17 Best Trucking Business Ideas To Start In 2024 (With Examples)

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Updated: July 15th, 2024

Are you looking to start a trucking business?

Trucking is an industry that has been around for decades, and it's always changing—and growing.

A trucking business can take many forms: from transporting goods from one place to another via trucks and trailers to delivering packages for companies like UPS or FedEx.

In this post, we look at 17 profitable truck business ideas, along with real-world examples to give you the inspiration you need to get started.

Here they are:

1. Start a truck body building business

There are approximately 30 million small business enterprises in the US alone. Each business runs in a different way and has different needs when it comes to transportation. For instance, some require their products transported in a refrigerated truck body, while others require a customized one.

Therefore, a truck body building business can be a booming business opportunity, for those passionate about the automobile industry.

Starting a truck body business may feel overwhelming and capital intensive. However, with the right mindset and marketing approach, it is a huge opportunity, and you can make money out of it.

To get started, conduct market research and partner with trucking companies so you understand their needs. Secure capital, and market your business.

2. Start a RV rental business

An RV rental business involves acquiring a fleet of recreational vehicles to rent out as campers for travelers and vacationers.

As an RV rental business owner, you supply motorhomes equipped with living essentials for road trips and outdoor getaways.

With flexibility around RV classes from luxury to budget rates, building inventories and customizing rental packages can create diverse revenue streams.

For hospitality-inclined founders seeking an accessible franchise, an RV rental company presents a promising venture as pandemic-weary travelers prioritize domestic trips focused on flexibility and the outdoors.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $250,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How We Started A Camper Van Rental Business and Quit Our Full Time Jobs

ROAMERICA, a campervan rental company founded by Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless who quit their full-time jobs to focus on their business and have expanded their fleet quickly to meet the demand of adventure-seeking customers, with most of their web traffic coming from organic Google searches and a focus on social media and brand awareness.

Read this case study

Read by 37,457 founders

3. Start a mobile locker truck

A locker truck business offers solutions for people who need temporary places to keep their belongings safe.

Individuals rent the lockers for short-term storage, and can even request items to be dropped at their address the following day, at an extra cost.

Generally, locker truck businesses are common at event venues.

How much you can make: $34,000 — $100,000/month

Growing A Lockers On Wheels Business to $34k/mo

The Mobile Locker Co is an onsite storage solution for events, which has grown from two to five vehicles in five regions, and experienced year over year revenue doubling for the past two fiscal years while utilizing an e-commerce strategy for selling locker rental sales.

Read this case study

Read by 11,061 founders

4. 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

How I Took Food Trucks Corporate And Built A $18M Business

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.

Read this case study

Read by 15,654 founders

5. Start a junk removal business

Households and businesses need help hauling away broken furniture, clearing out trash, and even emptying properties during a foreclosure. Therefore, the demand for junk removal services is high. Starting a junk removal business can be profitable if you own a box truck and are looking for self-employment opportunities.

To begin, perform market research in your area, and apply for the necessary regulatory permits or licenses. Build a website and market your services.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $230,000/month

How long does it take to build: 55 days (?)

How I Started A $18K/Month Junk Removal Company Before Graduating From College

23-year-old Sam Evans founded You Call We Haul Junk Removal which brings in around $20,000 in revenue per month with a profit of 65% per job, servicing any individuals who have unneeded junk, and aims to franchise the business in the long-term.

Read this case study

Read by 50,743 founders

6. Start a Long Haul Trucking Business

Long haul trucking is one of the sectors contributing significantly to economic growth. Besides, with the modern marketplaces, consumers depend on long-haul truckers to bridge the gap between them and favorite suppliers across the globe.

Thus, if you have a passion for starting a business that focuses on trucking, a long-haul trucking business would fulfill your dream.

Before investing in a long-haul truck, study the market and identify the business opportunities that will be most pleasing to you. Then, buy or lease a suitable long-haul truck and focus on doing what it takes to keep your business profitable while satisfying your customers.

7. Start a mobile truck advertising business

Mobile truck advertising gets brands noticed, recognized, and remembered. The alternatives here can include using the truck for roadshows/mobile advertising campaigns and mounting mobile billboards/truck side advertising.

The business idea allows truck owners to diversify their income sources. Therefore, you can use your truck for hauling and at the same time rent the truck side to an advertising company.

8. Buy a towing truck

A tow truck is fitted with winches and hoist mechanisms for freeing and pulling stuck, broken, or damaged vehicles. The tow truck businesses make money by charging customers for tows. If you have a passion for the automobile industry and are considering the best truck business ideas, then starting a towing business would be ideal.

To secure repeat customers, serve vehicle owners well, and work with garage owners and insurance companies.

9. Start a game truck business

The game truck business offers game lovers the full experience that they wouldn't enjoy playing games on their laptops or usual play stations. Typically, the game trucks are modified so they have enough space for gamers, and provide a full range of gaming gear, so gamers can enjoy various video games and even virtual reality games.

With the gaming community expanding quickly, starting a mobile game truck can be a highly profitable venture. You can take the game truck to events or streets famous among gamers.

10. Start a truck rental business

A truck rental business provides individuals, businesses, and companies with large trucks to haul cargo to specific destinations.

Businesses constantly look for the best ways to reduce operating expenses. One preferred method is hiring trucks instead of buying. This is often the case when the need for a truck is rare such as when moving an office or transporting machinery to a new plant.

You may invest in a box truck and work with a motor vehicle leasing company, or if you have huge capital, buy a fleet of trucks and start a full truck rental company. Market your business to startups and other small-scale businesses that likely need trucking services but do not consider buying an economical way of doing business.

11. Start an ice cream truck business

Do you have childhood memories of a neighborhood ice cream truck that reminded you anytime is a good time for ice cream?

An ice cream truck is one of the truck business ideas with great potential. So long as you choose high-traffic streets and a business strategy, an ice cream truck business could be profitable.

Starting an ice cream truck makes you your boss and helps you reach your financial goals. To start the ice cream business, research the nearby ice cream businesses and identify some potential gaps, prepare a business plan, customize your ice cream truck and launch your business.

12. Start a trucking jobs platform

France, Germany, Denmark, and Norway are among the long list of countries that experienced a truck driver shortage. Consequently, companies have been experiencing delays in their own shipments, and the supply chains are affected severely. Besides, consumer demand is increasing rapidly, causing upward pressure on the trucking companies.

Starting your trucking jobs portal not only helps solve the problem, but it's also an opportunity to profit. To get started, create a website, and social media presence, and advertise your services. Ensure truck drivers who apply through your portal have all the genuine requirements and verify the advertised posts.

You make money by charging either the trucking companies looking for drivers through your portal or a commission from the drivers who land a job through the portal.

13. Become a building materials transporter

Construction of industries and commercial and residential properties continue increasing at a furious rate. Consequently, the demand for construction materials is massive and there is no sign of slowing down on the horizon.

The trucking industry is responsible for hauling a huge percentage of overland freight served to the construction industry. Therefore, if you are looking for a potential opportunity within the trucking industry, consider the haulage of construction materials.

To start, research the market and identify which areas have more opportunities. Then, buy or lease a suitable truck for the specific items you prefer to transport. Networking with construction site managers, foremen, and engineers will help you get more repeat business opportunities.

14. 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 (?)

15. 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

How I Started A $20K/Month Auto Shipping Broker Business

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.

Read this case study

Read by 30,691 founders

16. Become a truck driver

The American Trucking Association estimates the truck driver shortage at approximately 80K drivers.

The report indicates that if the current trend continues, the tracking industry could need more than 200,000 drivers by 2030.

If you have a passion for long-distance driving, working as a truck driver can be a great business opportunity. Truck driver requirements include: be at least 18 years to drive in-state lines and 21 years old to drive interstate and have a driver's license. Other requirements will include:

Clean driving record
Proof of state residency
Proof of insurance
Pass periodic drug tests and background check

17. Start an airport catering truck business

The global airport catering truck market will expand at a CAGR of 5.7% in the next few years. As air travel continues to gain high momentum, starting an aircraft catering truck business can be a great business opportunity.

Airport catering trucks comprise a scissor lift elevation system for raising the container to the aircraft level. The trucks provide various services in aircraft such as cleaning, loading, and unloading cargo.

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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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