There is no more iconic symbol of the logistics industry than the box truck. These vehicles have been on the road helping deliver products and supplies since the early 1900s, and they continue to play a major role in almost every logistics network.
For box truck owners, there are numerous ways the vehicle can be used to create an income stream. Below, we’ll go over some of the top ways owner-operators can make money with a box truck.
1. Delivery services
We’ll start with the most obvious (and most common) option when researching how to make money with a box truck, which is performing last-mile delivery. Of the 58 million packages delivered per day in the U.S., box trucks play a critical role in the majority of those deliveries. Many times, this last-mile delivery is performed by traditional carriers like FedEx and UPS that employ their own fleet of box trucks and delivery drivers. However, there are also lots of deliveries completed by independent contractors.
If you’d like to get started making money as a delivery provider, partnering with a last-mile delivery service that utilizes independent owner-operators is a great option to consider. At Bungii, for example, we work with owner-operators all over the country and offer a competitive average payout of $5 per mile. This allows box truck owners to begin performing deliveries immediately on a schedule that works for them while still maintaining their independent contractor status.
2. Moving services
On average, a person living in the United States will move into a new home about twelve times over the course of their lifetime. While lots of people choose to handle the process themselves by using their own vehicle or renting a truck, there are plenty of others who would rather hire a moving service to handle it for them.
As a box truck owner, you already have almost all of the equipment needed to start your own moving service. Throw in a dolly and some protective blankets, and you’re ready to get started. You can offer transportation only, requiring customers to load and unload their items themselves, or you can start a full-service moving company that includes loading and unloading services. The second option is more popular, but it also may require you to hire additional help unless you are comfortable handling large pieces of furniture and other bulky items on your own.
3. Junk removal services
Every year, approximately 146.1 million tons of junk and garbage is delivered to landfills in the United States—and all that junk doesn’t get there on its own. While garbage services are responsible for removing most of the waste America produces, they generally don’t haul away larger items like broken appliances and furniture. To get rid of items such as these, people often hire junk removal services.
Junk removal services help both homeowners and businesses clean up their properties and get rid of unwanted items by transporting them to the dump. In most cases, operating a junk removal service will entail loading and unloading the items in addition to transporting them; unlike moving services, offering transportation alone is much less common in the junk removal industry.
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4. Advertising
There’s a lot of space available on the sides of a box truck, and when you’re on the road all the time, your truck is seen by quite a few people. That creates an opportunity to essentially use your truck as a driving billboard by allowing other companies to print advertisements on it.
This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when most people think of how to make money with a box truck, but it is a great way to add another income stream to your business. Of course, advertising probably can’t be the only way you use your box truck to make money. After all, not many advertisers are going to pay to put ads on your truck if it just sits at home in your driveway all the time. But if you’re already spending a lot of time on the road, you can try reaching out to small businesses and local retailers to see if they are interested in purchasing advertising space on your truck.
5. Truck rental
Some box truck owners choose to make some extra money on the side by renting out their trucks for others to use. This can be a good option during your off-season or slow periods, but there are some important considerations to keep in mind.
First, you’ll need to make sure you have the right insurance coverage. Renting your truck to others may require additional policies or rider extensions to protect against potential damage or liability while it’s in someone else’s hands. You’ll also need to create a well-drafted rental contract to prevent disputes and screen potential renters carefully.
Anytime you’re renting your property out to someone else, there are both risks and hassles involved. Nevertheless, renting out your box truck is still a good way to have it make you money during times when you don’t have any use for it yourself.
How much can box truck owners make?
The answer to this question varies wildly depending on things like where you live and what kind of business you operate. According to ZipRecruiter, though, the average box truck owner-operator makes $2,201 a week.
Securing a steady stream of work is often the most challenging part of making money as a box truck owner. That’s why partnering with an established delivery service like Bungii can be a big benefit, allowing you to easily find and accept loads anytime you want. Best of all, you’re still free to continue using your box truck for other business ventures as well, like advertising or renting it out.
Conclusion
With hard work and good business practices, a box truck can be an excellent investment—and there are a lot of great ways you can use yours to start earning money. At Bungii, we provide delivery services in more than 80 U.S. markets, giving box-truck owner-operators access to work that is reliable, flexible, and well-paying. If you’d like to start delivering with Bungii and earning money with your box truck, we invite you to apply today.
