How to Make Money with a Pickup Truck: 8 Savvy Ways

MAKE MONEY - SIDE HUSTLES
You have multiple ways to make money with your pickup truck, including delivering furniture, helping people move, and more.
Updated April 13, 2024
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An adult man offering home services with a pickup truck

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There are lots of ways to make money with your pickup truck, from delivering furniture to helping people move to offering landscaping services. A pickup truck can be a useful and versatile vehicle, and the ways to make money with it are just as versatile.

Let’s explore how to make money with a pickup truck, whether you're looking for a full-time job or just a side hustle.

Key takeaways

  • Pickup trucks were designed to work, so if you own one, you have multiple options for making money at your fingertips.
  • Some ways to make money with your pickup truck include delivering furniture, helping people move, offering landscaping services, and hauling junk and scrap metals.
  • If you don’t need your pickup truck all the time, you could also rent it out for a fee.
  • If you already own a pickup truck, using it to make money can be a low-risk way to earn extra cash each month.

In this guide to making money with your pickup truck

Making money with a truck: Is it worth it?

Pros Cons
  • Offers various money-making options that you can use at the same time
  • Has a low startup cost if you already own a truck
  • May enable you to earn more than $1,000 per month, depending on the side hustle and the hours you work
  • Hauling heavy loads may lead to faster wear and tear on your vehicle
  • May not always be available in your area, depending on the side hustle
  • May need to be able to lift 75 pounds or more for certain gigs
Our verdict: Making money with a pickup truck is a low-risk, relatively easy way to earn extra cash each month because it doesn’t require much upfront investment aside from owning a truck. If you already own a pickup truck, it’s worth exploring your options for making money with your vehicle. You can even use your truck for more than a single side hustle to increase your potential income.

How to make money with a pickup truck (8 methods)

As powerful vehicles that can transport heavy loads on rugged terrain, pickup trucks are designed to work. Pickup trucks usually have the horsepower for towing and hauling and the space for storing and moving large items.

If you’re looking for ways to make money with a pickup truck, consider how you can hauling and towing services to individuals and businesses in your area. Here are some ideas for how to make money with a pickup truck.

1. Provide delivery Services

One of the ways to make money with a truck is to provide delivery services. Your truck can carry larger items than small sedans, so people may hire you to deliver oversized items, such as furniture.

Stores such as HomeGoods, for instance, partner with the delivery service PICKUP to deliver furniture and other large items the same day someone buys them.

Deal
You can sign up to be a PICKUP delivery person. If you join the PICKUP team, you may earn an average of $45 per delivery, plus tips.

There are several other delivery services you can sign up for to move large items, such as:

  • CitizenShipper: Some CitizenShipper drivers make between $6,000 and $10,000 per month.
  • Bungii: Some Bungii drivers make an average of $45 per hour.

These apps let you be your own boss, set your own schedule, choose which jobs to accept, and make money by completing deliveries.

You can also sign up to deliver groceries or food through platforms such as Instacart, Uber Eats, or DoorDash. Although you don’t specifically need a pickup truck to deliver takeout and groceries, these apps offer another flexible way to make money using your vehicle.

For more information, check out:

2. Help people move to new homes

Another option for making money with your pickup truck is helping people move. If you don’t mind lifting heavy items, you could make money transporting people’s home goods from their old homes to their new ones.

You can start your own business or sign up with services such as:

  • uShip: You can list yourself and your truck and use this platform as a marketplace to find customers.
  • Bellhop: You can take on moving gigs that you get matched with and earn up to $21 an hour.

Movers typically make around $18 per hour. However, the amount you can make will vary by job, how often you work, and the distance of the move.

3. Flip used furniture for a profit

If you enjoy hunting for treasures in thrift stores or on Craigslist, furniture flipping could be worth your time.

When you flip furniture, you find low-cost pieces and sell them for a profit. Before selling, you might refinish the furniture to improve its appearance and increase its value.

Some spots you can scour for furniture include:

  • Goodwill
  • The Salvation Army
  • Facebook Marketplace
  • Craigslist
  • OfferUp
  • VarageSale

Once the piece is ready to sell, you can list it on some of the same platforms, such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or VarageSale, which are some of the best places to sell used furniture. You can offer delivery with your pickup truck to improve the value of your listing. This side hustle requires a little sweat equity, but other than that, the start-up costs are low.

4. Start a landscaping business

If you’re fond of landscaping, your truck could help you start a landscaping business. Alternatively, you could offer hauling and delivery services for existing landscaping companies.

If you’re starting your own business, expect to invest in some equipment upfront. This equipment may include a lawn mower, hedge trimmer, blowers, and hand tools such as a shovel.

Tip
Insurance provider Thimble estimates that your startup costs could range from $25,000 to $40,000. If landscaping becomes your full-time job, you could make between $25,000 and $100,000 per year.

If you’re not looking to start your own local business for landscaping, you could still offer delivery services to homeowners or landscaping companies. For instance, you could deliver large quantities of mulch, gravel, or paving stones with your pickup truck.

5. Offer construction or handyperson services

If you have the right skills, you could also use your pickup truck to offer construction or handyperson services. Some in-demand jobs include home repairs, yard work, mounting TVs and ceiling fans, and fixing leaky faucets.

Keep in mind that you may need to purchase liability insurance to work as a handyperson. Some states might also require a special certification or license.

You can advertise your handyperson services locally or look for jobs on a marketplace such as TaskRabbit. TaskRabbit connects skilled workers with people who need help with everyday tasks. As a handyperson, you can create a profile on TaskRabbit and list your services, hourly rate, and availability.

Find out more in our TaskRabbit review.

It should be useful to scope out what your local competition charges. The average handyperson's wage is around $25 per hour, but it can vary by job type and location.

6. Rent out your truck

If you don’t need your truck all the time, you could rent it out for a fee. Here are some apps you can use to rent out your pickup truck:

  • Fetch: This company helps you set up contactless rentals with verified renters and handles insurance coverage. According to the company, truck owners can make up to $30,000 per year.
  • Turo: This is a car-sharing marketplace where you can list your pickup truck and set your own rental rates. Depending on your vehicle and how often you rent out, you may make between $6,000 and $35,000 a year. Learn more in our Turo review.
  • Getaround: Another car-sharing marketplace that’s used by 1.7 million people in the U.S. As with Turo, Getaround lets you list your truck and set your rates. The company doesn’t have potential earnings numbers, but you can find out more information in our Getaround review.

7. Haul junk and scrap any metals

People need help hauling away their old junk, so you could provide a solution to their problem by providing a junk hauling service.

Tip
You could start your own junk-hauling business or join a network like LoadUp. LoadUp independent contractors typically earn $55 to $200 per trip.

If you’re picking up scrap metal, you can also sell it for a profit. For instance, if you’re providing junk removal for a construction company or auto shop, you might find some metal to scrap. You could make a few extra hundred dollars per month and help recycle metal to give it a new life.

8. Offer snow plowing

If you live in a snowy area, consider offering snow plowing services. You’ll need a consumer snow plow that fits your truck, as well as winter tires to help you drive on slippery roads.

Tip
Some towns may pay snow plow drivers an hourly wage ranging from $85 to $310 per hour.

Although rates for snow plowing services can vary depending on the region and demand.This can make snow plowing a side hustle that helps you earn good money during the winter months.

The 10 best platforms to make money with your truck

There are a variety of apps and websites that can help you make up to $100 a day using your pickup truck. Whether you’re looking to deliver furniture, help with a move, provide handyperson services, or rent out your truck, these platforms can help you find jobs and earn extra money.

1. Dolly

Dolly pays up to $50 per hour for moving jobs. As long as you can move over 75 pounds, you can sign up as a Dolly Helper and accept jobs that fit your schedule. You might make extra money with customer tips along with the hourly salary.

2. Bellhop

Similar to Dolly, Bellhop connects you with people who need help moving. You can sign up and accept the jobs you like. According to Bellhop, you might make $21 per hour, not including customer tips.

3. Lugg

Lugg is another app for pickup truck owners who can lift over 100 pounds. You can sign up by providing your name, age, location, and phone number. According to the app, Luggers with their own truck can earn up to $2,500 per week.

4. Turo

If you’re looking to rent out your pickup truck, consider listing it on Turo. You can set your own prices and availability. As one of the largest car-sharing marketplaces, Turo can connect you with renters in your area. As you collect positive reviews, you may have even more success renting out your truck.

5. Fetch

Fetch is another platform that can help you rent out your pickup truck. It prescreens renters to minimize risk and provides insurance during the rental. You don’t have to pass off your keys to the renter in person because Fetch specializes in contactless rentals. According to the company, truck owners can earn up to $30,000 per year.

6. Getaround

Another car-sharing marketplace, Getaround, has 1.7 million users. You can sign up and list your vehicle and location to connect with potential renters, and the platform allows contactless rentals. Plus, it automates pricing to match market rates.

7. CitizenShipper

If you’re looking to transport heavy equipment and other items, consider signing up for CitizenShipper. Through this platform, you’ll find jobs shipping heavy equipment and freight. CitizenShipper truck drivers earn between $6,000 and $10,000 per month.

8. Roadie

Owned by UPS, Roadie will pay you to drop off goods along a route you’re already driving. If you’re heading in the same direction a package needs to go, you can deliver items for an average earning of $13 per trip.

9. TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit can connect you with people looking for various services in your area, such as handyperson services, moving help, furniture removal or rearrangement, electrical work, or packing. The amount you can earn will depend on your location and the service you provide. In the Boston area, for instance, movers earn an average of $53 per hour.

10. HomeAdvisor Pro

If you’re a handyperson, construction worker, or electrician, you could list your services on HomeAdvisor Pro to find clients. Now powered by Angi Leads, HomeAdvisor helps people find plumbers, painters, landscapers, and other home service professionals. The website will send these warm leads your way to help you drum up business.

Methodology

In order to determine the most suitable platforms for earning money with a truck, we established several essential criteria, including the potential for earning income, platform accessibility, truck usability, and level of flexibility. We then identified various popular platforms that met these standards and assessed their potential for truck owners.

Based on our analysis, we created a list that can be used as a general reference and starting point for those seeking additional income opportunities with their trucks. It is important to note that we did not conduct a comprehensive review of all available platforms, and our list may not include all possible options.

How much money can you make with your truck?

The amount of money you can make with your truck will vary depending on the service you provide. For example:

  • Delivering items: As a delivery driver, you could make anywhere from $15 to $45 per hour or more.
  • Helping people move: As a mover, you might make anywhere from $50 to a few hundred dollars per gig.
  • Hauling heavy equipment: You may make up to $10,000 per month via a platform such as CitizenShipper.

Ultimately, the amount you make with your pickup truck depends on the services you provide, where you live, and how many hours per week you commit to the work.

Alternatives to making money with your truck

If you’re not drawn to any of these methods of making money with your pickup truck, you could consider these alternative side hustle options.

Thumbtack

Online job and side hustle marketplace Thumbtack can help match you with customers in your area. You can offer almost any service, from catering to landscaping to dog walking. Some common service categories include home improvement, pets, design and web, photography, technical support, and writing, but there are several others.

Find out more information in our Thumbtack review.

Neighbor.com

If you have some storage space you’re not using and want to make passive income from it, consider signing up for Neighbor.com. Via this platform, you can rent out unused storage space to people with items to store. You can make passive income month after month by letting people store their stuff in your garage, shed, or other spaces.

Get more details in our Neighbor.com review.

FAQs about making money with a truck

Can I make money with my pickup truck?

Yes, you can make money with your pickup truck in a variety of ways. Some options include delivering furniture, hauling stuff, helping people move, and renting out your truck. You can use your pickup truck to start your own business or promote your services on an online marketplace or app.

What furniture is best for flipping?

The best furniture for flipping may include small tables, nightstands, buffets, and dressers. This is because you can find lots of customers looking to purchase them. If you refinish the furniture before selling it, you can increase its value and boost your profits.

How does hotshot trucking work?

Hotshot trucking involves hauling relatively small loads within a specific time frame. You’ll usually need a medium-duty truck that can carry less than a truckload (LTL) and pull a flatbread trailer. The reason it’s called hotshot trucking is that it’s a fast-paced and time-sensitive industry. Clients rely on hotshot trucking to deliver their goods quickly, often within a day or two of pickup.

Making money with a truck: Bottom line

As a pickup truck owner, you have many options for using your pickup truck to earn extra cash. Pickup trucks are versatile, so you can use yours to deliver heavy equipment, provide moving services, or rent it out to people. You may earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month from your truck.

If you’re looking for other methods to supplement your income, check out our list of the best side hustles you can start today to earn extra money.

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