Pet Taxi: How to Start a Pet taxi Service

Transporting pets is an unusual niche in animal care industry. The job is lucrative with very few competition. To start the business you need to define a service area. Then purchase equipment, price your service and form the business. You need to manage your appointments, create a contract and advertise.

Define your Area

It is important defining your operational area. Focus on a specific region, town, state, county or city. A good place to work is within a large metropolis or city. Make sure you follow state regulation when transporting the animals.

Register the Business

Register the business as a sole proprietor company. Select a business name, get tax identification number and insurance.

To reduce liability, incorporate the business as a limited liability company. Make sure you comply with state laws and regulations. You need a commercial driving license and vehicle documents.

 •        Sole proprietor company

•        Select a business name

•        Get tax identification number

•        Insurance.

•        Comply with state laws and regulations

•        Commercial driving license

•        Vehicle documents.

Manage Appointments

Create a spreadsheet, organize schedules and manage appointments. Offer your clients quality service and manage calls.

Make sure while in transit you remain in contact with the client. If you are driving use a hands free set to answer enquires and calls.

•        Create a spreadsheet

•        Organize schedules

•        Manage appointments

•        Quality service

•        Manage calls

Marketing

To reach customers you need to advertise the business. Cost effective ways include building a website or blog. Others are social media platforms, email marketing and YouTube videos.

Advertise on your vehicle, print flyers, and business cards. Place the flyers at pet related businesses, dog grooming services, doggie day care centers. Add the business to yellow pages and directories.

  Advertise the business

•        Building a website

•        Blog

•        Social media platforms

•        Email marketing

•        YouTube videos

•        Print flyers

•        Business cards

•        Yellow pages

•        Directories

Pricing

Pricing requires determining the appropriate amount a customer will pay for your transport service. Things that determine price are distance, total mileage, fuel, insurance, labor.

Find out what competitors charge, their business structure and client base. Make sure the price is competitive and close to those found in the industry. The price could be estimated on meter mileage, per hour or a negotiate sum.

Contract

Hire an attorney to create a standard contract for the service. The contract should specify charges, liabilities, pick-up, destination, delivery time. There should be a form that highlights the animal’s medical history, age, breed, allergies.

The form should determine extend of liability based on accident or injury to the animal. The form can have contact information, address, phone number, emergency contact information. Others are veterinarians address, phone number.

Contract Form Parameters

•        Specify charges

•        Liabilities

•        Pick-up

•        Destination

•        Delivery time

•        Animal’s medical history

•        Age

•        Breed

•        Allergies

•        Contact information

•        Address

•        Phone number

•        Emergency contact information

•        Veterinarians address

•        Phone number

Purchase Equipment

The main equipment is the vehicle to transport the animal. The vehicle can be a sport utility vehicle, bus, van or truck.

Make sure the vehicle is properly aerated, air conditioned and ventilated. It should accommodate cages or kennels, crate. You need harness, seat belts, leashes and collars.
       Transport vehicle

•        Cages

•        Kennels

•        Crate

•        Harness

•        Seat belts

•        Leashes

•        Collars

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