How difficult is it to start an auto hauling business? Maybe you have been driver for a long time and now you are looking to launch your own business. You are here because you wish to find out how to get started. At Ship Overseas we work with a number of auto hauling companies. We have been doing so for over a decade, qualifying us to be the most appropriate people to answer the above question. The following are the items that you need to start your very own auto hauling business;
Equipment: What do you need?
The process of starting your own auto hauling business starts with the acquisition of the right equipment. But what do you need to get started? The assumption is that you are not a novice here.
You have been working in the transport industry for some time and you think it’s time for you to strike out on your own. The path to your goal is not exactly cheap.
But there are a lot of corners that you can cut to make the venture viable at a cost that does not leave you bankrupt. All that you need is the right level of planning.
Auto hauling trailer
In terms of equipment, the first obvious thing that you are going to need is that car hauling trailer. While driving around you have have noticed these. They can cost upwards of $28000 in the United States if reconditioned. When buying new, you can expect to pay over $80000. So, it’s not exactly cheap to get started. You need careful planning to pull it off.
Semi Tractor
You also need a haulage truck to start an auto hauling business. You are not going to be able to go anywhere with the trailer alone. So, it’s an additional cost that you will have to account for. In terms of price, you can expect to buy a used truck from as much as $35 000. A new low end truck starts at around $10000.
Personnel
Another thing that you need in order to start an auto hauling business is personnel. Ask yourself, are you going to be driving the truck yourself or is somebody going to be doing the driving on your behalf.
At the start, most people choose to drive their trucks themselves. That only works if you have one truck and trailer. As you fleet grows, you will need to add to your staff.
Note that you don’t only need drivers. You may also need other personnel, such as those to do accounting and others for servicing your vehicles. Of course, you could always outsource these services, which can be cheaper.
So, how many people do you need? That’s depends on the size of your business. It’s better to start small and to then take it from there. Make sure that you do get enough people to help you, otherwise your business is going to become a drain.
Saving on Equipment
Those are the costs of acquiring auto hauling equipment. Of course, our analysis is rather broad and general. If you are the DIY type, you can buy a used truck or trailer at way less. You can then refurbish it. This ensures that you save a few bucks here and there.
Authority to start your business
The next thing that you will need to start an auto hauling business is authority. That’s going to be different depending on your country and State or Province. Authority can take a hard push to get. It’s not the task of a single day, but it can be done. You will have to fill up a lot of paperwork. Here are the California requirements for starting an auto transportation service.
Insurance
It’s also imperative for you to get insurance as part of the process of starting your vehicle hauling business. Insurance is not there to drain your money. It’s there to protect your business and your customers in the even that something untoward happens.
You may be the most careful of drivers, but imagine getting into an accident while hauling 7 top of the range vehicles? Would you be able to cover those liabilities personally? In all instances, you won’t be granted authority without insurance. So, this is a given. You have no option.
How do you get your first customer?
Let’s assume that you have gone through our checklist and you have bought everything that needs to be bought. You have also gone through all the registration processes. Now what?
Where do you get your first clients? There are several techniques that you can use in this regard. First, you can reach out to car dealerships around your area telling them about your business. They may just need your services one of these days.
Next, you can advertise, either in traditional media or digitally. Digital advertising is great because it can be highly targeted. If you create Facebook ads as an example, it will be simple for you to narrow down delivery to a specific group in a specific area or in specific areas.
You can also advertise on Google. Google ads are displayed based on the keywords that people use when carrying out searches on the platform. Examples of keywords are car hauling “car hauling [your area].” Understanding keywords is essential. It’s what stands between success and failure, not only when advertising on Google, but in terms of SEO in general.
Once you know which keywords relate to your business, you can then target these. Another example of a keyword that you may target will be “car hauling service.” Other keywords that are not necessarily related to the auto industry are “cheap web hosting,” or in our case, “Ship car to South Africa.”
Google is great because it allows you to respond to people who are looking for your specific service. You just need to make sure that your ad is there to answer to people’s queries.
As time goes on and as your reputation increases, you should be able to easily find customers. These will be composed of repeat customers and people who are referred to you by their peers. Word of mouth is still a major force in the world of marketing, after all.