PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 21, 2025--
U-Haul ® will symbolically kick off “moving season” on Friday with the ringing of the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
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The ceremony will also mark the start of a special summer for the do-it-yourself moving and self-storage leader, which is celebrating 80 years of empowering American families with residential mobility.
Memorial Day weekend begins a busy three-and-a-half month stretch through Labor Day when nearly half of all residential moves in the U.S. occur each year.
That means lots of reliable U-Haul trucks and trailers on the roads, and U-Haul teams and local dealers at more than 24,000 rental locations across the U.S. and Canada working to meet the mobility needs of millions of customers.
“Moving can be a stressful life event, and for 80 years our job has been to make people’s lives easier through accessibility, affordability and support,” said Navy veteran and U-Haul Co. of Manhattan/Bronx president Jeff Sonberg, who will ring the closing bell. “We welcome the chance to care for every customer who needs U-Haul services.
“It’s exciting to ring the bell on another moving season,” Sonberg added. “To do so alongside fellow veterans and Gold Star families just before Memorial Day is an honor.”
Commitment to Veterans
U-Haul was founded by a WWII Navy veteran and his wife in 1945, with the first one-way trailers being available to customers on or about Independence Day of that year.
The Company’s commitment to veterans is as prevalent today as it was then. Recognized consistently as a top veteran-friendly employer, U-Haul commits a substantial portion of its community work toward organizations that honor and address the needs of veterans.
U-Haul is a founding sponsor of the 20th annual National Memorial Day Parade and will march again on Monday in Washington, D.C., to salute and remember our fallen heroes and the families that they left behind.
Sonberg will be joined on the NYSE floor by Gold Star family members; active-duty military members; Army, Navy and Marine Corps veterans; veteran service representatives of the USO, United War Veterans Council and Achilles International; and FDNY veterans and their veteran liaison.
Other distinguished U-Haul members will include Nick Marra, Area District Vice President of the New York City metro area; Allan Cotto, U-Haul Co. of Northern New Jersey president; Felicia Roberts, U-Haul Co. of North Central New Jersey president; Sebastien Reyes, President of A&M Associates, the U-Haul in-house advertising and marketing team; Ashleigh Wagner, Community Relations manager; and Robert Price, Army veteran and customer service rep.
Fleet Week
Prior to the May 23 closing bell, U-Haul will help put on The Tribute Journey Fleet Week Afternoon Tea from 1-3 p.m. at the NYSE.
The tea returns to New York City during Fleet Week (May 21-27) for the first time since the COVID pandemic, honoring Gold Star families, senior officers, veterans, veteran service representatives and the Sea Services.
Kathryn Cross, U.S. Navy Gold Star Mother, artist and Tribute Journey founder, has partnered with U-Haul since 2009. Tribute Journeys are expressions of appreciation for current service members and veterans through the delivery of custom-made greeting cards. Cross creates the illustrations and poetic verses, and the cards are printed at U-Haul International headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz.
U-Haul produced 45,000 Memorial Day Tribute Journey greeting cards this year that will be delivered to VA hospitals in 49 states before Memorial Day.
“Our Tribute Journey Fleet Week Afternoon Tea provides an opportunity for Gold Star parents and families to unite with the military’s most senior officers and join together without a schedule, ceremony or media to acknowledge the lives dedicated to service of our country,” Cross said. “It’s a unique opportunity that allows us nobility and dignity. Everyone deserves to recognize and reflect on the close bond linking our military families.”
Where are People Moving?
What will be the top origins and destinations of U-Haul customers this moving season? Migration trends always pique the public’s interest.
One-way truck, trailer and U-Box ® transactions determine the leading growth states, provinces, metros and cities that U-Haul announces at the end of each calendar year.
The U-Haul Growth Index recapping 2024 moves revealed South Carolina was the leading growth state with the largest gain of arrivals over departures. Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee were top five growth states. California had the biggest net loss of one-way movers, while Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania ranked among the last five states for growth.
The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area was the No. 1 growth metro, and Ocala (Fla.) was the leading U.S. city for in-migration. Alberta and Calgary topped the U-Haul growth rankings for provinces and cities in Canada, respectively.
Stay tuned for 2025 updates and be sure to check your neighborhood to see if the U-Haul trucks are coming or going.
About U-HAUL
Celebrating our 80th anniversary in 2025, U-Haul is the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers with more than 24,000 rental locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The U-Haul app makes it easy for customers to use U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 to access trucks anytime through the self-dispatch and -return options on their smartphones with our patented Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to 193,100 trucks, 138,700 trailers and 40,200 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America with 1,037,000 rentable units and 89.6 million square feet of self-storage space at Company-owned and -managed facilities. U-Haul is the top retailer of propane in the U.S. and the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. Get the U-Haul app from theApp StoreorGoogle Play.
U-Haul will ring the closing bell on May 23 at the New York Stock Exchange to kick off "moving season" with the arrival of Memorial Day weekend. It is the 80th anniversary of the do-it-yourself moving and self-storage company, which was founded by a U.S. Navy veteran and his wife in 1945.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic as an ongoing crackdown on demonstrators has led to hundreds of deaths.
Trump said late Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports mount of increasing deaths and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night.
Iran did not acknowledge Trump’s comments immediately. It has previously warned the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has accurately reported on past unrest in Iran, gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran cross checking information. It said at least 544 people have been killed so far, including 496 protesters and 48 people from the security forces. It said more than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
The Latest:
A witness told the AP that the streets of Tehran empty at the sunset call to prayers each night.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, addressed “Dear parents,” which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
—- By Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Iran drew tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators to the streets Monday in a show of power after nationwide protests challenging the country’s theocracy.
Iranian state television showed images of demonstrators thronging Tehran toward Enghelab Square in the capital.
It called the demonstration an “Iranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism,” without addressing the underlying anger in the country over the nation’s ailing economy. That sparked the protests over two weeks ago.
State television aired images of such demonstrations around the country, trying to signal it had overcome the protests, as claimed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier in the day.
China says it opposes the use of force in international relations and expressed hope the Iranian government and people are “able to overcome the current difficulties and maintain national stability.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that Beijing “always opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs, maintains that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be fully protected under international law, and opposes the use or threat of use of force in international relations.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned “in the strongest terms the violence that the leadership in Iran is directing against its own people.”
He said it was a sign of weakness rather than strength, adding that “this violence must end.”
Merz said during a visit to India that the demonstrators deserve “the greatest respect” for the courage with which “they are resisting the disproportional, brutal violence of Iranian security forces.”
He said: “I call on the Iranian leadership to protect its population rather than threatening it.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday suggested that a channel remained open with the United States.
Esmail Baghaei made the comment during a news conference in Tehran.
“It is open and whenever needed, through that channel, the necessary messages are exchanged,” he said.
However, Baghaei said such talks needed to be “based on the acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not a negotiation that is one-sided, unilateral and based on dictation.”
The semiofficial Fars news agency in Iran, which is close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, on Monday began calling out Iranian celebrities and leaders on social media who have expressed support for the protests over the past two weeks, especially before the internet was shut down.
The threat comes as writers and other cultural leaders were targeted even before protests. The news agency highlighted specific celebrities who posted in solidarity with the protesters and scolded them for not condemning vandalism and destruction to public property or the deaths of security forces killed during clashes. The news agency accused those celebrities and leaders of inciting riots by expressing their support.
Canada said it “stands with the brave people of Iran” in a statement on social media that strongly condemned the killing of protesters during widespread protests that have rocked the country over the past two weeks.
“The Iranian regime must halt its horrific repression and intimidation and respect the human rights of its citizens,” Canada’s government said on Monday.
Iran’s foreign minister claimed Monday that “the situation has come under total control” after a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in the country.
Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim.
Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.
Iran’s foreign minister alleged Monday that nationwide protests in his nation “turned violent and bloody to give an excuse” for U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene.
Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim, which comes after over 500 have been reported killed by activists -- the vast majority coming from demonstrators.
Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.
Iran has summoned the British ambassador over protesters twice taking down the Iranian flag at their embassy in London.
Iranian state television also said Monday that it complained about “certain terrorist organization that, under the guise of media, spread lies and promote violence and terrorism.” The United Kingdom is home to offices of the BBC’s Persian service and Iran International, both which long have been targeted by Iran.
A huge crowd of demonstrators, some waving the flag of Iran, gathered Sunday afternoon along Veteran Avenue in LA’s Westwood neighborhood to protest against the Iranian government. Police eventually issued a dispersal order, and by early evening only about a hundred protesters were still in the area, ABC7 reported.
Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran.
Los Angeles police responded Sunday after somebody drove a U-Haul box truck down a street crowded with the the demonstrators, causing protesters to scramble out of the way and then run after the speeding vehicle to try to attack the driver. A police statement said one person was hit by the truck but nobody was seriously hurt.
The driver, a man who was not identified, was detained “pending further investigation,” police said in a statement Sunday evening.
Shiite Muslims hold placards and chant slogans during a protest against the U.S. and show solidarity with Iran in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Activists carrying a photograph of Reza Pahlavi take part in a rally supporting protesters in Iran at Lafayette Park, across from the White House, in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Activists take part in a rally supporting protesters in Iran at Lafayette Park, across from the White House in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Protesters burn the Iranian national flag during a rally in support of the nationwide mass demonstrations in Iran against the government in Paris, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
