How to start a transport business
Moving goods or people is a solid business with a bakkie, a truck or a minibus, but the paperwork depends on what you carry and how big your vehicle is. Here is what applies to you.
Carrying passengers? You need an operating licence
Any public transport service, carrying passengers for payment (shuttle, taxi, scholar transport, tours, e-hailing), needs an operating licence under the National Land Transport Act, issued by your province's Provincial Regulatory Entity. Apply before you start: operating without one can get your vehicle impounded.
Goods vehicles: operator cards and PrDPs
- Vehicles above 3,500 kg gross vehicle mass must be registered to an operator, who gets an operator card for each vehicle.
- Drivers of goods vehicles above that mass, and of vehicles carrying passengers for reward, need a Professional Driving Permit (PrDP). Dangerous goods need a specific PrDP category and more rules.
- Roadworthiness is your responsibility. Keep service records for every vehicle.
Going across borders
Cross-border passenger and freight transport needs a permit from the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), plus the paperwork each country requires.
Insurance and money
Insure the vehicle, the goods in transit and your liability to passengers or clients. Price per kilometre or per load, and include fuel, tolls, the return trip empty, tyres, maintenance, insurance and the driver. Fuel prices move monthly, so build in a review clause on longer contracts.
Finding steady work
One-off moves pay the bills; contracts build the business. Approach retailers, wholesalers, building suppliers, manufacturers and farms that need regular deliveries, and courier companies that subcontract. A free verified BizBoost listing puts you in front of businesses looking for reliable transport.
Common questions
Do I need an operating licence for a transport business?
You need an operating licence from the Provincial Regulatory Entity to carry passengers for payment. Goods transport does not use the same operating licence, but heavier vehicles need operator registration and drivers need a PrDP.
When do I need a PrDP?
Drivers of goods vehicles over 3,500 kg gross vehicle mass, vehicles carrying passengers for reward, and vehicles carrying dangerous goods need a Professional Driving Permit.
How do I start a transport business with one bakkie?
Start with local moves, deliveries and rubbish removal, keep the vehicle roadworthy and insured, price per trip including the return, and approach local businesses for regular delivery work.