Just when you thought you couldn’t wear another hat, your kid decides to join the school’s soccer team and now you are spending yet another afternoon carting him to and from practice, in addition to driving him to piano lessons, Scouts, and karate.
Mom’s taxi is constantly on the move, so why not make money from your driving skills?
While it’s not a traditional home business, running an independent taxi service is not a far-fetched idea for an ambitious mom; especially one who practically lives in her vehicle.
If you are worried about the type of people you’d be driving around, consider marketing your services exclusively to parents who need transportation for their children. You can make a small fortune by charging moms and dads for safely getting their children to and from their extra-curricular activities when no one else is available to give them a lift.
Before you start handing out business cards, you will need to research licensing. Inquire with your local DMV about any special licensing you may need in order to run a taxi service using your own vehicle. Next, call an insurance expert and find out how much it will cost you to get the proper insurance for your taxi services. You will also need to research your city’s regulations regarding taxi companies.
Once you obtain the information on insurance and regulations, you can formulate a business plan to include the type of vehicle you will need. Do you want to use your family’s minivan or is it prudent to invest in a different vehicle? Another consideration is meters. Do you want to run a metered cab or will you opt to charge flat fees? Meters will need to be professionally installed by a servicing company and rates may be dictated by city officials.
Finally, be creative when thinking about who might use your services. If you only want to work during the day, consider talking to local senior homes or assisted living facilities in your area and see if they want to start a working relationship with you. Most elderly people have daytime doctor appointments, and want to run errands in the afternoon, so they can be home before it gets dark.