16 Cargo Van Business Ideas To Start In 2024

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Updated: February 22nd, 2024

Cargo vans are popular vehicles used by many businesses to transport large items. These vans are affordable and easier to manage than big box trucks or semi-trailers, they offer greater capacity and flexibility.

Starting a cargo van business is a great way to start making money and building your brand. Cargo van business ideas are very easy to create. By these, you can even inspire the next generation of business leaders.

Don’t know how to make money with a cargo van? We put together a list of the best business ideas you can start with a cargo van. With these cargo van business ideas, you can earn more than you think.

1. Provide a Moving Services

Moving from one place to another can be a time-consuming and daunting task. You can simplify this process for others by offering moving services. The national average cost for a two-person moving team to complete a local move of less than 100 miles is $1,400. Keep in mind, however, that this price range is for a local move. For long-distance moves, movers charge between $2,200 and $5,700 on average.

To start providing moving services, It's important to know the laws in the state you are moving to, so you can handle your household goods legally.

You should check with your local authorities about the rules and regulations. In some cases, you may need to have commercial insurance, liability insurance and special licenses that allow you to transport household goods between states.

Consider investing in some good moving equipment such as canvasses, tarps, moving blankets, and cargo straps.

You can earn good money by providing quality services at a relatively lower price because professional moving service providers are too expensive.

2. Provide a Hauling Services

Small businesses and startups often need to declutter their office space by getting rid of old, junk, and unused items. You can make money by providing part-time hauling services, as well as towing services where you help businesses to remove junk from their office premises.

By taking out old junk to the recycling facility in your cargo van, you'll earn extra cash and have a chance to boost your income. The average salary for USA hauling & recycling jobs is $68,216.

Besides local businesses, families and communities also need hauling services to remove old items and remove them from the surroundings.

However, hauling services are not only limited to businesses or families. Communities also need these services to remove old items from their surroundings.

3. Try a P2P Delivery Gigs

If you're looking for an easy way to start your own business, why not try P2P delivery gigs? It's a great way to get your foot in the door and start making money without having to invest a lot of money or time. The average salary for a P2P is $54915 per year.

With P2P delivery gigs, you can sign up with one of the cargo vans and start driving around town delivering things to people who need them. In contrast, a lot of P2P delivery companies focus on delivering more specialized types of items, like pets or fragile goods.

The best part about this business idea is that it's flexible—you can work with customers on a one-off basis or get into the habit of delivering regularly to a few long-term clients.

4. Amazon Delivery

Amazon Flex is a delivery partner program that allows people to deliver goods using their own vehicles. As an Amazon delivery partner, you can earn extra money for day-to-day expenses. Working while working a flexible schedule is another benefit that this program offers.

Join Amazon Flex, the program that lets you deliver packages with a cargo van. You can earn money by delivering everyday essentials and packages to customers in your local area.

A larger vehicle means more money for Amazon package delivery. You can get money for each box item you deliver to customers. The more you deliver, the more you can make.

Amazon delivery partners earn between $34,000 and $50,000 annually by delivering packages from the Amazon facility to customers' homes.

5. Help People Move

If you love to help people move and make money, then you should consider starting a cargo van business. You can be your own boss and run your own business from home.

Helping people move is certainly one of the best ways to make money with your cargo van. This is because moving is expensive and cargo vans have enough storage capacity to help people out, so they’re generally willing to pay a premium for your vehicle and some heavy lifting.

6. Rent Out Your Cargo Van

If you don’t have a lot of extra time to take on a new side hustle, you can always try renting out your cargo van to earn passive income. You can earn up to $2,700 per month by renting your cargo van.

Rent them out for weddings or proms, for example. Or rent them out for parties where people need transportation to get there.

You can even rent out your cargo van to movers or other companies or individuals who may need it. Not a bad way to make some nice passive income with your cargo van.

7. Become an Airbnb Cargo Van Host

If you're looking for a new way to make money, then you might want to consider becoming an Airbnb cargo van host. New data shows the typical US Airbnb Host's income rose to over $13800.

The process is super easy: just list your vehicle online and show people where it is. Then, when someone wants to rent it, you'll pick them up at their destination, drop them off at the airport or train station, and get paid for the service.

8. Become a Mobile Billboard

Convert your cargo van into an advertisement vehicle to help increase awareness and recognition for a major brand. This way of advertising is probably the best because it makes the business highly noticeable and brings more sales.

If you do not mind covering the side of your van with a branding sticker or wrap for promoting a business, partner with top advertising services. And don't worry, the wrap or sticker used for business branding won't cause any damage to your vehicle.

By choosing your cargo van as a mobile billboard, you won’t have to do anything other than drive it for your regular errands to make money. The global billboard & outdoor advertising market grew from $61.67 billion in 2021 to $65.96 billion in 2022, an increase of 7.0% per year on average.

9. Food Delivery Driver

You can also become a food delivery driver to make extra money with your cargo van. You can deliver food for restaurants, catering companies, and any other type of food company.

To become a food delivery driver, you need to sign up for all of the city's food delivery apps or collaborate with one restaurant in your area rather than hustling around the city and delivering orders on the side.

When you deliver food, you have to be punctual and responsive because sometimes you might be delivering perishable food items with a shorter shelf life.

The average food delivery driver's salary is around $42,900 per year or $22 per hour. Even entry-level positions start at around $33,174 per year.

10. Transporting Equipment for Events

Businesses often book a venue to host an event and then wonder how to transport any equipment and materials needed for that event. You can offer equipment transport services to them.

To start a business like this, you may need to be strong enough to lift heavy weights. You could even hire your van out for transporting musical equipment for bands doing weddings and parties. The national average salary for a Heavy Equipment Transporter is $57,334 per year.

11. Outbound Tours

Outbound tours are a great way to earn money and travel the world at the same time. The main goal of outbound tours is to promote the destination and attract people to visit it.

The profit from an outbound tour can be higher than from inbound tours because there are fewer expenses, such as hotel rooms, food, and transportation.

There are many different ways to start an Outbound Tours business, but the most popular way is by renting a cargo van for the passengers. Businesses use Outbound Tours to get their name out there and grow their customer base. It is also a great way for businesses to make more money because they can charge customers for each tour they take with them.

12. Become an Independent Contractor

As an independent contractor, you will be independent of your work. You will have the freedom to work on projects that interest you and do not require the approval of others.

Becoming an independent contractor is a great way to use your cargo van and make money. The average salary for an Independent Contractor ranges from $24,720 to $155,200, with a median salary of $51,700.

To start your own small business, register with a platform that connects vans with people who are looking for delivery services.

Some websites will help you to find businesses or individuals who are willing to move their household goods, heavy equipment, vehicles, and other movables.

While blocking your orders, you should keep in mind the dimensions of the items you need to deliver. If they don't fit inside your cargo van easily, then it will be a hassle for both you and your customer.

13. Start Delivering Flowers

With your cargo van, You can deliver flowers to homes and businesses, and you don't have to be a driver. You can start with one van, and if you have a big enough following, you can start expanding your business.

You can make money by delivering flowers to people in your neighborhood, your city, or even internationally. It's easy to start up a cargo van business because it doesn't require much startup capital or any special equipment. The average salary for a flower delivery driver in the USA is $28,275 per year or $14.50 per hour.

If you offer a safe and reliable service at a fair price, you can definitely satisfy that need. You can start it by just calling florists in your area to see if they offer any services for weddings or events.

The best thing about cargo vans is that they have the space to handle even the largest flower delivery orders. This is important on days like Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day when the volume of orders is through the roof.

14. Medical Transportation

Medical transportation is a business that provides transportation services for medical and healthcare-related purposes. It's an important service because it can help patients get medical treatment on time.

You can make a great profit by starting a medical transportation business. The average medical transportation driver's salary in the USA is $29,250 per year or $15 per hour.

If you want to start a medical transport business, then all you have to do is take care of your customers and ensure that they get where they need to go safely at all times.

The healthcare industry is a tough one to break into. You'll need a reliable van with the necessary lift and safety features, as well as the relevant healthcare provider licenses and permits, insurance coverage, and certification from Medicare or Medicaid.

Once that's all done, you'll have to decide which services you'll offer and start marketing your business online. As long as your rates are fair and your services reliable, you'll soon start getting regular clients.

15. Start a Pet Transport Service

Many people have pets that they love and cherish but often cannot take with them on long trips. This is where you come in! By starting a pet transport service, you can help people who are moving or traveling with their beloved animals. You can also help people who need to be away from home for extended periods of time due to business or other personal commitments.

Starting a pet transport service is a great way to make money, but it isn't as simple as just identifying what you want to sell and finding customers. You'll also want to consider the legal aspects of starting a business, including licensing requirements, regulations, and taxes.

To get started, you'll need:

A license from your state's department of agriculture
The proper insurance coverage for transporting pets
A business plan that details your costs and revenue projections

Pet transporters typically charge a fee of $0.50 to $0.75 per mile or a flat rate fee per animal. You set your own fee according to the transportation.

16. Start a Grocery Delivery

With the help of a cargo van, you can also choose to deliver groceries, you will have to shop for customers and drop off their groceries at their provided addresses.

With online grocery shopping, you no longer have to queue up at the supermarket. You can browse through a retailer's website or app, shop and check out, pay for your items online and have them delivered right to your doorstep.

If you’re thinking of starting a grocery delivery business, now’s the time to do it. You have at least three options: operate your own delivery service, work with a franchise or retailer, or sign up with an established company.

Before you choose which business model to go with, assess the competition as well and identify possible clients if you’re going to give it a go on your own. No matter which path you choose, there are plenty of opportunities waiting for you!

meet the author

Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.

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