Examples of Transportation Business Ideas If you enjoy helping people get from A to B or delivering their goods, one of these could be the transport business idea for you. Before you get started here are some insights to ensure your business is competitive.
You're reading Entrepreneur South Africa, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Transportation is vital to the progress of every city. There's always something or someone that needs to be transported, and someone willing to pay for this to happen. There are numerous potential transport business ideas you can start; from Uber driving to specialised medical transportation.
Before you launch your transport business you can gain some strategies from these 10 transport business ideas:
1. Uber
Uber is a platform that connects drivers with people looking for transportation. You can sign-up for the app and support yourself full-time by driving for Uber. Before you get going here is an example of a transport business you can gain some insights from:
Business Name: Uber
Website: https://www.uber.com/za/en/
Established Date: 2009
About the business:
Harry Campbell offers other drivers' advice through his experience on his blog and podcast. He recommends taking an Uber ride to research your competition. You'll really notice the different in the experience between a 4.9 rating versus 4.6.
Innovative business offering
He recommends buying a phone mount as it can make your customer feel unsafe if you're checking the map in your lap while driving.
2. Uber Eats
Uber Eats is a food delivery platform that connects restaurants and hungry people together by delivering food from the restaurant to their door. This could be your new transport business opportunity.
Related: How Uber Used a Simplified Business Model to Disrupt the Taxi Industry
Before you sign-up, here are some strategies you can incorporate into your transport business to ensure you remain profitable:
Business Name: Uber Eats
Website: https://www.ubereats.com/en-ZA/
Established Date: 2014
About the business:
Ezra Dubroff offers drivers advice by contributing to Rideshare Guy.com, he says he was able to maximise his Uber Eats earnings by focusing on driver incentives like Quest and Boost as well as surge pricing.
Innovative business offering
To ensure you get to the delivery first you can position yourself near UberEATS partnered restaurants. This will save you time delivering the item as well.
3. A Courier Business
Courier businesses are in high demand as more consumers buy products online and want them delivered as quickly as possible. If this sounds like the industry you want to be in, then this could be a possible transport business idea for you.
Here is an example of a transport business you can gain insights from:
Business Name: E.P.X. Courier Services
Website: http://www.epx.co.za/
Established Date: 1999
About the business:
E.P.X. Courier Services focus on knowing and understanding their clients' businesses. They aim to have personal relationships with their clients and their staff.
Innovative business offering
In addition to their customer centric services, they have an inhouse team that provides seamless, fully integrated services to their corporate clients.
4. Specialised Transportation
If you want to offer a niche transportation service, this will reduce the amount of competition you have. An example of this type of transport business is abnormal truck loads, where trucks carry or transport abnormal or larger loads.
Related: How To Keep The Wheels Turning For Your Transport Business
Before you invest in a vehicle, here is an example of a transport business you can gain insights from:
Business Name: Concargo
Website: https://www.concargo.com/abnormal-transport/
About the business:
Concargo Gigantic Loads and Heavy Haulage South Africa specialises in heavy transport companies, which offer expertise and service according to their customers needs.
Innovative business offering
Concargo Gigantic Loads and Heavy Haulage South Africa offers specialised services in road haulage and specialised rigging of exceptional abnormal out-of-gauge indivisible oversized cargo from port of entry.
5. Minibus Taxi
Minibus taxis are the main source of transport for a large percentage of South Africans. If this appeals to you, you can open your own transport business helping South Africans get to and from work and deliver them safely to their destination.
Before you invest in a vehicle here is an example of a transport business you can learn from:
Business Name: Unicab
Website: http://unicab.co.za/
About the business:
Unicab's fleet caters to family shuttles, group travel, private gateways and transfers. Their taxis are available 24/7 all year round.
Innovative business offering
Unicab also offers an app, which allows you to book a ride from where you are. It helps the driver find the client and automatically charges the credit card that is loaded, but also accepts cash.
6. Medical Transportation
There are those who drive ambulances and transport the sick or people who have been in accidents, had heart attacks or are in labour. You could also drive a refrigerated vehicle and transport perishables such as blood or organs to hospitals.
Business Name: Kushesh Express
Website: https://www.kushesh.co.za/
Established Date: 2008
About the business:
Kushesh Express specialises in servicing the distribution needs of the medical and pharmaceutical industry. They focus on securely transporting medical supplies and equipment throughout South Africa.
Related: The Ultimate 101 List Of SA Business Ideas To Get You Started
Innovative business offering
They offer account manager services to each of their clients to continuously improve their offering and services, and they compile daily reports to measure staff performance and turn-around times on delivery to ensure they're ever-increasing their standards.
7. Airport Transfer Services
There are hundreds if not thousands of people landing at airports every day, some of which will need transportation to their end destinations. This could be the transport business for you. Here is an example of a successful transport business you can gain insights from:
Business Name: Mzo Shuttle Services: City Link Cabs
Website: https://www.citylinkcabs.co.za/
About the business:
City Link Cabs specialises in transporting customers to and from airports within Gauteng, as well as various destinations within the surrounding areas.
Innovative business offering
City Link Cabs offer professional transport services to individuals, groups or teams, organisations and school children. City Link Cabs also offers a door-to-door shuttle for conferences, hotels, functions, private parties and chauffeurs.
8. Bicycle Rental
As individuals try to become eco-friendlier, bicycle rental services are growing in demand. If this sounds like something you are passionate about, you could start your own transport business.
Before you start to invest in bicycles, here is an example of a successful transport business you can learn strategies from:
Business Name: Bike Market
Website: https://bikemarket.co.za/#rentals
About the business:
Bike Market offers quality bicycle rentals for all ride types, from the casual Sunday ride to the 9-day race. All of their rentals also come with helmets, bottle cages, water bottles and tubeless repair kits.
Innovative business offering
In addition to their rental service, Bike Market buy and sell pre-owned bicycles, equipment and accessories. They also offer full or partial services for their client's bicycles.
9. Moving Van Business
People are constantly on the move, which means there's constant demand for moving companies. This could be the transport business idea for you.
Related: Driving Profits In Transport
Before you invest in a large vehicle, here is an example of a successful transport business you can gain insights from to ensure your business remains sustainable and profitable:
Business Name: Amazing Transport
Website: https://amazingtransport.co.za/
About the business:
Amazing Transport aims to ensure their clients moves goes smoothly and efficiently. They also offer well-trained staff that aim to meet their clients every need. They cater for small through to large-scale corporate relocations and storage.
Innovative business offering
In addition to the transport services, Amazing Transport also offer transit and all risk insurance options for their client's goods, as well as storage and warehousing facilities.
10. Senior Services
The elderly also need to get to the shops, the hairdresser and to their doctors' appointments, but some of them are not able to drive themselves. If this is something, you're passionate about this could be the transport business idea for you.
Here is an example of a successful transport business you can gain insights from:
Business Name: SilverRide
Website: https://www.silverride.com/
About the business:
SilverRide offers flexible transportation options to meet the needs of their clients. They will pick their clients up from inside their homes and transport them safely and securely into their chosen destinations.
SilverRide offer this service for elderly customers who need assistance walking or require additional assistance.
Innovative business offering
In addition to their transportation services, SilverRide also offer tailored concierge services to their coordinated and managed assisted rides.
Related: 20 Innovative Business Ideas Doing Well Overseas (That Could Make You Money In SA)
