What You Need to Turn Your Truck into a Commercial Vehicle

Owning your own business is a dream for many. The way that many people do realize that dream is to start their business on the side. They might work a regular 9-to-5, but then they might serve their own clients at nights or on the weekends. As they pick up more business, they can save up enough to quit their job and go into business for themselves full-time.

If you are running a side business, you might be using your own truck to do it. For example, you might use your truck to haul lawn mowers, weed eaters and other equipment for your budding landscaping business. Or you might use your truck to haul off junk as part of your home-organizing business.

Shopping quality used trucks for sale and choosing a reputable brand is the right first step to getting a reliable, long-term business vehicle. Then once you are ready to take your business full-time, you can take these steps to turn your truck into an official business vehicle:

Get the Proper Insurance

Your personal insurance will not cover your vehicle if you are using it for business. In fact, if your insurance company finds out that you are using your vehicle for business purposes, it could cancel your insurance policy and refuse to take you back as a customer.

You must call your insurance company and discuss your insurance needs. You will have to invest in a commercial policy at minimum, but you may also have to get additional coverage depending on the type of business you run. For example, you may need additional liability insurance for businesses that involve heavy machinery, such as construction. Talk to your insurance agent to understand your legal requirements.

Invest in Higher-Grade Tires

Every tire is rated for the weight it can handle, speed, temperature and other factors. When you use your truck for business purposes, you are likely to be hauling very heavy loads, which means that you’ll need tires that can handle the additional weight. You’ll also be putting a lot more miles on your truck when you use it for business, which means that you’ll need tires that can handle the additional mileage.

When you shop for new tires, be very clear about your business needs so the associate can help you select the tires that will best meet your needs. You don’t want to have to replace the tires in a few months, and you don’t want to find yourself stranded on the side of the road because of a blowout.

Consider a Towing Hitch

You bought a truck because you need to haul machinery or other cargo. The chances are good that you’ll have larger loads from time to time that will stretch the hauling capacity of your truck. Adding a towing hitch will give you the option to hook up a trailer to accommodate larger loads than usual.

When you shop for a towing hitch, you’ll need to check two things: The weight capacity of the hitch and the overall weight capacity for your truck. Every truck has a limit for how much weight it can carry in its own bed, as well as how much weight it can carry in a tow (and how much combined weight it can handle).

Make sure you are putting the right hitch on your truck and aren’t putting more cargo in the trailer than your truck can handle. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself minus a back bumper or with major suspension problems, among other issues.

If you find that you need to routinely carry more cargo than your truck can handle, you may need to consider shopping used trucks for sale for a heavier-duty truck or for additional trucks to add to your fleet.

Install Business Equipment

Depending on your business, you may need to add accessories to your truck such as toolboxes or equipment racks. You can add a rack to the roof, to the rear window, to the bed, or even to the sides. With the right racks, you can carry oversized ladders, all kinds of lawn equipment, or even glass panels.

A toolbox is a staple for any business truck. You can keep all your most used tools right where you need them, and you can keep them under lock and key to protect them. You can add multiple toolboxes as needed, such as across the bed and over the wheel wells.

Add a Navigation System

You may think that you know your town well, but you could get a call from a client who lives just outside of town or who lives in an obscure part of town that you do not know well. You could lose a lot of time trying to find that location, making your new client unhappy that you’re late and making you late for your next appointment — both of which can cost you future sales.

Add a navigation system to your truck to make sure you can get to any location quickly and easily. You’ll have clear directions to your location, and you’ll have a reliable estimate of how long it will take you to get there. With a reliable navigation system, you’ll get to every appointment on time.

Add a Hands-Free Device

Your phone will (hopefully) be ringing off the hook when you’re running a business. You’ll have to field calls while you are driving, both to answer questions for new clients and to communicate with current clients about appointments or projects. However, picking up your phone and making calls or texting while you are driving is very dangerous.

Many new vehicles already include Bluetooth capability to allow for hands-free calling, but if your truck does not, you should add it for your business use. You can either upgrade your infotainment system (if you have one), or you can invest in a device that you can mount to your dash or windshield. Then you can answer and make phone calls through simple voice commands, keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

Add Signage or Decals

Finally, if you are going to use your truck for business use, it needs to have a sign or decals with your business name, logo and contact information. You might want to mount a sign on the roof, or you might want to paint or decal the information on the doors, the side panels or the tail gate.

Adding this signage to your truck will make you look more professional and reputable. Showing up in an unmarked vehicle will make clients think that you are amateur or that you are untrustworthy.

Adding signage will also provide free advertising. Everywhere you drive around town, potential new customers will see your business name and learn how to contact you. Simply having the right signage on your truck can help you attract new clients effortlessly.

A good truck is a must for any business that involves regularly hauling cargo. If you are considering starting your own business or side business, you should shop DePaula Chevrolet for quality and affordable used trucks for sale. Then you should use these tips to turn your truck pro for your business.