Starting a limo or chauffeur business: the software checklist.
What to set up before your first customer, and what can wait.
Key takeaways
- A booking website with live quotes
- Dispatch and a driver app from day one
- Card payments and automatic receipts
- Customer confirmations and reminders
- A simple way to track licences and insurance
Day-one essentials
- A branded booking page with clear pricing.
- Card payment processing and receipts.
- A way to assign jobs and notify drivers.
- Automatic booking confirmations and reminders to cut no-shows.
Add in the first months
- Corporate accounts and monthly invoicing.
- Airport flight tracking.
- WhatsApp booking for repeat customers.
- Reporting on revenue, utilisation and cancellations.
Compliance and admin
Licensing, insurance and vehicle checks vary by country and city, so confirm requirements with your local licensing authority. Whatever you must hold, track expiry dates in one place so nothing lapses.
Keep costs predictable
Early-stage margins are thin, so avoid per-trip commissions and per-driver fees that grow with every booking. Fixed pricing lets you forecast. Limozoft's Starter booking website is $399 setup plus $10 a month, and Team 5 adds dispatch plus branded passenger and driver apps from $499 setup plus $149 a month. There is no booking commission.
A simple launch plan
- Set vehicle classes and pricing zones.
- Import or add your first drivers and vehicles.
- Publish the booking page and test a full booking.
- Run a pilot week with friendly customers.
- Go live and review reports weekly.
Frequently asked questions
What software do I need to start a limo business?+
At minimum a booking site with quotes, dispatch with a driver app, card payments and automatic confirmations.
Do I need my own app?+
Not on day one. A booking page and a driver app are enough to start. A branded passenger app is a useful later step.
How much does it cost to get set up?+
Limozoft's Starter booking website is $399 one-time setup plus $10 a month; dispatch with branded passenger and driver apps starts at $499 setup plus $149 a month (Team 5, up to 5 chauffeurs). Other costs, such as card processing, are paid to the provider.
How do I reduce no-shows?+
Use automatic confirmations and reminders, and take card details or a deposit at booking.