Tank fill/delivery service

[Hapytruck01]

I was thinking today of starting a air tank refill delivery service. I would pick up the tanks at the customers home or dock/marina and get them filled at the scuba shop; Then I would deliver it to the customer.

Do you think there is a market for this?

How much do you think would be a fair price to charge per tank? Would you pay for this.

The reason I thought of this is because, I was at my local scuba shop and realized there were on average of 50 tanks waiting to be picked up and there were multiple tanks 1-10 for each customer. For the customer they have to load each of the tanks from their boat into their truck, drive to the scuba shop, drop them off, drive home, wait, drive back to the shop, load them in their truck, unload them into their boat.

I want to offer:

Air Fills and Equipment Service

Air Fill
Tank Inspection-Visual Plus
Hydrostatic Tank Test
Bead Blast/Tumble
Burst Disc Replacement
Tank Valve Overhaul
Regulator Overhaul
BC Overhaul

Nitrox Fills and Services

Nitrox Fills (up to 40%)
Tank O2 Cleaned, Labeled and Filled
Nitrox Tank Inspection -Visual Plus
Nitrox Tank Wrap
Regulator O2 Clean and Overhaul

Viton O-Rings

Standard Sizes
Tank Neck #214

I would be making money and so would the scuba shop. Its a win win situation. It will also make it easier for the customers.

Thanks for reading all this.
-Eric

 

[ckaspar]

I don't know. I would be more apt to use an airfill service that came to meet me at the dive site with a compressor in an enclosed trailer so that if I wanted to do another dive I would not have to completely dry off to go to the LDs to get more air. (p.s. I only have on tank right now) or maybe do fills at my house if I am planning on doing a dive tomorrow I may call you out to fill my tank(s) today so I can save time not going to the LDS tomorrow.

Whenever I dive I generally fill my tank on the day I dive. I rarely keep my tank at the LDS. I am willing to wait the 15 or so minutes.

Hey, you could also keep little dive knick-knacks like save a dive kits for the impulse buyer.

Just my thoughts.

 

[mike_s]

I think this sounds like a great idea, but I doubt most divers would be willing to pay what actual cartage costs would be for you realistically to make a profit.

You do know that you have to consider yourself a comercial HAZMAT hauler and will have to have a CDL with HAZMAT certifications/endorsements to haul high pressure compressed cylinders don't you? That includes plackards (signs) to put on the outside of your vehicle/truck stating the code number for the HAZMAT material that you are hauling. You will also have to have HAZMAT material manifests, liceneses, insurance, etc.

Since you're a commerical hauler, you'll have to put the diamond gas labels on all the cylinders also....



See http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/handbooks/Commercial/3section_207.html

and http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/handbooks/cdl/en



Not trying to burst your bubble here, it's just to do it right and
within the law will get expensive and drive your per-unit-delivery-costs
up to where it may not be feasable.

 

[Hoosier]

Depending on how much you ask....... the average rate in my area is $5 per tank. It is $4/tank with the air card. How much do you want to add more $ to the rate?

It costs $1 more per tank, I have a willingness to pay. But, it costs $4 more, I don't think so.

In addition, the dive sites will equip their own fill station more and more because it is another money source for them. I think many divers prefer on site refill.

Sure, the commerical site diver is still open market for you though.

 

[The Kraken]

And then there is the issue of nitrox fills. You have a third party thrown into the equation when it comes to signing for the EAN% fill.

the K

 

[Web Monkey]

Unless you have a very small territory, the cost to send a truck anywhere around a city is around $25 (avg. for fuel, insurance, depreciation, driver, etc.)

Since you plan on offering pickup and dropoff, that would raise it to $50.

You might find it more profitable to bring the air to the customer and fill the tank there. It takes longer, but not as long as a second trip.

Terry

I was thinking today of starting a air tank refill delivery service. I would pick up the tanks at the customers home or dock/marina and get them filled at the scuba shop; Then I would deliver it to the customer.

Do you think there is a market for this?

How much do you think would be a fair price to charge per tank? Would you pay for this.


-Eric

 

[Hoosier]

Ok, let me give another idea. You can make a pool for tank owndership like a condominium ownership. You have 100 AL80 tanks and each customer pays it for the tanks (whatever they want) and has an account, but not only for a certain tank. You just switch the filled tank when they bring the empty one. In that case, you take care of all maintenances including VIP and Hydro, even O-rings. Ooops, it is my future business idea though.... LOL~~~.

 

[spectrum]

Ok, let me give another idea. You can make a pool for tank owndership like a condominium ownership. You have 100 AL80 tanks and each customer pays it for the tanks (whatever they want) and has an account, but not only for a certain tank. You just switch the filled tank when they bring the empty one. In that case, you take care of all maintenances including VIP and Hydro, even O-rings. Ooops, it is my future business idea though.... LOL~~~.

That's the business model I have for my MIG welder gas cylinder.

Pete

 

[Hapytruck01]

I think this sounds like a great idea, but I doubt most divers would be willing to pay what actual cartage costs would be for you realistically to make a profit.

You do know that you have to consider yourself a comercial HAZMAT hauler and will have to have a CDL with HAZMAT certifications/endorsements to haul high pressure compressed cylinders don't you? That includes plackards (signs) to put on the outside of your vehicle/truck stating the code number for the HAZMAT material that you are hauling. You will also have to have HAZMAT material manifests, liceneses, insurance, etc.

Since you're a commerical hauler, you'll have to put the diamond gas labels on all the cylinders also....



See http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/handboo...ection_207.html

and http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool...andbooks/cdl/en



Not trying to burst your bubble here, it's just to do it right and
within the law will get expensive and drive your per-unit-delivery-costs
up to where it may not be feasable.



Yea so how do people that pick up their tanks, on the way to their home not get introuble? They would be carrying the same thing and have no signs.

 

[The Kraken]

"Yea so how do people that pick up their tanks, on the way to their home not get introuble? They would be carrying the same thing and have no signs"

. . . they're not doing it for commercial purposes.

the K