Transportation businesses reign supreme in the world of logistics – from storage and moving services and personal dispatch and delivery, to large-scale freight operations. Depending on your level of interest as a potential business owner, you have many options available. The transportation industry is a broad business, which means you can specialize in a specific key or business area.
If you want to open a transport services for vehicles, here some potential business ideas.
Bicycle Rental
Renting a bike is a thriving business in certain areas. Two of the key environments where renting bikes is a must-have are in cities and recreational tourism areas. In tourism areas, set up your business near a resort or a hotel where extended vacations can win you more customers. If you want to open a bicycle rental business, you’ll need a storefront and space for all of your rental bikes.
Limousine Service
Whether it’s celebrities attending an A-Lister event or a couple of teenagers attending prom, limousine services can attend to both needs and more. When opening a limousine service, you can drive the limo yourself, which makes it easier to maintain your fleet. You can also provide the service yourself. If you want to expand your business, hire more drivers and purchase more high-profile vehicles.
Keep in mind: whenever a client trusts you to drive them, a clean reputation matters. In the case of personal limo services, however, you’ll be driving a group of people who are enjoying the ride but not as mindful of their surroundings as the driver should be. As the driver (or your drivers), you must be trustworthy, as well as ensure that all the limos are well-maintained.
Operator/Owner Trucking
The basic format of trucking businesses involved the bidding and fulfillment of contracts. There are two forms of truck operating with their key differences being the contracts of those drivers.
- Privately- owned drivers. In this scenario, you own the trucks and drivers work for you. You have control over the operations and you get all the profit. You are also in charge of paying for the expenses of equipment and employees, which equates to higher operating costs and higher startup. Since you are the head of the service, you must make sure there is no downtime since you’re paying for drivers and vehicles – whether you use them or not. If you are skilled in scheduling and coordinating, setting up a trucking business using contracted drivers is your best option.
- Subcontract drivers. In this case, independent contractors are the owners of their equipment. You’ll focus on two coordination factors: getting the accounts and contracts with manufacturers who require your service and finding drivers who can work on their schedule. One of the advantages of subcontract drivers is the lower costs. Insurance is a huge cost factor in the business, so you’ll clearly save more.
Moving Van Business
People who want to move will need your service. Most of your clients are moving families or college students who use rented box trucks. If you want to set up this type of business, offer add-on services, like space for temporary storage.
In terms of startup costs, you’ll need to invest in one or more trucks (in different sizes) that can accommodate a variety of moving needs. You’ll also need a place to park them.
You’ll also need another employee since you can’t lift things on your own. All the employees you hire must be trained for moving procedures, customer interactions, packing and more.
Medical Transport
If you want to focus on the medical field, there are three ways to do this business. Some medical transport services require no more than a driver’s license, regular vehicle and a clean driving record. If you live in an area that is far from the city, you can offer long-distance services to specialist appointments. You can also provide transport services to seniors for their medical appointments.
If you have an EMT license or other medical credentials, partner with hospitals to drive admitted patients for their treatment.
Specialty Transportation
This type of business is an unusual kind of transportation service. When you specialize, you may handle extremely large items, such as modular houses and airplane parts, or “odd” items like refrigerated perishables, human organs and blood. You may have fewer clients, but you can still expect a healthy income. You can charge higher fees for your specialization.
No matter which field you choose, study the industry first and consider your current finances. Seek guidance from an expert as well to ensure a smooth-sailing business.