As a courier, your vehicle is going to be the most important investment for your business.

With the average courier spending around 30 hours a week on the road, the vehicle is your office, your transport, and your team all in one: without it, business could not happen.

So if you’re just starting out as a courier, what should you be looking for in a car, van or truck? Sometimes it can seem easy to use your personal car, or a rented van – but thinking ahead, you will need to make sure it is a feasible long-term option.

Here’s our checklist of the top five points you need to consider when looking for a courier vehicle.

Reliability

As a new business, it can be tempting to take the cheap option. A second hand truck or hand-me-down car could seem like the quickest way to get your business off the ground, but it could actually slow you down.

As a courier, you are trading in speed and reliability. Customers want to know you are going to get their delivery made on time, every time. If your vehicle breaks down, your reputation and brand will be damaged: people are fickle with customer loyalty, so is this a risk you really want to take?

Easy Handling

If there’s one thing you should know about being a courier, it’s getting into tight spaces! Working in urban centers or corporate buildings, your goal is to get in and out as quickly as possible – and often that can mean finding yourself in sticky situations!

Have a vehicle with a tight turning circle and responsive handling will make it easy to manoeuvre, which is exactly what you’re going to need. Bulky, slow, or stiff vehicles will make it impossible to squeeze into tight city spaces.

Fuel Economy

Just as other businesses have overheads, yours is the cost of fuell. So, making sure your vehicle has efficient fuel economy will save you thousands. Do your research with various brands before purchasing, and have a look through some online forums – experience is most trustworthy than sales ploys!

Safety

This is by far the most important factor when considering a new vehicle. Make sure you have rear parking sensors and rear cameras, and large rear view mirrors to monitor getting into tight and busy car spaces.

Bluetooth connectivity will enable hands-free and safe driving whilst out working, and the back doors (if a truck or van) should have automatic locking systems to avoid any accidents should stock slide around.

Your vehicle should also be equipped with airbags and electronic stability control for maximum safety. If it’s secondhand, make sure it has road-safety certification from a third party before purchasing.

Large load capacity

Depending on what industry you hope to work in, you will need to ensure your vehicle has the capacity to take on whatever is thrown its way!

This means checking that the vehicle has barn doors at the rear, or large sliding doors on the slide for easy access. Checking the roof height inside the vehicle is also important if you will be looking to cart large loads.

Making sure you choose the right kind of vehicle for your courier business is a very important decision. It pays to take your time, and find a car, truck, or van that you can hang onto for many years to come.