You can bring a rental truck to the Vineyard, but only on the Steamship Authority boat, and the booking works differently than it does for a car. What the trucks really measure, what the ferry charges in 2026, and how to reserve space.
A reader emailed us recently asking whether he could bring a U-Haul over from the mainland, and it turned out to be a harder question to answer than we expected. You can, but the way the Steamship Authority handles trucks is different enough from a regular car booking that most people get at least one part of it wrong. So we called the SSA, read the 2026 freight tariff, and pulled the actual truck dimensions from the rental companies. This is everything we found.
If you just want the basics of getting a car across, our Martha's Vineyard ferry guide covers all the routes. This article is only about moving trucks.
Table of contents [Show]
Yes, you can bring a U-Haul, Penske, Budget or any other box truck to Martha's Vineyard, and you can do it year-round. It goes on the Steamship Authority car ferry from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven (or Oak Bluffs in season), the same boat as everything else. No other ferry to the island carries vehicles.
Two things matter before anything else. First, you book a truck by phone, not through the website. The number for the SSA Reservation Office is (508) 477-8600, open daily from 7:30 in the morning until 4. There's a temptation to just book online and tick the "rental" checkbox, and the SSA's own reservation packet explains why that goes badly: "Checking 'rental' will result in a default reservation of seventeen (17) feet. If your vehicle is larger than your reserved size, your reservation may be forfeited at the terminal." Forfeited, at the dock, with your furniture in the back.
Second, and this is the part that surprises everyone: the ferry doesn't care what the rental company calls your truck. It charges by the total length of the vehicle, bumper to bumper. The "15 feet" painted on the side of a 15' U-Haul refers to the cargo box. The whole truck, per U-Haul's own spec sheet, is 22 feet 6 inches long. On the Steamship Authority's rate card that makes it a 20-to-25-foot vehicle, which is a freight booking at a freight price, not a car.
Rental companies advertise the box; the SSA measures the vehicle. Since nobody at the U-Haul counter is going to volunteer the bumper-to-bumper number, here it is for the common trucks. Heights matter too, because the SSA assigns your boat partly by how tall you are.
| Truck (marketing name) | Real overall length | Approx. height | SSA length bracket |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul cargo van / pickup | ~19 ft | ~7 ft | Under 20 ft (car rate) |
| U-Haul 10' truck | ~19 ft 6 in | ~7 ft 2 in | Usually under 20 ft (confirm!) |
| U-Haul 15' truck | ~22 ft 6 in | ~9 ft 11 in | 20' but less than 25' |
| U-Haul 20' truck | ~26 ft 7 in | ~10 ft | 25' but less than 30' |
| U-Haul 26' truck | ~33 ft | ~12–12.5 ft | 30' but less than 35' |
| Penske 12' truck | ~19–20 ft | ~7 ft | Around 20 ft (confirm!) |
| Penske 16' truck | ~24–26 ft | ~10 ft 6 in | 20'–25' or 25'–30' |
| Penske 22' truck | ~26 ft | ~11 ft | 25' but less than 30' |
| Penske 26' truck | ~28 ft | ~12 ft 6 in | 25'–30' or 30'–35' |
| Budget 16' truck | ~23–24 ft | ~10 ft | 20' but less than 25' |
| Budget 26' truck | ~28–33 ft | ~12 ft 6 in | 25'–35' |
In practice, anything called a 15-footer or larger is a 20-foot-plus vehicle as far as the ferry is concerned. Every standard rental truck fits under the SSA's height ceiling of 13'6", though a 26-footer doesn't leave much room to spare. And since these figures drift a little between model years, get the exact length and height from the rental counter in writing before you call the ferry. The SSA is blunt about what happens otherwise: "Reservations will not be honored for vehicles who show up larger than reserved." Their own booking notes even warn that "rental companies give dimensions of the truck bed, please ask your rental agent for bumper to bumper length" — they've clearly had this conversation at the terminal more than once.
Sort out the truck first, or at least get its exact specs, because the SSA will ask. When you call (508) 477-8600 you'll need to tell them what you're hauling, the total length including any overhang, the height from the floor to the highest point, and the width. For a normal household move that's the whole conversation. Commercial loads, anything oversized, low-boys and hazmat-placarded trucks go through a separate Trucks Department instead: (508) 548-5011 ext. 169 or 228, weekdays, or [email protected]. There's also a truck booking form you can download at steamshipauthority.com/about/forms and email in.
A few numbers to keep in mind. The height limit is 13'6", width 11'6", length 74 feet. A vehicle wider than 8'6" not counting mirrors pays double fare; rental trucks run about 7'8" to 8'1" wide so this normally never comes up, but a mattress strapped on sideways can change that. Reservations are prepaid, and the truck fare covers the truck only. You and anyone riding with you buy passenger tickets on top.
Book the return trip in the same call. Freight space is limited on every boat, and being on the island with a loaded rental truck and no confirmed slot home is not a position you want to negotiate from.
Truck fares are one-way and don't include people. Anything under 20 feet pays the regular automobile rate published on the SSA website; 20 feet and over is priced by the freight tariff (Local Freight Tariff MDPU No. F-120, in effect since January 5, 2026). All of this is for the Woods Hole run.
If your vehicle stays under 20 feet overall, which covers a cargo van and usually a 10' U-Haul, a crossing costs $73.50 to $168 depending on the season, with the under-17-foot rate running $73.50 in winter, $115.50 in spring, $127 on summer weekdays and $168 on summer weekends. The 17-to-20-foot rate adds ten dollars to each of those. Note the fine print here: a vehicle that goes past 17 feet because of an overhanging load pays a $12.50 extended-load charge each way.
Over 20 feet, this is the 2026 table:
| Length bracket | Off-season (Jan–Mar, Nov–Dec) | Shoulder (Apr 1–May 14, Sep 15–Oct 31) | Summer Mon–Thu | Summer Fri–Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' – under 25' | $132.00 | $160.50 | $160.50 | $183.00 |
| 25' – under 30' | $174.50 | $193.50 | $193.50 | $193.50 |
| 30' – under 35' | $211.00 | $211.00 | $211.00 | $211.00 |
| 35' – under 40' | $234.50 | $234.50 | $234.50 | $234.50 |
So a 15' U-Haul, which lands in the first row, costs $183 one-way on a summer weekend, $160.50 midweek in summer, and $132 in the off-season. Call it $366 round trip for the truck alone if you cross on a July Saturday. A 20' U-Haul falls in the 25-to-30 row at $193.50 in summer, and the big 26-footers from any of the three companies sit in the $211 bracket year-round.
Then add the people. For 2026 an adult passenger ticket is $11 each way, $22 round trip. Kids 5 to 12 pay $5.75 each way and under-fives ride free.
One caveat on all of these numbers: freight rates went up 5.5% for 2026, and the SSA adjusts most years in January. If you're reading this in a later season, check the current tariff on steamshipauthority.com before you build a budget around our figures.
Here's the thing that catches off-island movers: on the Woods Hole–Martha's Vineyard route, every vehicle needs a reservation, all year. The Nantucket boats keep a drive-up standby line; this route doesn't. A truck without a booking is simply not crossing.
Summer reservations open in early February — for 2026 that was February 3 online and February 10 by phone, covering travel from mid-May through late October — and the good weekend slots go fast. Sometimes within hours. Freight space per boat is limited, so July and August weekends can be gone months ahead. If your dates are flexible at all, aim for a midweek, mid-day crossing. It's easier to get and, as the table above shows, cheaper too. When your preferred boat is full, put yourself on the SSA wait list with a wide window, something like "any departure between 6 AM and 1 PM." It books you automatically as cancellations come through, and cancellations are common.
Cancellation terms for big vehicles are actually friendlier than for cars: 20 feet and over, you can cancel without penalty until 9 AM the day before you sail. Miss that and you eat the whole one-way fare. Vehicles under 20 feet need to cancel two weeks out for a refund, and every refund carries a $10 processing charge.
Most of the freight rules exist for good reasons and most of them won't affect a household move, but a few come up constantly.
Gas cans are the big one. Your truck's own tank is fine as long as the cap is on. Anything beyond that is not: the freight tariff says plainly that "no extra gasoline may be carried in other receptacles," and that includes empty cans. If you've got jerry cans from the lawnmower in the load, drain them and get rid of them before Woods Hole. Propane is allowed at exactly one tank per vehicle, valve closed — one grill tank is fine, a collection of them starts to look like a hazardous cargo, and genuinely hazardous (placarded) loads go on freight boats only, booked through the Trucks Department, with a 50% surcharge.
Beyond that: you drive the truck on and off yourself and stay with it, since the SSA requires a driver to be available the whole time the vehicle is on their property. The unaccompanied drive-on service you may have read about is for regular Nantucket freight shippers, not rentals. Be at the dock at least 30 minutes before departure or your space can be released to standby; in summer, with terminal traffic and staging, give a big truck a full hour. Dogs ride free but stay leashed and with you, not shut in the cab. And don't plan on leaving anything at the Woods Hole terminal, because there is no parking there at all — more on that below.
Depending on how much you're moving, driving a rental over may not be the best answer. The island has movers who cross on the ferry every week and will fold the whole reservation dance into their quote. Carroll's Martha's Vineyard (Rapid Transit) has been doing exactly this since 1930 — four generations of the same family, an Allied Van Lines agent, with locations in Vineyard Haven and Pocasset, at (508) 693-0348. Long Moving & Storage and Safe Responsible Movers also work the island. For a summer move, get on their calendar four to six weeks ahead. If you have less than a truckload, Cape-and-Islands freight carriers like Carroll's freight division or "Your Friend With A Truck" will carry boxes and furniture across without you renting anything.
What you can't do is count on renting a truck once you're here. Martha's Vineyard has no full-service U-Haul depot with a fleet of moving trucks; the listings you'll see for on-island "neighborhood dealers" usually mean a trailer or one small vehicle, if that. The nearest dependable pickups are on Cape Cod, U-Haul in Hyannis and Falmouth, Penske and Budget around Hyannis. The same geography works in your favor if you're moving off-island with a one-way rental, since you can drop the truck in Falmouth minutes after you roll off the boat. Just reserve the drop-off location when you book the truck, and leave slack around your return ferry slot.
And for a genuinely small move, the cheapest play is often to leave the truck on the mainland entirely: park it in a Falmouth lot, walk on the ferry with what you can carry, and shuttle the rest in trips.
The Woods Hole terminal has no public parking and nowhere to stash a truck or a trailer, period. Everything parks up the road in Falmouth, at the SSA's Palmer Avenue lot or the off-site lots, with free shuttles running to the terminal. The 2026 tariff puts daily parking at $25 from April through October and $20 in winter, and those rates have been creeping up yearly, so confirm with the Falmouth Parking Office at (508) 548-5011 ext. 291 if it matters to your math. If you're towing a trailer, it stays in a lot, not at the terminal, and it's worth a call to the SSA to sort the logistics in advance. Our parking guide has the full rundown of the mainland lots.
Book both directions at once, since the return is just as tight as the trip out. If your move can wait for the off-season, November through March is a different world: lowest fares, no weekend premium, and open space on nearly every boat. When your truck sits between two length brackets, book the bigger one — a few extra dollars, versus losing the reservation because you showed up larger than booked. And keep the confirmation where you can reach it, profile number and reservation number both.
Yes. The Steamship Authority carries rental and moving trucks from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven, and seasonally to Oak Bluffs, all year. You reserve by phone at (508) 477-8600, and the fare is based on the truck's total bumper-to-bumper length.
In 2026, a 15' U-Haul (which measures about 22'6" overall) runs $183 one-way on a summer weekend, $160.50 midweek in summer, and $132 off-season, plus $11 per person each way. A 20-footer is about $193.50 one-way in summer and a 26-footer $211. Round trip is roughly double.
The "15 feet" is the cargo box. The whole truck is 22'6" bumper to bumper by U-Haul's own specs, which puts it in the SSA's 20-to-25-foot freight category. Always give the ferry the total vehicle length.
Not a full-service one. For a real 15', 20' or 26' truck you'll be picking up on Cape Cod — U-Haul in Hyannis or Falmouth, Penske and Budget around Hyannis. On-island dealer listings are usually limited to a trailer or a single small vehicle, so call before counting on one.
You need a reservation. Vehicle travel on the Woods Hole–Martha's Vineyard route is reservation-only year-round, and unlike the Nantucket run there is no standby line.
The truck's own fuel tank is fine with the cap secured. One propane tank per vehicle is allowed with the valve closed. Extra gasoline in cans, full or empty, is not allowed at all. Placarded hazardous loads book through the Trucks Department and pay a 50% surcharge.
Thirty minutes before departure at minimum, or the space can be released. In summer, with a big truck, give it a full hour for traffic and staging.
For 2026 they opened online on February 3 and by phone on February 10. Popular summer weekends can sell out within hours or days, so book when reservations open, lean midweek, and use the wait list. The opening dates change every year, so check the SSA site.
Planning the rest of the trip? See every ferry route to Martha's Vineyard, the complete parking guide, and our tips for getting around without a car.
🏖️ Island Tip of the Day — Beaches
Do not climb the Aquinnah Cliffs — prohibited under the National Natural Landmark designation and Wampanoag tribal ownership. Violators face fines. Admire from the beach or overlook path.
Saturday-to-Saturday Martha's Vineyard itinerary: rental logistics, day-by-day plan from Edgartown and Chappy to Aquinnah and Menemsha sunset, farmers markets, food experiences, and sunset sail. Everything verified for 2026.
Complete 2-day car-free Martha's Vineyard weekend itinerary: Friday ferry timing, where to stay, walk-in dining, Saturday beach + Aquinnah, Sunday departure. Three budget tiers. Verified for 2026.
Complete parking guide to Martha's Vineyard: free lots, time limits, beach stickers, ferry lots, park-and-ride strategy, EV charging, and how to avoid the 4,500+ tickets written every summer.
50 genuinely free things to do on Martha's Vineyard: beaches, hikes, concerts, lighthouses, lantern festivals, and more. Every location verified, every price double-checked for 2026.
Martha's Vineyard has exactly one campground — the Family Campground in Vineyard Haven. Complete guide to sites, prices, booking, glamping options, and the Cape Cod camp-and-ferry strategy.
Complete kayak guide to Martha's Vineyard: 10 launch sites, 10 routes, 5 rental operators, shark safety, tidal current warnings & scalloping tips.
Beach reports, event picks, and the tips we’d give a friend visiting Martha’s Vineyard — in your inbox a couple of times a month.
Subscribe Now
Island prices, hours & details change often — please verify with businesses before you go. Full disclaimer
