal goods: moving goods for pay is a commercial activity with different rules.
Driving a truck in Cambridge
A loaded truck is heavier, taller and slower to stop than a car. A few Cambridge-specific points:
- Galt's core has narrow streets, on-street parking and some steep grades down to the river. Plan the route, and look for low clearances and tight turns near the destination.
- The 401 between Cambridge, Kitchener and Guelph is heavy with transport trucks. Allow extra following distance and avoid rush hour.
- Townhouse complexes in Preston and Hespeler often have tight laneways and private roads. Ask the condominium corporation where a truck can stop.
- Check the height of any parking garage, drive-through canopy or carport before driving under it.
Questions to ask the rental company
- Ramp or lift gate? A walk-up ramp is easier for a crew loading furniture than a high deck with no ramp.
- Pickup and return times. Match the pickup to the crew's start time, so you are not paying the crew to wait for the truck.
- One-way or round trip? For a move to Guelph or further, a one-way rental avoids driving the empty truck back.
- Mileage and fuel rules. Know how the truck must be returned.
- Coverage. Ask what damage coverage the rental includes, and check with your own insurer whether your auto policy extends to a rented truck.
- Equipment. Pads and dollies may already be coming with the crew, so you may not need to rent them.
How to split the work with the crew
- Pack everything before the crew arrives. Labour-only is billed by the hour, and loading goes fastest when boxes are packed, taped and labelled.
- Have the truck in place. Park it close to the door, with the ramp or lift gate clear, before the booked start time.
- Take apart the beds and keep hardware in labelled bags, or ask the crew to do it.
- Tell the crew what goes last so it comes off first: tools, cleaning supplies, bed linens, the kettle.
- Book the unload separately if the destination is Kitchener, Guelph or elsewhere nearby, for when you know your arrival time.
What the crew will not load
The crew will not load propane cylinders, gasoline, paint thinner, pool chemicals or other flammable and corrosive products, and neither should you in an enclosed cargo box. Take them to the Region's household hazardous waste depot on Savage Drive before moving day, or give them away.
Labour-only or a full-service move?
Labour-only saves on the moving truck and the crew's driving time, but you take on the rental, fuel, driving, insurance questions and the return. For a local move within Cambridge, the difference is often small, because a full-service crew arrives with its own truck and equipment. For longer distances, or when you are loading a container, labour-only usually makes more sense. The Cambridge moving cost guide lists labour-only rates alongside full-service moves.
The mover offers loading and unloading labour anywhere in Cambridge, Hespeler included, and unloading at the other end in Guelph or Kitchener. Send your dates, the truck size and what is going for a written quote.