The major relationship between states is that one has the product that the other needs and vice versa.

For this exchange to take place, there has to be a means of transportation and that is where the haulage business comes in.

Since our railway system is not functioning as it is supposed to and the cost of using airlines and ships to move goods around the country is very expensive this has made transportation by road the best option to consider when you need goods to be moved around.  This makes the haulage business a lucrative business to venture into.

What Is Haulage?

Haulage can simply be defined as the movement of materials and goods from one location to another using heavy truck such as trailers, tankers, vehicles, tippers, etc.

The haulage business is growing rapidly as lots of goods need to be moved around take for example the potatoes that we see in the south, east and west were transported from the north and for it to get here it needed a haulage service to bring it. 

There are other things that haulage can do such as transporting goods from the seaport to any destination the shipper desire.  

The haulage business is not an easy business to venture into as it involves huge capital and very risky but if done right can generate lots of returns as the need to transport goods around the country keeps increasing.  

There are things you should put in place for you to start a successful haulage business and I will list them below

Get Tutored

No matter the business you go into, you have to get the basic knowledge of that business and same goes for haulage. Go to seminars, read books, get advice from people that are already in the business. Learn as much as you can and it will help you run your business successfully.

Select Area To Specialize

The haulage business is huge having lots of areas to specialize in. After you have gathered the right knowledge you will have to think of what you want to go into. The areas to consider are

Agriculture: Transporting of food items and perishable goods

Building Materials: You can transport materials for building houses like cement, sand, irons, woods, etc.

Containers: You can transport containers from the seaport to any destiny or any goods that come into the country from the seaport.

Petroleum: You can transport petroleum products such as Fuel, Gas, Diesel, etc. using tankers. 

Get A Business Plan

This cannot be overemphasized as its need to structure and map out how your business is going to be like. You need to plan on how you going to turn your idea into reality and what is needed for it to be achieved.

Capital

After you have mapped out your business plan, the next thing you should consider is raising capital for the business. The haulage business requires large capital as you will have to purchase a truck(s) to get started in the business. You can go to the bank for a loan or look for someone or a group of people to invest in your idea.

Get A Truck

Due to the fact that the haulage business is a capital intensive one, many people might have the resources to or enough capital to purchase a truck. A standard truck cost up to 3 - 4 million Naira. You can also start by hiring trucks while you think of buying your own.

Employ A Driver

One of the biggest problems in haulage business is the drivers if you are unfortunate to hire a bad driver there is every tendency that he might run away with your truck and goods in it that’s why I advise you to take your time to search for a good drive (go to God in prayers). 

Register Your Business

Since it’s a business it’s advisable that you follow due process and registering your business with Corporate Affairs commission so your clients can know you are serious. The transport business has their own different associations so you should look for the right one to join.

With this starting a haulage business has just got easier, all you have to do is follow these steps and keep on it and you will surely succeed.