37 Business Ideas Using Cargo Trailer You Can Start Today [2024]
Interested in starting a cargo trailer business in 2024?
We put together 37 of the best cargo trailer businesses you can start in today.
For each business idea, we’ll show you real-world examples of other cargo trailer businesses to help you see what it really takes.
Here's the full list:
1. Start a food truck
Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.
To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.
How much you can make: $30,000 — $1,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Food Fleet grew over 160% in just one year and managed over 20 million in sales for its clients, securing multiple contracts with the likes of Sodexo, Levy Restaurants and more, due to its understanding of catering client needs and its advanced turnkey and design services.
2. Start a mobile veterinary service
A mobile veterinary service is just what it sounds like, your pet receives veterinary care in a car. A mobile unit is much cheaper than building a clinic.
As the number of pet owners is growing, there is also an increase in the number of pets that require check-ups and emergency services. If you are looking for a relatively low investment way to start a business, then starting a mobile veterinary service might be the right business for you.
How much you can make: $580,000/month
A mobile veterinarian built her business HousePaws on a community-based marketing approach, which helped her take the team from just herself to over 100 employees and more than 7 million dollars in revenue in less than 10 years.
3. Start a mobile bodycare business
Now than ever before, people have demanding schedules and appreciate services that allow them convenience. Are you have a professional background in the beauty industry or have dreamed of owning a cash business in a dynamic industry, consider starting a mobile body care business.
Rather than renting space, you can operate mobile body care in a customized van or truck. Like a physical salon, a mobile salon will need a water source, power supply, chairs, mirrors essential styling tools.
A mobile salon allows you to set your prices and staff your business according to the services you offer. Expand your reach, and promote your services on social media accounts and local Facebook groups.
How much you can make: $5,000/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Jenni Jo, a licensed massage therapist, shares her story of creating a mobile body care spa in a custom Airstream to cater to the niche market of touring entertainers, with features such as massage tables, lounging spaces, custom cabinetry, lighting, music, and aromatherapy, inspiring other entrepreneurs to keep taking steps towards their dreams.
4. Start a food delivery business
In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.
The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.
You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.
How much you can make: $14,000 — $1,800,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Food Fleet grew over 160% in just one year and managed over 20 million in sales for its clients, securing multiple contracts with the likes of Sodexo, Levy Restaurants and more, due to its understanding of catering client needs and its advanced turnkey and design services.
5. Start an animal transportation business
Animal transportation is the commercial ferrying of wild and domestic animals. The animal transporters help rescuers, game parks, and pet lovers by offering safe and convenient animal transfers.
Thus, if you own a truck, you can customize it to offer animal transportation services. The truck should be customized as per the size of animals you will be transferring in them and there should be a facility to lift animals into the vehicle and out of it.
Starting an animal transportation business is a profitable prospect. You require some licensing, and you ought to carve a niche and market your services to potential customers.
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
6. Start a mobile video game trailer business
7. Start a mobile hair salon
With the ever-increasing number of people in the world becoming increasingly mobile, the demand for mobile hair services will also increase. Mobile hairstyling is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. Making money while driving around in your car or truck may sound enticing.
Listed are the steps to start a mobile hair salon business.
- Plan your business
- Register your business
- Secure permits and licenses
- Get certificates
- Purchase needed materials and supplies.
- Connect with clients. Promote your business
How much you can make: $30,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Natural Girl Wigs is a 7-figure business, reaching six-figures just six months after launch, by creating Afrocentric extensions and protective styles catering to black women all over the world, with strategies including Instagram and Whatsapp, viral word-of-mouth, and targeted Facebook ads and email marketing.
8. Start a mobile florist business
Mobile florists, just like traditional florists, can deliver flowers to an array of special events, including weddings, birthdays, or anniversaries. People love their flowers fresh and delivered right to their doors.
Listed are the steps on how to start a mobile florist business.
- Purchase on a reliable truck
- Secure needed papers for your mobile flower shop
- Organize your business flow
- Outsource from flower suppliers
- Promote your business
9. Start a mobile farmers market business
10. Start a mobile auto detailing service
A mobile carwash business reaches clients whenever possible and offers its services conveniently. Therefore, car owners do not need to drive to different locations looking for a car wash, as the mobile service provider is there for the client.
The advantage of offering a mobile car wash business is that clients will call you to their location whenever they need their vehicles cleaned. You can serve more customers based on convenience compared to an immobile car detailing business.
How much you can make: $5,000 — $20,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Learn how former tech salesman, Matt Paskow, left the industry to start Fresh Look Mobile Auto Detailing, a profitable mobile auto detailing business generating around $5k per month that focuses solely on SEO, Google AdWords, and Google My Business for marketing.
11. Start a boat transportation business
Global recreational boating marketing is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 5%. Given the projected growth, and boat hauling service is another profitable opportunity for trucking companies.
Boat transportation service targets boat owners within the tourism and fishing industries. If you want a promising trucking business idea, hauling boats for money is a great opportunity.
How much you can make: $20,000/month
Nationwide Auto Transportation ships approximately 4,000 vehicles per month and has served more than 50,000 customers, offering custom services such as help for clients who cannot find suitable carriers for their vehicle.
12. Start a mobile retail boutique business
13. Start a travel trailers rental business
Travel and exploration have become a big part of everyday life in our modern society. Due to this, they need comfortable products on the road. One such product is travel trailer rental. People opt to rent a travel trailer instead of buying one themselves because:
- They don’t have enough space in their house.
- They don’t have the money to buy one.
- They want to try out different models before deciding which is best for them.
Thus, there is a ready market for travel trailers rental businesses.
14. Start a bicycle trailers manufacturing business
15. Start a mobile coffee shop business
A mobile coffee shop is a business that brings the convenience of a coffee shop directly to customers through a mobile vehicle, such as a food truck or trailer. The mobile coffee shop can travel to various locations, including events, festivals, construction sites, and office parks, offering a variety of coffee drinks, pastries, and snacks.
To run a successful mobile coffee shop, it is essential to have a reliable vehicle equipped with a coffee machine, refrigeration, and storage for all necessary equipment and supplies. It is also essential to have a well-trained staff who can efficiently prepare and serve coffee drinks and handle cash and customer interactions.
Marketing and promotion are also key to the success of a mobile coffee shop. Utilizing social media, email lists, and word-of-mouth referrals can help spread the word about the business and attract new customers. Having a consistent schedule and location is also helpful so customers know when and where to find the mobile coffee shop.
Another tip for running a successful mobile coffee shop is to have a diverse menu that caters to various customer tastes and dietary restrictions. Offering options such as dairy-free and plant-based milk and a selection of teas, smoothies, and other beverages can help attract a larger customer base.
Overall, a mobile coffee shop can be a rewarding and lucrative business opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to enter the food and beverage industry. With careful planning and attention to customer satisfaction, a mobile coffee shop can become a popular and successful business in any community.
How much you can make: $15,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
This case study follows the co-founder of Camper Cafe, a mobile coffee van business which started as a hobby and now has 6 units that supply the UK's biggest sporting events, commercial and film shoots, generating around £150k from working only 70 days of the year.
16. Start a sell motorcycle trailers business
17. Start a rent out construction trailers business
18. Start a child bike trailers business
19. Start a mobile nail salon business
Starting a mobile nail salon business can provide you with the freedom and flexibility you can't get from traditional brick-and-mortar nail salon shops. Also, clients do not need to spend time driving to a salon, spend on gas or wait for an appointment. This setup is attractive to busy customers.
Listed are the steps on how to start a mobile nail salon business.
- Secure all needed permits and registrations to run your business
- Obtain needed licenses, training certificates, or credentials
- Purchase needed materials, equipment, and supplies
- Promote your business
20. Start a garden trailers selling business
Gardeners use trailers to transport their tools, equipment, and plants. If you are in the trailer business, you may consider manufacturing, distributing, and selling garden trailers. As more people venture into gardening as a hobby or a full-time business, the opportunity for the gardening trailer business is growing rapidly.
21. Start a freight moving business
Freight moving business is something that you can make real money with if you are in the right state and have plenty of resources to access the freight, then this is something you should think about.
As a freight mover, all you have to do is pick up cargo from one place, get to its destination, and repeat.
Freight moving business requires a lot of investment but at the same time, there is a lot of profit to be made out of it.
How much you can make: $65,000 — $1,080,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A Canadian entrepreneur, Steve Setka, and his father bought an InXpress franchise in Mid 2017, starting as a parcel software platform and now specializing in LTL less-than-truckload services as well, with a minor capacity in Full Truckload and ocean freight, with a projected revenue of CAD 1M.
22. Start an used cargo trailers selling business
23. Start a trailer park business
24. Start a trailer insurance providing business
25. Start a landscaping/flatbed trailer rental business
26. Start an utility trailers selling and manufacturing business
27. Start a trailer repair business
28. Start a refrigerated Trailers manufacturing business
29. Start an ikea hauling business
30. Start a trash hauling trailers manufacturing business
31. Start a specialized trailers manufacturing business
32. Start a mobile storage business
33. Start an office trailers rental business
34. Start a lowboy trailers manufacturing business
35. Start a mobile boutique business
36. Start a mobile garage service
A mobile garage service involves a mechanic who performs vehicle repairs and maintenance in the customer's desired location.
With the global increase in total vehicle registrations, the demand for qualified mechanics has also increased. However, people are getting busier and prefer hiring a mobile garage service. If you are a qualified mechanic, starting a mobile garage service could open a new window of opportunities for your profession.
37. Start a mobile laundry service
In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, many people have little time to wash their clothes at home. Most prefer having a mobile dry-cleaning service within their locality, picking the clothes from their homes or business.
If you are an entrepreneur looking for a profitable business model, a mobile laundry service could be it! To start, invest in commercial-grade washing machines and dryers. You will need a pickup and delivery van to reach your customers conveniently.
How much you can make: $100,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Pick My Laundry, India's on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service provider has developed a mobile app and website serving almost 50,000 customers in its first year after signing up 100 third-party laundry services and franchising its model with over 50 franchises across more than 15 Indian cities.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
