Haulage on a large scale tends to be dominated by a select few giants of the industry, but there are comparatively far more small-scale companies, and, with our society’s consistent high demand for consumer goods, there is still room for a few more. If the idea of staring up a small scale haulage business is something that appeals to you, there are a few factors to consider to help determine whether it will be the right venture for you.
Haulage is a very competitive industry, meaning your main priority will be keeping your costs low, and therefore a keen eye for business is essential. You’ll need to be able to calculate potential income and commodity costs before you begin, and continue to do so on a daily basis, in order to ensure that your service is profitable.
Another important consideration is how you would differentiate your company from competitors, and this should be determined early on. If you stay away from the more saturated market of general haulage, some of the possible areas of specialisation to consider include parcel delivery, dangerous chemicals transportation, livestock relocation or waste disposal.
Also, remember that the service you offer will affect which regulations you need to comply with and the type of transport training you and any employees will need to undertake. Specialist courses make it easy to acquire the necessary skills, the best services often being those run by existing haulage companies that offers commercial transport training on the side.
If you think you have the business acumen and the resources, setting up a haulage company certainly has the potential to be a financially rewarding and satisfying new venture.
