How To Start A Box Truck Business: The Complete Guide

Are you an ambitious entrepreneur wondering how to start a box truck business? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Beginning a box truck business can be a lucrative venture, but it’s also challenging.

Before you launch, you’ll have a lot to do, from researching services and buying the right truck to understanding legal requirements and preparing your business finances. However, with a solid plan, you can create a successful company that’ll last for years.

Read on for tips on how to start a box truck business from the ground up.

Table Of Contents

• How To Start A Box Truck Business: First Steps
• How To Start A Box Truck Business: Next Steps
• How To Start A Box Truck Business: Growing Your Brand

How To Start A Box Truck Business: First Steps

Before you start your box truck business, you’ll need to do some groundwork. This stage of the journey includes researching, selecting your services, securing your truck, and picking a name for your business.

Do Your Research

There’s more than one way to utilize a box truck. Research your area and see what’s needed. Look at what your competitors are doing well, and ask yourself if you could fill any gaps in the market.

Consider what type of business you want to offer and what will make you stand out from existing companies. How will you differentiate yourself?

During this stage, you can:

• Read articles and case studies online
• Connect with other drivers
• Visit the Chamber of Commerce
• Talk to local businesses about their delivery needs

Select Your Services

Once you do some basic research, it’s time to decide what services you’ll offer. You may want to start with just one and add more over time. Or you could serve your customers in multiple ways from the get-go.

Just remember the more specific your services are, the easier it’ll be to market them.

Common uses of a box truck include:

• Small goods delivery
• Furniture and appliance delivery
• Moving services
• Junk removal
• Advertising (on the truck)

Pick A Name For Your Company

Now it’s time to pick a name for your business. It should be simple, memorable, and relevant to your services. This one is important because it will help customers find you online through search engines when they look for “[type of service] near me.”

Brainstorm ideas until you find one that you like. You might come up with something witty or simply use your last name combined with the service you’ll be offering.

Once you’ve chosen, use the internet to make sure it’s unique and not already taken. After you find a keeper, register it with the appropriate government authorities.

How To Start A Box Truck Business: Next Steps

You’ve worked hard to lay the groundwork for your business. Now it’s time to move on to the next steps.

Check Local Legal Requirements

Before you do anything else, check what local and state regulations are in place. This might include:

• Obtaining permits and licenses to operate legally
• Applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS
• Getting credentials from the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCA) (if needed)
• Creating your driver qualification file with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

The Small Business Administration is a helpful resource, as are state and local government websites dedicated to starting a business.

Secure A Box Truck

You can’t start a box truck business without a truck. Once you know your services, it’s time to find one.

Make a list of your requirements before you start shopping. That way, you can narrow your options to vehicles that’ll suit your needs. You’ll need to consider:

• Truck size and cargo capacity
• Make and model (read reviews!)
• Fuel efficiency
• Safety features (especially ones that give you an insurance discount)
• Special features such as a refrigerated cargo area or a hydraulic lift gate

Since trucks are so expensive, even when they’re used, you may need to secure a business loan or look into leasing options to obtain one.

When you find a truck that’ll work, you’ll likely need to outfit it to meet your needs. For example, if you offer moving services, you’ll want to add dollies, furniture pads, and straps. Adding shelves or storage bins might make sense if you deliver small goods.

If you don’t set your truck up properly, each job will be much more challenging than it should be.

Note: Don’t forget to give your truck regular maintenance. Change the oil on time and keep the tires inflated and rotated. These simple tasks can help keep it running smoothly, safely, and efficiently for years.

Buy Business Insurance

To protect yourself and your clients, business insurance is necessary. You can’t just use your personal automobile policy and assume you’re covered if you get in an accident.

Instead, look for an insurer specializing in commercial truck insurance. Review any exclusions carefully. You may need to purchase more than one type of coverage to get full protection. For example, you may need liability coverage and worker’s compensation in addition to a commercial auto policy.

Get Your Company’s Finances In Order

Organizing your finances is a crucial step when starting a box truck business. This step includes setting up bank accounts, learning job costing, and finding the right accounting software.

You’ll also need to:

• Set your rates
• Develop invoicing procedures
• Buy any additional equipment and record them as assets

Look For Task Management Software

As your small business grows, so will your workload. At some point, trying to do it all manually will feel overwhelming.

That’s where task management software (like Inch) comes in handy. It helps you track your time on each job, optimize labor spending, and schedule employees to cover every shift.

How To Start A Box Truck Business: Growing Your Brand

Once you’ve set up your business, it’s time to find some paying clients. To get your first job, try online marketplaces, like Landstar or Amazon Relay, to find nearby load-hauling opportunities.

Then, use these steps to grow your business and find consistent work.

Advertise Your Services

Create an online presence to get more customers. You can use websites, social media accounts, and a business email provider to promote your services. Include photos of your box truck and descriptions of the services you offer.

Claim your business through Google Maps, Yelp, and other review sites. Periodically review your information on these directories to ensure it’s current.

Secure Testimonials

When building trust with potential clients, nothing speaks louder than recommendations from past clients. Reach out to people you’ve hauled for in the past and ask if they’d be willing to leave a review or testimonial.

Once you’ve solicited some positive feedback, incorporate it into your marketing material. This social proof can help improve the trust that others have in your company.

Expand Your Team

If your business is booming, consider adding a team member or two. An experienced driver and assistant can help you manage the workload while satisfying your customers. You may even be able to take on some larger jobs once you have some help.

When you’re ready, take time to hire the right people. Once you decide, provide your new hires with training and resources to ensure they understand what your box truck business stands for.

As you work together, learn what motivates your employees. This can help minimize turnover, so you aren’t constantly training new people.

You’ll also need to develop procedures for managing timesheets and schedules so that running payroll isn’t a time-stealing nightmare.

Keep Your Box Truck Business Organized With Inch

Learning how to start a box truck business isn’t an easy task. It requires careful planning and preparation each step of the way. But once you’re up and running, you’ll see that the effort was worth it.

To help you stay organized on your journey to success, use Inch. It’s a task and workforce management suite of tools to simplify essential box truck business operations. With Inch, you can:

• Work from a shared task list
• Explain tasks that need to be completed
• Receive voice-assisted notifications
• Clock in and out of tasks
• Use geofencing to ensure all employees are where they need to be
• Track time worked
• Optimize employee delivery routes
• Communicate with your team

The Inch app streamlines these critical tasks and more, making it easier to run your business. Visit tryinch.com today to save yourself countless hours of administrative work.