Trucking businesses in South Africa are taking off as entrepreneurs are filling the need where public transport such as the railway is failing. These needs are filled through services that cover transporting goods to removing materials. From this variety, there are many types of trucking businesses to choose from.
Trucking is a highly competitive industry. In order to succeed, it is vital that you ensure your business complies with the necessary regulations. Remember, depending on the goods that you transport, you will need to comply with different regulations and standards.
Furthermore, it is vital to develop your business around filling a need that you have identified in your area. Within the trucking industry, there are various categories from which trucking companies can benefit. Let’s take a look at these types of trucking businesses.
1. Logistics and Freight
Logistics and freight is one of the more obvious choices when it comes to starting a business with trucks. It is also currently one of the more profitable choices to invest in. A logistics company aims to collect and distribute items that are larger than parcels distributed by courier companies.
Large businesses use logistics companies to transport goods such as stock, equipment, and machinery. Oftentimes, logistics companies can get a contract from manufacturers to distribute their products to retail stores. Depending on the type of goods transported, you will need to ensure you are up to date with the necessary standards for the transport industry.
2. Livestock Transportation
Livestock transportation is one of the areas where agriculture and trucking overlap. Some farmers choose to invest in their own trucks to transport livestock from one location to another such as an auction yard or abattoir. However, since these are not daily occurrences for most, producers can choose to rather rely on a livestock transportation service.
The type of truck that is used for transporting farm animals differs from other types of trucks, so you will need to ensure you have a truck body that can house the livestock you intend to transport.
3. Moving Company
People move throughout the year, so there is always a need for a service that assists its clientele with the nitty gritty part of moving: Transporting furniture and boxes from one home to another.
A moving company can invest in different size trucks to offer clients a range of options. You will also need to consider hiring staff that can load and unload the vehicle.
Some moving companies also offer a shared service where, for instance, a group of people who are moving over a great distance can rent a section of one large truck. This splits the fuel costs across multiple clients who are all moving small amounts of belongings from the same city to the next.
4. Tipper Trucks
Tipper trucks are yet again another specialised truck trailer that a trucking business needs to invest in before generating business. Tipper trucks include side-tippers and dump trucks to name a few.
These kinds of trucks are ideal for transporting batches of construction materials such as gravel, sand, stones or bricks. Other materials of a similar consistency can also be transported in this way.
If you are a trucking company that has tipper trailer trucks, you can deliver a service to building yards to bring materials to construction sites. You can also offer a service for removing rubble and scrap material from construction sites.
As you can see, there are many types of trucking businesses to operate in South Africa, and this article only covers a few. So, whether you are already an established operator seeking to expand your business, or a new entrant to the industry, there is room for you to grow.
Expanding your business will also entail funding to purchase more vehicles. Thankfully, there are many options that entrepreneurs can explore. Before you apply for funding, take some time to investigate the wide range of truck brands and models available. This will help you make an accurate calculation of the funds you will need. Also remember to factor in the costs of the trailer or truck body, as this isn’t always included in the truck tractor’s price.
For more information on how to start a trucking business, read our article. Book an appointment with one of our experts if you need to get unstuck in your business growth.Â
