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I own a pickup truck and work part time. I would like to use my pickup truck and make about $50 cash extra a week. I was thinking of doing a trash hauling gig. I could put some magnets up on the side of my truck for starters advertisement.
What do I need to make it all happen with licences, and insurance?
Most folks with a casual part-time business of this nature and sales volume don't bother with licenses, and try to slip under the radar of any applicable taxes or declarations. I don't know specifically if your area has permits or licensing for this work, but you might want to inquire at your county offices.
However, you are at personal financial risk in performing service work at other people's property. Your regular automotive insurance policy most likely won't cover you for any liability or property damage losses when the nature of your relationship to the damaged is "discovered"; ie, you were there as a fee paid service, which is a business and not a personal use situation. You may also be at risk for personal injury if injured "on the job", or if you are involved in an motor vehicle accident as part of your business driving.
The problem you may have here is that your commercial liability/umbrella coverage and commercial use of your vehicle insurance may cost you more than you are anticipating making at your part time business. Best to call your insurance agent with a bunch of questions and get the quotes so you can make an informed decision about your possible business service.
Sunsprit pretty much said it all. Then I also wonder what kind of trash are you picking up? Most places I ever been to already have municipal trash pick up which is free.
Many towns or counties have a trash drop off for residents. Meaning you have to show your DL plus an electric bill from that county to be able to dump there. These places normally give a resident one or two times a month to dump. If you are doing it for a living they will question where your getting it all.
A simple hauling license can get you in to the dump all you want to but now you will have to pay by weight to get in, where if your just a resident you get in for free. If you have to pay by weight then you have to charge more meaning you will now be just about the same price as every one else who owns a pick up truck trying to make a few extra dollars.
Too much more to go into here but I wish you luck.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Trash hauling is usually highly regulated by the state PUC.
Anything to do with 'Trucking' adds to the troubles already mentioned...
You will probably need a 'hauling authority', be collecting AND PAYING Sales tax, + commercial GTM (Gross ton mile) fees + commercial insurance & bond. (All that in addition to your 'license'). Anything that has risk associated with it (especially driving) should be under an LLC umbrella. You might run into liability issues with your cargo. (such as a hazardous waste spill). Good luck, be careful... The DOT guys LOVE to catch folks like you. They hang around my road, as truckers can avoid detection on my 'back road'.
Their favorite thing is to impound the vehicle that is loaded, for something like a cracked windshield; the penalties for tickets if you have the wrong 'authority' aren't pretty ($1.00 / #) and up. One ole timer recently got a $1000 ticket for not being enrolled in a drug consortium. (A must with CDL, and required for EACH employer you work for). I ran right out and signed up, tho I had been unaware of this additional testing requirement (You have to be 'drug' tested every 2 yrs for DOT card, but that doesn't count for the consortium requirement, even for independent operators)
Putting a sign on your truck, is a target for the code enforcers. HOWEVER lots of guys haul scrap metal without ANY of the above constraints... (not sure how legally, but TRASH, is much different than 'Recycle').
If you get real successful, consider a 'hooklift' truck or trailer. I think you could do well with multiple 'drop boxes' and a regular route. Folks are gonna have to 'downsize' to move under a bridge!
Curiously enough, the current issue of Reader's Digest has an article on the subject, where a couple of college guys have made a killing hauling stuff.
Be careful what you plan to haul. There is hauling "stuff" and hauling trash. If you start hauling trash or waste then be prepared to get into all kind of environmental laws on top of your regular business and DOT stuff. Some trash can only be hauled in sealed, leakproof containers. Be sure to check your state's environmental laws with regard to municipal solid waste transporting.
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