What a courier or delivery run costs to buy
Runs are the smallest fundable business in the transport industry: a territory, a customer base, sometimes a truck, and income from week one. The market is busy and the pricing has patterns. Here they are.
What runs sell for
| What you are buying | Price (recent listings) |
|---|---|
| New courier franchise packages (with income guarantee) | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| Courier territory resales, quiet to prime metro | $7,000 to $210,000 |
| Milk and bread runs, truck included | $79,000 to $330,000 |
| Delivery contracts (vehicle extra) | ~$225,000 on guaranteed income |
| Multi-territory regional franchises | to $950,000 |
How the goodwill prices: Australia publishes no official rule, but the listings themselves cluster around 15 to 40 times weekly gross income for the run, vehicle excluded, a $2,000-a-week territory trading between roughly $30,000 and $80,000 depending on the area and the contract behind it. Treat that as market observation, not law, and buy on the earnings after a real wage for your own hours.
The vehicle convention, check it first
Every listing follows one of two conventions and the price means nothing until you know which. Franchise resales usually split them: goodwill one number, the van at valuation on top, an $80,000 territory with a $53,000 vehicle beside it. Milk and bread runs usually sell walk-in-walk-out with the refrigerated truck in the price, because the truck is specific to the run. Read the listing for the words "vehicle at valuation" before comparing anything.
What to verify before you pay
The contract or franchise agreement behind the income, its remaining term and territory protection; the income guarantee terms on new franchises, typically $2,200 a week plus GST for the first six to twelve months; and the vendor's income claims against bank statements, because run listings are notorious for optimistic arithmetic. Larger listings gate financials behind a confidentiality agreement, which is normal.
Financing a run
The vehicle side is easy: vans and trucks write on chattel mortgage, new or used, including the truck inside a WIWO run purchase. The goodwill side leans on the contract quality and your deposit or property backing. A $150,000 run with truck included runs about $745 a week financed over five years, against run incomes that typically clear that weekly figure several times over. Property-backed borrowers generally price around 6% to 9% p.a. and non-property-backed deals around 9% to 13%, with approvals commonly back in 24 to 48 hours. Start at business acquisition finance, or see van finance for the vehicle side.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a courier run cost to buy?
New franchise packages run $15,000 to $25,000 with income guarantees. Territory resales trade from $7,000 for quiet areas to $210,000 for prime metro runs, and milk or bread runs with trucks included run $79,000 to $330,000.
How is a courier run valued?
No official Australian rule exists; the market's own listings cluster around 15 to 40 times weekly gross income for the goodwill, vehicle excluded, with the contract quality driving where in that band a run lands.
Is the van included when I buy a run?
Depends on the convention: franchise resales usually price the vehicle separately at valuation, while milk and bread runs usually sell walk-in-walk-out with the truck included. Check before comparing prices.
Can I finance a run purchase?
The vehicle writes on standard chattel mortgage; the goodwill component leans on the contract behind the income plus your deposit or property backing.
Run, truck and goodwill, structured
Tell us the run and whether the vehicle is included and we will come back with the structure, usually within a day.
This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.