Why Everyone Calls Them “Pods” (and Why We Don’t)

Updated September 28, 2026 by the Velox team

Almost every call we get starts the same way: “Hey, do you guys do pods?”

Yes. Sort of. Here’s the honest answer to a question most people don’t know they’re asking.

“Pods” is a brand name

PODS is a company. It started in Florida in 1998, advertised nationally before anyone else in the business, and the name stuck to the whole idea. Today “a pod” means any big box that shows up in your driveway, gets loaded, and gets hauled away, the same way “a Kleenex” means any tissue.

It’s a short list of words that pulled this off: Kleenex, Band-Aid, Dumpster, Jacuzzi, Velcro, ChapStick, Crock-Pot, Q-tips. Each one is (or was) a trademark. Each one became the word normal people use for the whole category. Language doesn’t care about trademarks.

PODS does, though. In 2014 a jury ordered U-Haul to pay PODS $60.7 million for using the word “pods” to describe U-Haul’s own containers. That’s why you’ll see other companies, us included, twist themselves into knots saying “portable storage container,” “mobile storage unit,” or “moving container” instead of the word everyone actually uses.

What we call them, and why

At Velox we say container or unit. Not because “pod” is a bad word, but because it isn’t ours, and we’d rather spend our money on trucks than lawyers.

You can absolutely say “pod” when you call us. We know what you mean. Nobody on our team will correct you.

The problem with the word

Here’s the part that matters for your wallet. Because “pod” has become the word for the whole category, people assume every pod is the same thing. They aren’t. The name tells you nothing about what you’re getting, and the differences are big:

• Size. A 16-foot PODS container and our 8×16 container are close in size. A U-Haul U-Box is about a quarter of that. “Pod” covers all three. Here’s the U-Box comparison.
• Weight limit. PODS lists 4,200 pounds for its 16-foot container. Ours moves fully loaded at up to 7,500. If you have food storage, a safe, or a shop full of tools, that’s the number to ask about.
• What it’s made of. Some containers are steel-framed with wood or plastic panels. Ours are all steel, top to bottom, with a bamboo floor. Ask what the walls and roof are made of before you sign. We put the two side by side here.
• Who answers the phone. Call a national company and you get a call center. Call us and you get the owner or one of the three people who schedule and move your container. If a delivery date slips or your driveway is steeper than usual, that difference is the whole ballgame.

Questions to ask any company (including us)

1. How many cubic feet is the container, and how many bedrooms does that usually hold?
2. What’s the loaded weight limit?
3. What are the walls, roof and floor made of?
4. Does my rate go up after the first month?
5. If I need to store it at your facility, does that cost extra per month?
6. When I call, who answers?

If you get clear answers to all six, you’re in good hands, whatever they call the box. Our answers are on the FAQ and how it works pages.

Common questions

Is “pods” a brand name?

Yes. PODS is a company. “Pod” has become the everyday word for any portable storage container, the same way “Kleenex” means tissue.

What is the difference between a pod and a portable storage container?

Usually nothing but the word. The differences that matter are size, weight limit, materials, and who you are dealing with.

Can I say “pod” when I call Velox?

Absolutely. We know what you mean, and nobody on our team will correct you.

Why don’t other companies use the word “pods”?

It is a registered trademark, and PODS has enforced it in court.

So, do you guys do pods?

We do. We just call them containers. Call or text 801-362-9978 in Utah or 720-674-8777 in Colorado, tell us where you want one, and we’ll bring it. If you say “pod,” we’ll know exactly what you mean.