If you own a pickup truck, particularly a large pickup with excellent hauling capabilities, then you have a vehicle that others want. You’re probably used to people asking you to either borrow your truck or help them move furniture with it. You may have granted some requests while turning down others.
Owning a pickup truck can be a costly expense. You can recoup some of your cost by monetizing your vehicle. Read on and we’ll explore ways you can charge people for your services.
Haul Junk — Not everyone wants to wait for junk day to throw out a couch, a broken chair or some other item that is of no use to them. In many towns, those items cost extra to dispose of. You can offer your services, taking trash to the town junkyard yourself. Consider offering a “garage clean out” service where you remove stuff people don’t want, reselling some pieces, donating others and dumping the rest.
Yard Maintenance — Short of starting a landscaping company, you can use your pickup truck to handle limited chores. These can include removing leaves and yard debris from people’s homes and transporting same to your town’s recycling center. You might also offer to transport rocks, flowers, yard decorations and heavy items for customers from nurseries to their homes.
Moving Service — Larger home moves require the rental of a dedicated truck or a moving service, but smaller moves may require only one or two truck loads across town. Bring along a friend and offer your service to people who can’t move everything themselves, but could use your assistance. You’re in a good position to pick up business if your truck bed has a cap on it.
Winter Service — If your truck is a 4×4 and has both a heavy duty engine and transmission, then it can be a prime candidate for plowing snow. You’ll need to invest in a plow kit and a spreader control for the truck bed, monies you can quickly recoup following a major storm.
There may be some restrictions where you live with operating a business from your home or using your private vehicle for commercial purposes. A visit to your city’s website and a trip to the DMV can help you learn what these might be. Put together a business plan and make allowance for fuel usage as well as wear and tear on your truck. No side business is worth it if you lose money or wear out your truck.
