Local vehicle transfers for garages and dealers

Mechanics, small dealerships, auction yards, wreckers, panel beaters and private owners moving a car to a repairer.

A fixed price per job or a rate per kilometre, often with repeat bookings from a handful of regular trade customers.

• Safe driving and loading
• Reliable scheduling
• Building relationships with local businesses
• Basic invoicing

• Licensing differs by state and territory and may still apply even outside accident towing, so check with your state licensing body
• Check the truck's weight and your driver licence class
• Public liability and goods-in-tow insurance, and cover for the vehicles you carry
• Relying on a few trade customers, so late payment or losing one hurts
• Council rules if you park the truck at home

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $20,000 to $70,000, depending on the smaller used tilt tray or light-duty truck you buy, plus insurance and other setup costs. Keeping to business-hours trade work avoids the cost of an emergency call-out service.

Things to check: licensing differs by state and territory and may still apply outside accident towing, so check with your state licensing body. Also check the truck's weight and your driver licence class, your insurance, and council rules if you park the truck at home.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $10,000, depending on how many trade customers you win and how often they book. The estimate assumes at least about 12 hours a week. Relying on a few customers means late payment or losing one hurts.