Turning Your Cargo Van into a Cash Cow with Delivery Apps
The gig economy and on-demand business models continue their meteoric rise across industries. By 2023, crowdshipping services like Uber Freight and Convoy are projected to manage over $85 billion in carrier payments for freight transportation contracts according to Business Insider Intelligence estimates. The crowdsourced last-mile delivery segment is growing even faster, expected to reach a market size of $282 billion by 2030 per Grand View Research.
And this presents a lucrative opportunity for cargo van owners looking to offset vehicle costs and earn extra cash during downtimes. Delivery apps designed specifically to connect available drivers with stores and customers needing local items transported are making it easier than ever to maximize van utilization. From running a full-time delivery business to earning supplemental side income, these on-demand courier platforms provide flexible ways to keep your van productive and profitable.
Understanding Delivery Apps Tailored for Cargo Vans
Walmart Express
Power retailer Walmart offers its own delivery app called Walmart Express Delivery. It allows approved drivers to pick up customer orders from Walmart stores and deliver locally. Unlike food deliveries, these are mainly groceries and consumer packaged goods. Walmart Express enables crowdsourced couriers to choose delivery windows and earn $15 to $25 or more per job depending on factors like mileage and heavy pay bonuses. Given Walmart’s scale and order volume, there is no shortage of delivery opportunities once signed up.
Roadie
Billed as the “Uber for delivery trucks,” Roadie has emerged as the leading app-based platform matching drivers with shippers needing items transported locally. Over 160,000 retail locations trust Roadie for driving jobs like parts and document transport, returns and replacements, and general delivery overflow. Roadie vets drivers, verifies vehicles, and provides insurance during active gigs. Compensation varies based on distance, weight, truck size and type of payload. Roadie estimates drivers can make $650 a week or more flexibly working around their schedule.
Amazon Flex
E-commerce behemoth Amazon taps the power of crowdsourced drivers for its Amazon Flex program. These freelance contractors use their own vehicles to make deliveries of Amazon and Prime Now packages. Available blocks represent open routes that cover multiple stops. Compensation ranges from $18 to $25 per hour depending on your region and the type of route. Amazon Flex offers consistent delivery gigs in line with Amazon’s vast distribution footprint.
Other Delivery Apps
Beyond the largest national players, myriad apps tailor to local and specialized delivery niches. For example, Point Pickup lets retail stores outsource same-day deliveries to drivers for $8 to $20 per job. Apps like Deliv and DoorDash focus on connecting businesses like malls and restaurants with reliable drivers for flexible income. There are also apps supporting specific industries such as HVAC parts delivery, pharmacy and medical SampleSelect transports medical samples while ScriptDrop handles same-day prescription fulfillment. The choices continue expanding for cargo vans seeking delivery side hustles through these apps.
Strategies for Maximizing Earnings
To optimize potential earnings as an on-demand driver, it pays to leverage some proven tips and strategies according to veterans.
Take advantage of high-demand times
Weekday breakfast and dinnertimes are ripe for food deliveries while weekends see more e-commerce shipments. Natural disasters and severe weather events also drive volume.
Know your operational costs
Factor costs per mile for gas, maintenance, insurance and other expenses to choose profitable gigs and set earnings goals. Apps like Everlance help automatically track tax-deductible mileage and expenses.
Use downtime productively
Sign into apps and accept jobs even during breaks and between primary income streams. The flexible nature of gig platforms enables filling lulls with short delivery routes.
Sample Driver Earnings and Costs
To showcase real-world income potential, here is a snapshot of average monthly earnings and costs from a full-time delivery app driver operating a cargo van in a major metro area:
Category Amount
Average monthly earnings $4,200
Average monthly miles 2,800
Fuel costs $560
Vehicle payment $360
Insurance $190
Maintenance $170
Total monthly costs $1,280
Net monthly earnings $2,920
This example illustrates how driving for apps can service as a lucrative full-time small business grossing over $50k annually. After accounting for variable operating costs, the driver takes home $35k in net income. Your earning potential varies based on location, hours worked and operational efficiencies. But this provides an realistic snapshot of leveraging a cargo van across delivery apps.
Future Outlook and Considerations
The pandemic radically accelerated adoption of delivery apps and services across supply chains. Per Bank of America research, the total addressable market for same day delivery doubled in 2020 to $170 billion. And Statista estimates over 756 million global crowdelivery app downloads just within the 2016-2021 timeframe.
As retailers compete on faster fulfillment, delivery apps continue bridging the gap using everyday drivers to meet surging consumer expectations. And autonomous self-driving vehicles promise to expand addressable markets further. The World Economic Forum projects over 8 million long-haul driver jobs will eventually transition to autonomous trucks. While robots and drones handle mile-eating highway routes, crowded urban zones still favor human crowdshipping couriers.
In summary, turning your dormant cargo van into a crowdshipping workhorse provides near unlimited income upside. Savvy drivers can offset vehicle costs through flexible delivery gigs leveraging apps tailor-made to keep their van pumping profits.