Wondering how to make money with a dump trailer? Learn how much you can make and what having the right dump trailer can do for your hauling and delivery business.
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Serious about making money with a dump trailer? At Haulit, we’re paving the way and sharing industry tips for anyone looking to make money and operate their own hauling and delivery business.
If we can do it, so can you!
“I’m so grateful to have this trailer. It has saved me so much time and money. I know it’s a 2016 older one but still works for me. I couldn’t be happier.”
Ryan Auger, Customer.
With the steady rise in the demand for dump trailers in the industry, it’s no wonder that finding ways for added income opportunities using delivery equipment is growing. Adding a dump trailer to your delivery operations is an investment that you want to be profiting from sooner than later.
What is a dump trailer delivery business?
A dump trailer business is a service-oriented business for hauling and delivering larger quantity materials and goods that others can’t get on their own. It is oftentimes more of a community-oriented job and done within a specific mileage service area. A dump trailer business can be versatile or selective depending on what type of trailer you use.
Why are independent contractors so interested in versatile, durable, and heavy duty dump trailers? Because when you’re looking to make significant money with a dump trailer, the type of trailer you have and what materials you can haul and deliver is extremely important. When investing in equipment, its critical drivers see the big picture of what is possible and do the numbers on how much money they can actually make.
However, for running and operating a dump trailer business, it’s not essential to have a high end trailer, you just might be paying for it and not profiting from it in the long run. In this guide we’ll share with you tips and tricks that we’ve discovered doing our own deliveries with a dump trailer as well as how to start. In this post, we’ll walk through the following:
- How to start making money with a dump trailer
- How to know what trailer to invest in
- How to get contracts for your delivery loads
- How to know what to charge for your delivery fees
Download The Independent Contractors Guide to Hauling and Delivering Using a Delivery/Dump Trailer (FREE GUIDE)
Making money with dump trailers is generally done by an independent contractor, however, because of the rise in demand for safe delivery, big supply stores are also getting their own dump trailers and hiring full time drivers. Depending on the size of trailers, a dump trailer business does not often require a CDL licence, just a skilled driver. This provides more flexibility and the ability to expand operations. We’ll go over scaling up in the sections below.
The following instructions will guide you on how to make money using a dump trailer. To get started in any dump trailer delivery business, you must first own or have access to a truck for pulling.
How to Make Money With a Dump Trailer.
- Have the right truck for pulling heavy loads.
- Use the right dump trailer for your hauling and delivery needs.
- Get Insurance.
- Calculate your operating expenses.
- Calculate your delivery fees.
- Create a billing & payment method.
- Get quality delivery contracts.
- Work independently or scale up.
- Drive loads or lease your trailer out.
1. Have the right truck for pulling heavy loads.
The size of truck you need for a dump trailer delivery business will determine how big of loads you can actually haul. Know your vehicle’s towing capacity, hitch rating, and the trailers GVWR. Most dump trailers are manufactured at a standard 14’. Whatever you’re hauling, make sure your truck can pull it with ease and not put constant stress on the engine. Knowing and staying within your personal limits and towing capacity will keep you safe and equipment lasting longer.
2. Use the right dump trailer
Having the right trailer for the job is critical! The #1 benefit to a dump trailer is its ability to tilt the bed and spill out the load without the need for manual labor. While this is a benefit, it also determines and often limits the types of deliveries you can do.
Traditional dump trailers are used for debris, loose, or bulk materials. New dump trailer versions on the market, like the Haulit, not only have the ability to unload loose or bulk materials but to also self unload palleted and bundled materials as well.
If you’re wanting to make money with your dump trailer, you have to maximize your loads by the number of deliveries you can make in a day. Having the ability to deliver a wide range of materials will allow you to get more delivery contracts and make more money. If you’re only able to offer specific load deliveries, it’s important that you obtain steady and consistent contracts.
3. Get Insurance.
Dump trailer operators provide a specialized service. When transporting bulk loose materials, assisting in debris removal, or transport of other materials whether for the short-haul or interstate, it’s highly recommended to obtain liability insurance and get the coverage you need.
4. Calculate your operating expenses.
You’ll never know if you’re making a profit if you don’t calculate how much it costs you to operate your business. Operating expenses are the expenses in your business that occur on a regular, recurring basis. Operating expenses will include things like rent, equipment, inventory, marketing, payroll, taxes, insurance, miscellaneous expenses, and funds allocated to research and development.
Talk to an accountant early on about your operating expenses to determine what your particular operating expenses will be. Once you know your operating expenses you can calculate your profit margins and set up your business budget. Calculating your profit margins and how much to charge per load, including your operating expenses, is how you’ll be able to make a profit.
5. Calculate your delivery fees.
How much do you charge? This will be your number one question and you need to feel confident in your answer. As a rule of thumb, to know how to calculate your delivery fee, you’re going to need to do some research on comparable services within your area. Make phone calls to similar services and ask them how much they charge for their deliveries. Do an internet search to supply stores and ask them their current rates. You’ll be looking for an average rate. You want to be competitive, but comparable.
Other factors to consider when calculating your delivery fee are your minimums. How small of load will you do and how short of distance to make it worth it? Do you want to charge hourly or by the load? For different material, will you charge for the weight or the quantity? What about mileage and wear and tear on the equipment?
FreshBooks offers a great pricing guide for small delivery businesses.
Work the numbers and feel confident in your pricing and service. Your ability to get the job done makes you valuable and an asset for their needs. Knowing your making your margins, will keep your business running smoothly.
6. Create a billing & payment method.
How will you bill your clients and how will you accept payments? This is all part of the set up to make money with your dump trailer. There are countless options available for receiving payments these days. Square, Quickbooks, Venmo, Paypal, Stripe, etc are all possibilities. It’s really up to you, how you want to run the accounting of your business, and what will be the best for your business.
At Haulit, we prefer our customers to pre-pay for their loads. This allows us to settle on the price, receive the payment, make the delivery and be done. Never wait around on deliveries for payment, it will cut into the time that could be making other deliveries. Settle on a price and payment before hand and either bill for the services rendered or get paid upfront.
7. Get quality delivery contracts.
Having quality contracts is essential. Being able to offer deliveries for various materials will help you obtain more contracts. You’re also going to want to decide what you want to deliver and what isn’t worth it to you.
Start by looking at the needs of your community. Make a list of all the companies in your community that are making deliveries. Big chain stores that offer lawn and garden all have the need for making deliveries. Think big. Supply and feed stores, nurseries, sod and turf, construction sites and landscape supply chains are all great places to start.
Obtaining even just a few quality contracts with any of those services could provide you with all the delivery work you could want. You may even have the need to scale up quickly.
8. Work independently or scale up.
Ultimately, it’s your business, so you get to decide how big you want to grow. Scaling up to make more money is possible with dump trailer deliveries by either working more hours, hiring someone to deliver for you during your off time, or purchasing another trailer and repeating your success. To scale up successfully, start by running your dump trailer as much as you can and hiring another driver. Once your budget can afford more equipment, start obtaining more contracts and purchase another trailer.
Here is a great article about how one man in Wyoming contracts his independent delivery business with a local supply store and does all of their deliveries. He uses a variety of equipment and the Haulit for just about everything to keep up.
9. Drive loads or lease your trailer out.
Another way to make money with a dump trailer is to lease it out. If you don’t want to obtain more contracts and scale up, the possibility of leasing it out during the times you’re not using it is another way to acquire income. Not everyone is in the position to purchase large equipment and would gladly pay a fee to lease. If they have to rent it from somewhere, it may as well be from you- if you’re willing. Just be sure to have the needed insurance and policies in place!
Is A Dump Trailer A Good Investment?
More Money Making Delivery Contract Ideas
This guy gets it! He’s making an extra $1,000.00 a week! Imagine what having a more versatile dump trailer, like the Haulit can do!
The sky’s the limit when it comes to delivery contracts. Because of the equipment needed, being able to service deliveries for your community is a niche industry, and the service is essential. Here are some more ideas for money making contracts that we have done or do now ourselves.
We’ve also included ideas on the things our customers who purchase a Haulit dump trailer are making.
1. Sod Farms
Contract with local sod farms and contract to do the smaller order deliveries. They will be glad they don’t have to send their big equipment out for the deliveries and will be thrilled to get the orders to their customers quicker.
2. Landscape Materials
Hauling and delivering materials to job sites is critical! Contract with a landscape company to do their deliveries. Depending on the type of dump trailer you have, you’ll be able to deliver rock, brick, block, sod, sand, mulch, pavers, cement blocks, and even debris clean up.
3. Tree Farms or Nurseries
This one is big! With the right dump and delivery trailer you can offer to deliver tree’s and nursery goods from local nurseries. Contract with local nurseries as well as big chain stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot that offer nursery goods. Any store manager that is presented with an affordable and efficient option for better delivery to their customers will either be investing in the equipment themselves, or hiring out. It might as well be you doing the deliveries!
4. Home Builders
Contract with a local home builder and offer a certificate program for new homes built. This is a money maker for us!
5. Construction workers/ General Contractors
General contractors are always seeking ways to keep their projects on schedule. Many times delivery of materials is the holdup. Contract with a few good contractors and let them know of your delivery abilities. They’ll either use you when they get in a pinch or contract to use you more consistently depending on their needs.
From debris clean up to the vast materials needing to be delivered at construction or building sites, having another dependable source of delivery in their arsenal is extremely valuable.
6. Local Zoos/ Animal Shelter
The amount of deliveries from in and out of local zoos or animal shelters is extensive. Medical supplies, feed, and maintenance materials are all in constant flux. Contract as a reliable source for hauling and delivering!
7. Farming, Feed & Tack Supply Stores
Farming, Feed & Tack Supply stores like IFA or C-A-L Ranch offer a wide variety of materials for their customers. Hay, straw, super sacks of fertilizer, wood pellets, etc are all in high demand and needing delivery.
However because delivery options in these stores are always limited to either their customers having large enough vehicles to do pick up or waiting for their deliveries, having another quality delivery option is a huge advantage.
6. Car Wash
Ice Melt delivery is a great contract for local car washes!
7. Family & Friends
Have you ever heard the saying, “if you want friends, buy a trailer?” It goes without saying how valuable having the right equipment for the job is. When you are the one with the right equipment, never underestimate the power of word of mouth among family and friends for referrals or contracting to help get jobs done.
Materials The Haulit Dump & Delivery Trailer Can Deliver
Haulit owners choose the Haulit dump and delivery trailer for its durability and diversity!
- Palletized Materials
- Bulk /Loose Materials
- Bundled Materials
- Tree’s & Nursery Goods
- Rock, Brick, Block, Pavers
- Feed & Supply
- Medical Supply
- Wood Pellets
- Sod
- Fertilizer
- Ice Melt
- Fencing Materials
- Cabinets
- PVC Materials
- Bunks of Lumber
- Sheet Rock
- Landscaping Stone
- Debris Clean Up
- Mulch, Sand, Dirt
- Concrete Blocks (CMU)
- Cement Mix
- Steel
- Trusses
You can see by the list above, why it’s extremely important to have the right dump trailer if you’re serious about how to make more money using it. The good news, any dump trailer, put to work in the right way can start creating more cash flow. It just takes a little up front effort to get the contract and processes in place.We hope this has been a helpful guide. We’ll keep you posted with any new developments and tips in the dump trailer delivery industry here on our blog and highly suggest you sign up for our newsletter.
Thanks for reading!
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