Making your truck work

So I'm gonna take a big income hit and I want to know what others do with their trucks to make money, preferably something anyone can do. My job now is basically just going to school, and it doesn't make sense driving it there every day just to bring myself there while continuing to pay for gas and insurance for it and putting miles on it. I'm seriously considering just parking it, un-insuring it and buying a 50cc scooter. Then I thought if I can somehow make the truck pay for itself by using it to make money. I'm about halfway done with payments on my 2010 TRD OR with ~166k miles, and it would be nice if I just worked the truck enough to pay for gas, loan, and insurance every month but my school schedule makes it hard to hold even a regular part-time job, which is making me think of creative ways to make money. Anyone do something similar and how do you do it? I was thinking of being like a micro-hotshot driver, moving people's stuff around but not sure how much I would charge. I have a long bed and tow package so I can haul as much as a 2nd gen is able to. I have a 3-leaf AAL without my overload leaf in, but could easily put it back on so as not to ride on my bump stops. What else should I invest in if I haul or tow other people's stuff at max capacity? Only have small mountain pass near me, but there are other mountains within a couple hours of me. What else could I use it for? Can't do rideshare since its an access cab and that wouldn't be profitable in a Tacoma anyway. How should I market myself and my truck without breaking laws? Want to keep it cash but what other methods would you consider for payment? I have a feeling just using Craigslist and Facebook might not garner the type and amount of business I'm looking for. Maybe some form of hybrid advertising combining old-school and new methods. Is there apps for this type of thing?

 

Uber?

 

I already do with my Mazda3 which has the necessary amount of doors and seats. Access cabs not allowed. I couldn't imagine driving anything less efficient than my Mazda in my market, simply not busy enough and riders are too cheap as it is. If we had Uber Black and I had a black double cab with leather and there was a demand for it maybe.

 

For a little bit when i was in school i worked for a company clubhouse serviced were you were responsable for collecting trash from doorstops for a certain apt complex and hauling it to the compactor, pay was like $3 per apt in complex, came to about $80 a night, 4 days a week. Hard work but usually done in 1 hour, 2 max on heavy nights. Nice thing is we would start at 8:00 so there was no traffic to get there and classes were over by then. Wash truck bed out with soap once a week though.

 

Ah gotcha. I honestly didn’t know there were requirements like that.

 

i mean i guess you could offer to haul things. Get on facebook and advertise in the right places. My buddy does equipment moving and tree removal all by himself. Brings in the big bucks with that tree removal, then he sells the firewood too! Dont bother ubering shit. If i were you i would use that mazda and get into the delivery service or something.

 

Best part for my gig was i didnt have to talk to anyone.

 

If you are still making bank payments on the truck, then you have to insure it. Bank loans require a fully insured policy.

 

You could haul stuff for people dirt, furniture at whatever you can handle. Or what you think the truck is capable of which I've seen some heavy loads on tacos before.

 

Pizza delivery

 

has two vehicles.... complains about driving the less fuel efficient one to school.

Im confused.

Also.... DO NOT USE YOUR VEHICLE TO MAKE MONEY. Seriously, in the long run you will loose on added maintenance costs, and risk etc


Also... should not be too hard to swing work and school. I manged 3 years straight of 15-18 units and 32-40 hrs a week of work.

 

You're in school and have 2 vehicles and you are contemplating buying a 3rd when you can't afford the 2 you already have?

FWIW, I was working 40 hours a week while attending college.

 

No income and 2nd vehicle with a loan? Sell it. Hands down no questions asked. Cash flowing not working/barely working and going to school at the same time is hard enough without a car payment.

 

^this

 

Start a small landscaping business. Start very small, like weeding flower beds. You can automatically write off your truck payments and all expenses, since you already have a second vehicle.

I do tree work (arborist, etc). My truck is my only vehicle, so I can only write off a percentage.

Edit: The business has to be registered with the state and have all the other necessary red tape taken care of.

 

That would imply OP actually working.

 

He might surprise us all and become quite successful

 

I think you meant

 

Write offs don't do you much good in the immediate term if you don't have any income to write them off against since you can't carry back an NOL any more. He couldn't take the payments, but he could take a portion of depreciation, interest expense, and insurance (gotta add a business rider though). It probably wouldn't stand up well in an audit depending on the revenue related to it. Interesting idea though.