17 Best Ways to Make Money With a Pickup Truck (Truck Side Hustles)

Rising gas prices are causing many drivers to swap their minivans, SUVs, and other larger vehicles for smaller alternatives. This improves fuel efficiency, but it does mean that these drivers don’t have access to a larger vehicle when they need to move large items. As a pickup truck owner, there are several ways you can use your truck to make money.

In this article, we’ll show you how to make money with a pickup truck. This can be a lucrative side hustle, and it can even turn into a full-time business where you can be your own boss.

Overview of the Best Ways to Make Money with a Truck

Below, you’ll find all the details about 17 different ways to make money with your pickup truck, but if you’re in a hurry, here are our top recommendations.

• Rent out your truck with Fetch.
• Use your truck to make deliveries for DoorDash.
• Use your truck to make deliveries for Instacart.
• Offer moving services.
• Start a local delivery service.

How to Make Money With a Pickup Truck

If you have a pickup truck and you’re looking to earn some extra cash, here are the best possibilities.

1. Rent It Out 

The best platform for self-service truck rentals is Fetch. It’s the ideal solution for pickup truck owners and fleet managers who want to earn money on vehicles that aren’t in use.

Fetch has suggested prices ranging from $10 up to $25 per hour or a daily rate of $50 up to $150. The rental rate that you chose is entirely up to you. Fetch arranges the truck rental and collects the payment from the renter.

Fetch charges a flat fee of 20% and an additional 10% for drivers that don’t have commercial liability insurance. In this case, Fetch provides coverage through the platform. Every commercial truck driver needs commercial coverage and personal liability coverage because standard auto insurance will not cover a loss incurred during a rental.

Fetch supplies drivers with a Bluetooth-activated device that will lock and unlock the vehicle doors (this is optional for you as a truck owner), and this can also turn on the engine. The device allows you to avoid delays caused by meeting every renter in person, and it helps to make this side hustle more passive. 

According to Fetch, you can make up to $1,800 per month with your pickup truck or cargo van. If you have multiple pickup trucks, your earnings will increase exponentially.

The best thing about this side hustle is that it’s mostly passive income. Even if you have a busy schedule, you can still earn extra cash by renting out your truck. Overall, it’s our top choice of side hustles for truck owners.

2. Food Deliveries with DoorDash

There’s been a significant upturn in home deliveries for various goods in recent years, and the food delivery sector is still experiencing growth. The best food delivery service app that we’ve encountered is DoorDash.

We love DoorDash because it operates throughout the United States, plus a growing number of cities in Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, and New Zealand.

As a DoorDash driver, you pick up food orders from restaurants and deliver them to the customer’s home or workplace. Any form of transportation can be used, including your own pickup truck.

DoorDash drivers are known as “Dashers.” They earn extra cash for each delivery plus tips, and it’s possible to deliver 2-3 food orders per hour.

This is a flexible way to make some extra money. You can set your hours around other commitments. Work as much or as little as you want (subject to availability).

To join DoorDash, there are certain requirements that must be met, and they are clearly displayed on the website. Every Dasher must be at least 18 years or older, they need to pass a background check, and they need a smartphone to use the DoorDash app. For the vehicle, it’s important to have a valid driver’s license, insurance, and registration.

Working with DoorDash is a great option to make some extra cash if you have any downtime in your schedule.

3. Grocery Deliveries with Instacart 

Instacart offers same-day delivery grocery delivery services with an easy-to-use app. If you choose to work with Instacart, you can be an in-store or full-service shopper.

The in-store shopper simply collects a prepared customer order from the store. It involves working at one store, and you won’t be responsible for deliveries.

The full-service shopper role is more involved because you’ll be responsible for reviewing, purchasing (using a company credit card), and delivering orders. As you might imagine, the full-service shopper role is more lucrative. It’s possible to earn up to $20 per hour by making deliveries with your pickup truck.

4. Start a Moving Service 

It’s easy to start your own moving service using Craigslist, Facebook, and dedicated gig platforms such as GoShare. This is a great option because you’ll help people who need assistance at an important time, and you’ll make money hauling stuff.

Most people don’t own a pickup truck, and it can be expensive to rent one for a day or two. But if you have a truck and a friend to help you lift heavier items, a moving service is a great opportunity to earn extra cash. As a result, this is one of the best side hustles for men.

To work with GoShare, you must be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, submit to a driving history check, and have a valid driver’s license, registration, and insurance. Your vehicle must be from 2004 or later with no salvage titles, and you need a smartphone to run the GoShare app.

Drivers with larger trucks can earn more, but even a standard pickup owner could earn up to $47.52 per hour. If you have access to a box truck, you can earn as much as $71.52 per hour. The flexible hours and relatively high pay make GoShare a great platform to work with when you want to make money with your pickup truck.

5. Start a Local Delivery Services

One of the best ways to make money with your vehicle is to contact local businesses and offer to deliver items for them. The tried and tested approach is to create flyers to hand out and start a basic website to market your delivery service.

Many smaller businesses simply cannot justify a larger pickup truck for a delivery service, which presents an opportunity for you. Talking to local businesses costs nothing, and it helps you to understand the delivery needs in your area.

Here are some companies that may want to use your delivery and shipping services:

• Florists
• Auto parts suppliers
• Furniture stores
• Pharmacies
• Community yard sales

You can also work for construction companies that need materials delivered by pickup trucks to a work site.

This small business can be lucrative, but it’s important to remember that a minimum lumber length is 8 feet for plywood sheets and 2 x 4s. Other materials, such as bags of cement or sheets of drywall, must be kept dry during the entire pickup and delivery process. It’s a good option to use an enclosed trailer if you want to deliver construction materials and guarantee ongoing work. This will also increase the size of the loads you’re able to haul and deliver.

A used 12-foot enclosed trailer can be purchased inexpensively, but a better option would be a 16-foot dual-axle model. Dual axles are important to give you flexibility if you get a flat tire on a rough construction site. Adding load stabilizers is also a good idea to prevent the trailer from popping up during loading and unloading.

If you prefer to use a platform rather than build your delivery service from scratch, check out Dolly. If you have a pickup truck, box truck, or cargo van and can lift at least 75 pounds, you can make an average of $50 per hour for deliveries and moves in your local area.

Pickup is another similar platform for local deliveries. You can make an average of $45 per run, plus tips.

Work with Bungii and you can make over $45 per hour. You’ll need a truck from 1998 or newer, and you must be able to lift 125 pounds.

This type of work isn’t for everyone, but if you’re able to lift heavy items, you can make good money.

6. Drive for Amazon Flex

Delivering food is not ideal for some drivers. You may prefer delivering packages as a side hustle. For this reason, Amazon Flex has become an attractive option. If you can carry multiple packages securely, this may be an ideal fit for you.

At this time, Amazon Flex is available in a limited number of locations, but this service is expanding quickly.

Amazon says that Flex drivers can earn $18 to $25 per hour plus tips for delivering items from Amazon Fresh, Prime Now, and participating Amazon restaurants. You can maximize earnings by working at peak operating times and combining these deliveries with other delivery jobs.

To work for Amazon Flex, drivers must be at least 21 years old, have a valid license, registration, insurance, and a 4-door vehicle. A smartphone is also required to use the Amazon Flex app, and prospective drivers must pass a background check. Pickup trucks must have four doors and a covered bed to be eligible.

7. Long-Distance Deliveries  

Long-distance deliveries are a great way to earn extra money, and CitizenShipper is one of the best platforms to work with. This is a peer-to-peer network that allows the driver and their client to communicate to broker the deal and work out the details. You could use a pickup truck, box truck, or another large truck.

As a driver, you set your own prices, and CitizenShipper charges a monthly fee of $24.99 to use the platform. The company has a 3-month trial period to test the service, and you can cancel with no penalties at any time.

8. Start a Towing Service 

Pickup trucks are ideal vehicles to tow various items, including campers, boats, trailers, and more. If you have the right equipment, you can even tow cars for clients that need a vehicle moved to a new location.

It’s estimated that there are more than 270 million vehicles registered in the U.S., and it’s easy to see that towing has huge potential. There can be a lot of competition based on your location, and it’s important to be competitive if you want plenty of business.

It’s essential to have towing insurance in place, and you can start with a simple hitch to tow lighter loads. Understanding the towing capacity of your pickup truck is important to prevent potential problems that could damage your vehicle.

9. Start a Junk Removal Business 

Starting a junk removal business is simple, and you can expand operations later with a larger box truck or a trailer. It’s important to assess the potential market for this local business in your area before you get started.

There’s a strong demand for junk removal services. Many people simply don’t have a way to get rid or large items without hiring someone to do it for them.

If you have a bigger truck, you can earn more. It’s possible to turn this into a full-time income.

You can use tried and tested sites such as Facebook and Craigslist to get your own work or Goloadup.com if you want to work with a platform.

10. Start a Snow Plowing Business

It’s hard to compete with a snow plowing and trucking company that has a fleet of vehicles. But, it’s possible to make extra income as a subcontractor by fitting a snowplow to your pickup truck and taking on smaller jobs.

A larger vehicle may be unable to access many areas that require snow removal, and this is where you could find your niche. Most large snowplows are 8 feet wide, but you could be in high demand with a 6-foot-wide plow fitted to medium-sized pickup trucks.

Snow plowing can be tough on the front of your truck because of the plow weight and extra wear and tear. Special wiring is required to operate the snow plow in the up, down, and angle directions.

One option for small truck owners is a “Homeowner Plow,” which uses molded plastic for lighter plowing. These are light and easy to install with a receiver hitch that can be mounted to the front of your pickup truck. These lightweight plows have no electronic control system, they need to be manually adjusted, which can slow operations.

When you check the viability of offering snow plowing services, don’t forget to factor in additional insurance and gas money to ensure you’re making a decent profit.

11. Provide Roadside Assistance  

Urgently is a roadside assistance platform that helps people when they need various services, including towing, flat tires, fuel delivery, lockouts, winching, battery jump-starts, and more.

If you choose to work with Urgently, you can earn up to $75 for a simple 15-mile towing service. Additional equipment may be needed to facilitate safe towing, and there may be other considerations, such as insurance and gas money.

12. Sell Advertising Space

One easy way to make passive money as you drive your truck is to place ads on the vehicle. But take care, there are many scammers in this field and drivers who have not been paid for hosting ads. But, there are legit companies that we’ve encountered. See our article 5 Ways to Get Paid to Advertise on Your Car for our top recommendations and tips.

Carvertise will pay a $100 per month flat rate with specialized campaigns that may pay up to $200 per month, but this is rare. There are occasional special jobs where you are tasked to drive or park your truck in specific places at set times. These jobs can pay as much as $30 per hour, but they are less common.

Wrapify pays drivers to place ads on their trucks. The amount you receive will be determined by the condition, truck wrapping, and where you drive. Some Warpify drivers make as much as $452 per month. It’s well worth checking out this platform.

Free Car Media pays truck drivers up to $400 per month, depending on the specific advertiser. As a driver, it’s easy to register with this platform, and if you match the criteria of an advertiser, you can get paid to drive and park your pickup truck. The advertiser wrapping is a vinyl decal that’s easy to install and remove, and most programs last from 6 to 24 months or longer.

13. Sell Scrap Metal

Although this is not directly related to truck drivers, you do need a truck to gather discarded scrap metal, and you can make good money selling it. In fact, the more scrap metal you have, the more you can make, and there are several ways to acquire materials. It’s profitable enough that it’s worth your time but not profitable enough that you’ll have to compete with a larger trucking company.

One interesting approach is magnet fishing to discover ferrous metals lurking in local rivers, ponds, and lakes. Many people dump various metal items (unfortunately), and if you can find them and haul them, they can be sold. Being able to make money hauling stuff is one of the benefits of owning a truck.

If you check your local area, you may find even more junk items that can be sold. This puts money in your pocket, and it cleans up your environment at the same time. It’s a win-win.

14. Flipping

Buying and reselling items is a great way to make money, and this is possible if you don’t have access to a truck. After all, many items are small, and you can fit a lot in a smaller car if you’re organized. But if you do have a truck, the possibilities are virtually limitless.

A larger vehicle means you can carry more or larger items, such as tables, chairs, patio sets, large appliances, and more. Many sellers have a hard time trying to get rid of these items, and in many cases, they’ll simply give them away to anyone who will haul them.

Check at any local yard sale and you’ll see that larger items are often left behind when the sale is over. Some of these items are ripe for hard bargaining. You may be surprised at how much you can get for your money.

When you have some inventory and a place to store these larger or more numerous items, it’s time to look for potential buyers. Some great reselling platforms include Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, and local apps that specialize in selling.

Because you have a truck, it’s possible to negotiate delivery charges, but the straight-up profits may make a free delivery viable. Some people turn this lucrative side gig into a full-time business. There’s no limit to earning potential if you want to work hard. It’s possible to make up to $1,000 per month or more by flipping and delivering items.

15. Landscaping/Mowing/Mulching

Starting a landscaping, mowing, and mulching business is possible with a car and a trailer. But, if you have access to a truck, there’s so much more you can achieve. A larger truck allows you to haul more or larger equipment to tackle large jobs efficiently to build a legit landscaping business.

Many people prefer to pay for landscaping services because the upfront investment in equipment doesn’t make much sense for them. After all, purchasing a machine you rarely use is a waste of money if you can get the job done at a fraction of the cost.

Some equipment may be too expensive for a new landscaper. However, these machines can be rented by the day, and if you have a truck, they’re easy to collect and return.

Before you start a landscaping business, check out the local competition to establish a fair price for your services. Focus on customer satisfaction to get repeat business. If the market is saturated, you could focus on specialized jobs if you have the experience or knowledge to tackle them safely.

16. Pallet Flipping

Did you know you can make money by flipping pallets used for shipping? Essentially, you’ll work as a middleman. You’ll collect pallets from companies who are done with them and provide them to companies that need them for shipping more goods.

With a few solid connections, you can make good money as a pallet flipper. You’ll use your pickup truck to get the pallets and move them from one place to another.

17. Ridesharing

If you have a four-door truck with a back row of seats, you may be able to use it for rideshare driving. The industry leaders, Uber and Lyft, have other requirements related to vehicles that can be used. If your truck qualifies, this is a good way to start making money quickly.

As a rideshare driver, you can work as much or as little as you want whenever it fits your schedule. You can earn a decent amount of money from wages plus tips, but be sure to factor in the increased expenses for gas and additional wear-and-tear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts on How to Make Money With Your Truck

There are many ways to make money as a pickup truck owner, and the list is only limited by your imagination. If you’re willing to put in the hard work, there’s no reason why you can’t earn a full-time income with your truck. Just be sure to get the appropriate insurance coverage for your business activity to protect yourself and your vehicle.