Transport business ideas with a startup cost over £20,000
49 ideas
These 49 transport ideas suit people who have savings, can secure finance or are ready to invest in vehicles, premises or land. Options include a refrigerated van delivery service, a small private hire firm with a few drivers and a minibus sightseeing and day trip operator.
Full-service house removals firm
Run a small crew with a larger van to pack, move and unload whole family homes.
- £8k-40k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Small delivery firm with contract drivers
Win regular distribution contracts and run them with a few vans and self-employed drivers.
- £15k-75k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Skip hire with your own skip lorry
Deliver and collect 6 to 8 yard skips for builders and households with a second-hand skip lorry and a small stock of skips.
- £25k-80k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Mini skip hire for homes and small jobs
Hire out 2 to 4 yard mini skips to households on a smaller, cheaper lorry that fits narrow streets and drives.
- £12k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Small local car hire fleet
Rent a handful of well-kept cars by the day to locals, visitors and people whose own car is in the garage.
- £30k-120k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small pay-to-use EV charging site
Install a handful of chargers on land you own or lease and earn from every driver who plugs in.
- £40k-150k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Waterside rowing and electric boat hire
Run a small hire point on a lake, river or park pond with rowing boats, pedalos or quiet electric boats.
- £10k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Single motorhome or campervan hire
Buy one motorhome or campervan and hire it out to holidaymakers on weekends and in the summer.
- £15k-60k
- Side hustle
- From home
Refrigerated van delivery service
Deliver chilled and frozen food in a temperature-controlled van for local caterers, shops and producers.
- £8k-35k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Refrigerated lorry haulage for contract work
Run a refrigerated lorry carrying temperature-controlled loads for wholesalers and food firms on regular contracts.
- £45k-140k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Local travel shop for flights and holidays
Open a small shop that books flights and packages face to face, often for a community or travel niche.
- £10k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Bike repair shop with premises
Open a small workshop unit offering repairs, servicing and accessories for local riders.
- £8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Storage and pick-and-pack for online sellers
Rent a small unit, store stock for local online sellers and pack their orders for a monthly fee.
- £12k-40k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Pallet storage for local businesses
Lease a larger unit, fit pallet racking and rent space to local firms that need to store bulk stock.
- £25k-100k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Licensed taxi driver working ranks and hails
Own and drive a licensed taxi that can be hailed on the street, picked up at ranks and booked in advance.
- £3k-25k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Weekend quad trails on your own land
Offer guided quad rides on farmland you own or have permission to use, at weekends and holidays.
- £8k-25k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Full-time quad adventure centre
Run a bookable quad centre on leased land with a bigger fleet, trained guides and hourly or day hire.
- £40k-120k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Wedding and special occasion chauffeur
Offer a classic or luxury car with driver for weddings, proms and celebrations at weekends.
- £4k-25k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Bike hire shop or kiosk
Rent bikes by the hour or day from a small unit, kiosk or yard on a trail, seafront or town centre.
- £8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small motorhome hire fleet with a depot
Run several motorhomes and campervans from a secure site, with your own website and bookings.
- £40k-200k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Boat repair workshop or yard unit
Rent a workshop or yard space near the water and take in boats for engine, hull and fittings repairs.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local van hire with a small fleet
Rent a handful of vans to tradespeople and households from a yard or unit, by the day, week or mileage.
- £25k-100k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Start-small van hire, one or two vans
Buy one or two vans and hire them out locally, with bookings by phone or online and handovers at your door.
- £8k-30k
- Side hustle
- From home
Horse trailer dealership with a small yard
Run a yard selling new and used horse trailers, with part-exchange, servicing and repairs.
- £15k-75k
- Full-time
- Own premises
About these ideas
Higher costs usually mean vehicles, equipment or space, so start by working out what you would buy outright and what you might lease. Then look at insurance, which can be a major running cost in transport, and at the licences, operator permissions or planning consents your chosen idea may need. Think about how many paying jobs you need each month to cover repayments, and whether you could test demand before buying your first vehicle or signing a lease.
More ideas
- Small private hire firm with a few drivers
- Secure motorhome and caravan storage yard
- Inshore fishing charter boat
- HGV driving school with your own lorry
- Wheelchair accessible private hire driver
- Contract transport for schools, care and councils
- Local haulage with a 7.5 tonne lorry
- Owner-driver artic haulage
- Left luggage shop near a station or attraction
- Motorcycle hire shop with a small fleet
- Moped and scooter hire base
- Minibus hire with driver
- Small coach operator for tours and groups
- Minibus airport transfers for groups
- Minibus sightseeing and day trip operator
- 8-seater minibus for airport and group transfers
- 16-seater minibus hire with driver
- Own motorcycle training school
- Council contract school minibus route
- Parent-paid school run for local families
- Trailer hire depot with a larger fleet
- Boat dealership at a marina or yard
- Small marina chandlery shop
- Local heating oil tanker round
- Covered boat storage in a barn or unit
Questions
Why do transport businesses often cost more than £20,000 to start?
Vehicles, specialist equipment, storage space and insurance are the usual drivers. Compare buying new, buying used and leasing, and check whether you also need premises, a yard or land. Get quotes early so your budget includes running costs as well as purchase prices.
What licences might I need for a transport business in the UK?
It depends on the idea. Passenger services, goods vehicles and driver training can each have different licensing or permit rules. Check with your local council, the DVLA and the relevant government pages, and confirm what applies before you buy a vehicle.
How can I reduce risk when investing a lot in vehicles or premises?
Look for early customers or contracts before committing, and compare leasing with buying. Check insurance costs, resale value and maintenance. Consider starting with one vehicle or a short lease, and take advice from an accountant on finance options and tax.