15 Cargo Van Business Ideas to Rev up Your Revenue

Want to know how to make money with a cargo van? It’s a great idea. Cargo vans are like the Swiss army knife of vehicles — versatile, practical, and a potential goldmine on wheels!

They can be used for many different purposes, making them great for entrepreneurs who value flexibility. These vans are easy to drive, can carry a lot of cargo, and are relatively fuel-efficient. These features make them ideal for any mobile or delivery business, whether you're working in a city or traveling between towns.

One of the best things about cargo vans is how customizable they are. With some effort and investment, you can transform your van into a mobile office, food truck, extra storage space, or even a place to sleep during long trips.

Owning a cargo van can open up many new business opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners like you. Whether you're aiming to start your own cargo van business full-time or just looking to earn some extra cash with a side hustle, the 15 ideas in our list can help you get started, and earn good money. 

15 ways of making money with your cargo van

1. Local moving services

Moving home is really stressful. If you offer a reliable, trustworthy service to help people move their stuff between homes or apartments, you can build a solid business.

• Earning potential: $200 to $500 per day.
• What you'll need: Moving blankets, dollies, sliders, straps, and other equipment to keep furniture safe and prevent injuries. 
• Perfect for: Physically fit, organized individuals in densely populated areas.
• Beware of: Liability issues and injury risks.

To succeed, have good liability insurance and ensure you have a safe working environment. You’ll be handling people’s most treasured possessions, so 100% reliability and professional customer service is critical as well. 

You can promote your services on social media and apps like TaskRabbit. 

2. Hauling services

Help people clear out their spaces and get rid of unwanted items and junk. If you’re good with your hands (or have a buddy who is), you could even combine this with the furniture flipping idea below.

• Earning potential: $200 to $400 per day.
• What you'll need: Equipment for moving large items safely, permits for waste handling.
• Perfect for: Those comfortable with physical work and who can identify valuable items for potential resale.
• Beware of: Proper disposal regulations and potential heavy lifting.

As with moving services, you’ll need liability insurance and some equipment to make hauling easier and safer. 

3. Furniture flipping

There’s a lot of value in what people throw out! In some circles upcycled furniture is in high demand, but few people have the skills and tools they need to do it themselves. If you have what it takes, this can be a great business. 

• Earning potential: $200 to $600 per item.
• What you'll need: DIY skills, storage space, working space.
• Perfect for: Creative, handy people with an eye for potential and market trends.
• Beware of: Upfront costs and the risk of items not selling.

To succeed, build a strong social media presence, with lots of pictures of your process and products, to help you sell more effectively. 

4. Delivery services

The more e-commerce grows and people choose to shop online, the more need there is for last-mile delivery services. You could work directly for local businesses to do their retail deliveries, or join a platform like Amazon Flex or Walmart Spark as a delivery driver. 

• Earning potential: $100 to $300 per day.
• What you'll need: Clean driving record, and a smartphone for real-time updates.
• Perfect for: Punctual owner-operators who enjoy driving and problem-solving.
• Beware of: Fluctuating demand and fuel costs.

To succeed, take good care of your vehicle with regular maintenance and make sure you have the right insurance. 

5. Peer-to-peer delivery platforms

Join a platform that connects you with people needing help with large item deliveries or moving assistance.  GoShare is the most famous example.

• Earning potential: $150 to $400 per day.
• What you'll need: Flexibility and willingness to handle various tasks.
• Perfect for: Independent contractors who enjoy variety in their work and want flexible schedules.
• Beware of: Inconsistent work availability and potentially difficult customers

To succeed, you can combine GoShare jobs with other part-time gigs while you build your own, more permanent hauling or transportation services business. 

6. Food truck

Convert your van into a mobile kitchen. Food trucks are popular in downtown areas, near parks and beaches, at events, and at private parties. 

• Earning potential: $200 to $1000+ per day.
• What you'll need: Health certificates, business permits and commercial cooking equipment.
• Perfect for: Passionate cooks in areas with a thriving food truck scene.
• Beware of: High initial investment and strict health regulations.

You will have to pay at least $50,000 to $100,000 upfront for a fully equipped mobile kitchen. So the key to success with this one is to really do your homework to understand the business model and create a solid business plan.  

7. Beer or coffee truck

Like a food truck, but serving beverages instead of food! It can be cheaper to get started than a food truck because you need less equipment. 

• Earning potential: $200 to $800 per day.
• What you'll need: Proper licenses and specialized equipment.
• Perfect for: Those passionate about craft beverages and customer service.
• Beware of: Strict regulations on alcohol sales and potential equipment malfunctions.

To succeed, research your local regulations carefully. If you’re considering a beer truck, a call to your local liquor board should be your first step.

8. Prepared meal delivery

Deliver fresh, premade meals from local restaurants or meal prep services to customers' homes or offices. This is the classic food delivery side hustle you can try with apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats.

• Earning potential: $100 to $300 per day, with potential for higher earnings during peak meal times.
• What you'll need: Insulated food containers, a reliable scheduling and route planning app, and knowledge of food safety practices.
• Perfect for: Punctual individuals who enjoy driving and have a passion for food service.
• Beware of: Tight delivery windows, maintaining food temperature during transit, and managing multiple orders simultaneously.

9. Mobile car detailing

Save people hassle by bringing your car washing and detailing service to their own home.

• Earning potential: $150 to $500 per day.
• What you'll need: Cleaning supplies and a portable pressure washer.
• Perfect for: Detail-oriented individuals, especially in suburban areas.
• Beware of: Weather dependent work and potential damage to expensive vehicles.

Word of mouth and rave customer reviews can make or break this type of business. You can succeed by always doing a meticulous job, being on time and delivering great professional service. 

10. Mobile billboard

Transform your cargo van into a moving advertisement for another company.

• Earning potential: $100 to $500 per day.
• What you'll need: Partnerships with local businesses or advertising agencies.
• Perfect for: Those looking for passive income opportunities.
• Beware of: Potential conflicts with your primary business if you need to advertise your own services.

11. Mobile pet grooming

Pet grooming services are growing in popularity. If you transform your van into a pet salon on wheels, you can build a profitable small business. 

• Earning potential: $200 to $500 per day.
• What you'll need: Pet grooming skills and specialized equipment. 
• Perfect for: Animal lovers, especially in affluent suburban areas.
• Beware of: Dealing with difficult pets and potential injuries.

Your truck will need to be fitted with water tanks, and you’ll need to keep it super clean. This is another business that relies on word of mouth and good reviews.

12. Mobile hairdressing

Set up a hair salon in your van to reach people who have limited mobility, or for special events like weddings. 

• Earning potential: $150 to $400 per day.
• What you'll need: Proper licensing and professional equipment.
• Perfect for: Skilled hairstylists who enjoy meeting new people.
• Beware of: Limited space and potential hygiene concerns.

A mobile service like this can be its own best advertisement. As with any personal service, your customer service skills are what will help you succeed here. 

13. Mobile home improvement services

Offer onsite handyman or painting services for people who don’t have the time, skills, or equipment to do their own DIY and home maintenance services. 

• Earning potential: $200 to $500 per day.
• What you'll need: Diverse skill set and an array of tools.
• Perfect for: Skilled DIY enthusiasts who enjoy enhancing others' living spaces.
• Beware of: Liability issues and the need for various skills and certifications.

This job involves entering people’s homes, so you will need to build a reputation as an honest, professional worker to succeed. Start out with friends and family and ask them to pass on the word. 

14. Non-emergency medical transportation

Every day, thousands of people with disabilities and mobility challenges need transport to medical appointments. If you build the right connections and reputation, this can be a steady gig. 

• Earning potential: $200 to $500 per day.
• What you'll need: Special licenses and possible van modifications.
• Perfect for: Patient, compassionate individuals.
• Beware of: Potential medical emergencies and the need for specialized training.

Your interpersonal skills are the most important thing that will help you succeed at this gig. Learn more about starting a non-emergency medical transportation business. 

15. Van rental services

How about letting your van earn money for you when you’re not around? There are lots of people looking for van rental opportunities, and apps that will match owners with renters. 

• Earning potential: $50 to $200 per day.
• What you'll need: A well-maintained vehicle and access to rental platforms like Turo or HyreCar.
• Perfect for: Those looking for passive income with minimal effort.
• Beware of: Potential damage to your vehicle and insurance considerations.

Still wondering how it all works? It’s worth learning from other successful cargo van entrepreneurs who shares how we got started. 

How one YouTuber makes money with his cargo van

What can we learn from someone like Tony Ruiz who’s ‘been there, done that?’ 

He’s a big fan of putting in the work and hustle. His advice? To get going you need to: 

• Register a limited liability company (LLC). The LLC cost Tony $350, but he also got quoted $600 — so do your research. After you apply, it takes 21 days for your LLC to become active. 
• Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
• Get commercial insurance. This can be expensive so Tony did that last. He paid $960 upfront. 
• Open a business bank account.   

When it came time to purchase a van, Tony opted for a 2001 Sprinter S cargo van that was only $5,000. 

If you are going secondhand, make sure that the age of your van won’t limit the kind of business you want to get into! For example, GoShare won’t accept vans older than 2002. 

Adding up the cost of his van, insurance, tax, and tools, Tony got his business started for under $7,000. 

How much did it make in the first year? Tony started out with one contract and by the end of the year, he had three contracts. He did his own driving in the beginning, with one route in the morning and one in the evening. 

In the first year, his cargo van business made $95,366 before expenses, which works out to about $260 every single day of the year! 

As you can see, it’s rewarding but a lot of work as well.

Picking the right cargo van

If you don’t already own your cargo van, deciding what kind to purchase is a critical decision. When choosing a cargo van for your business, you need to weigh up a bunch of factors from fuel efficiency to capacity, ease of use and size. 

There are many vehicle brands to choose from. The most popular cargo vans include both gas and electric versions:

• Ford Transit and e-Transit
• Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and e-Sprinter van
• Ram Promaster and Promaster EV
• Chevrolet Express
• GMC Savana 

Do your own research and take it seriously. Car and Driver is a reputable publication with regularly updated reviews of cargo vans – we recommend this as a good place to start. 

Getting started: Developing your business plan

At this point, you should have a good idea of what you want to do, and what kind of cargo van is best suited to your needs. Now it’s time to develop a solid, yet flexible, business plan. 

Consider these important steps to save time and money

1. Research local regulations and obtain necessary permits, including a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) if required for your chosen business.
2. Invest in comprehensive commercial insurance coverage to protect your business.
3. Calculate your startup costs and develop a competitive pricing strategy.
4. Decide on your business structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, LLC, or operating as an independent contractor).
5. Implement a marketing strategy using social media and word of mouth referrals.
6. Explore using load boards or delivery apps to find job opportunities.

Remember, success in any of these ventures depends on your skills, local demand, and your investment effort. Whether you're looking for fulltime work or to make some extra money, a cargo van business idea is likely right for you.

If you're still not ready to commit to buying a new cargo van, then you should consider leasing options or starting with a box truck for certain business types. This can provide flexibility as you grow your operations.

Good luck with your cargo van business venture!