In-House Fleet vs Outsourced Delivery: The Real Cost Comparison for Brisbane Businesses
Have you ever sat down and worked out exactly what your delivery operations cost you each year?
Not just the fuel and the driver's wage. The whole thing — the truck repayments, the insurance, the registration, the maintenance, the HR time, the days the van sits idle because your driver called in sick, the calls you take when a delivery goes wrong.
This article breaks down the real cost of running your own delivery fleet — and compares it honestly against outsourcing to a dedicated fleet solutions provider. No sales pitch. Just numbers.
It starts simply enough. You buy a van, hire a driver, and start delivering. Feels good — you're in control, it's your operation.
But over time, the costs stack up in ways that don't show up on a single invoice. Here's what you're actually paying for:
Here's a realistic annual cost comparison for a Brisbane business running two delivery vehicles:
| Cost Item | In-House (2 vehicles) | Outsourced Fleet |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle purchase / depreciation | $15,000–$25,000 | $0 |
| Rego, insurance, CTP | $10,000–$14,000 | $0 |
| Driver wages (2 full-time) | $160,000–$190,000 | Included |
| Super + leave + WorkCover | $35,000–$45,000 | $0 |
| Maintenance & repairs | $8,000–$14,000 | $0 |
| Fuel | $18,000–$28,000 | Included |
| Recruitment / HR admin | $5,000–$12,000 | $0 |
| Total estimated annual cost | $251,000–$328,000 | $130,000–$200,000 |
*Outsourced fleet estimate based on dedicated van + driver service at Brisbane market rates.
A lot of business owners hear "outsource your delivery" and picture handing parcels to a random courier platform. That's not what fleet outsourcing is.
A dedicated fleet solution means a partner provides you with your own assigned driver and vehicle — someone who shows up, knows your routes, knows your customers, and operates as if they're part of your team. You're not the employer, you're not maintaining the vehicle, and you're not dealing with HR.
- Dedicated (not shared) driver assigned to your runs
- Clear SLA commitments for delivery windows
- Tail-lift capability if your freight requires it
- Local presence and knowledge of Brisbane/SEQ routes
- Transparent pricing — no surprise surcharges
- Very low volume (under 20 deliveries/week) and a casual driver works fine
- Deliveries require highly specialised handling no external provider can match
- Volume is too unpredictable to commit to a service contract
Outside of these scenarios, the economics almost always favour outsourcing.
It's not "can we afford to outsource?" — it's "can we afford not to?"
If your current setup costs $280,000 a year and a dedicated fleet solution delivers the same service for $160,000, that's $120,000 staying in your business every year. That's a warehouse upgrade, two new sales hires, or a full year of marketing spend.
77 Freight provides dedicated fleet solutions across Brisbane and SEQ — assigned drivers, tail-lift trucks, and fixed weekly rates with no hidden charges.
Get a Free Fleet Quote →77 Freight Transport — Underwood QLD 4119 | Serving Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay to Gympie