Getting rid of other people’s trash is not a high status activity, but it can be a lucrative one. When people are cleaning out their houses, renovating or moving, they often generate a pile of junk and trash that is too large to be dealt with by their normal municipal trash pickup. Many people are happy to pay someone else to take it away so they don’t have to deal with it themselves.

Funding

It doesn’t cost an enormous amount of money to start a trash hauling business, the main expense being at least one dependable truck. If you are unable to fund the startup yourself, look into bank loans and investors. For either of these, you will need a workable business plan that shows with hard numbers what your plan is and why it is likely to work. You can greatly reduce your startup costs by starting small and growing slowly, only taking on as much work as you can handle without going into debt.

Vehicles

Cities and municipalities have fleets of enormous, specialized trash trucks that are very expensive. You won’t need one of these for a light trash removal service. A full size pickup truck is sufficient for small jobs. Carry a heavy-duty tarp and ropes with you so you can cover up loads of trash to prevent them from falling out. Don’t save money by purchasing a wreck of a truck. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but your vehicle must be dependable and powerful enough to haul heavy loads.

Promotion

Focus your advertising and marketing on people who are likely to need your services. Student neighborhoods at the end of the school year, houses where renovation is happening and other businesses such as roofers, carpenters and masons can all be solicited for business. Maintain a running ad in your local newspaper. Remember, the purpose of print ads isn’t so much to secure a particular job as to get your company’s name into the public consciousness. To do this, you need to advertise consistently over a long period of time.

Trash Into Treasure

The old maxim that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure is nowhere more true than in the trash hauling business. Increase your profits by being creative with the stuff that you haul rather than just taking it to the landfill. Metals of all kinds can be accumulated and sold to recyclers. Broken machines and appliances can often be repaired. Always ask your clients if they have other non-trash items to haul away, such as old books and furniture. You can turn second-hand items like this into a lucrative sideline.