Although not the most common business travel vehicle, it isn’t out of the ordinary for businesspeople to use recreational vehicles (RVs) for business travel with many entrepreneurs travelling the country in RVs they own themselves and claim expenses on – Yes, that’s right, you can claim the expense of using an RV for business travel if you can prove it’s necessary for your business.

Hiring an RV for a Business Trip

If you’re on business and the best way for you to travel to visit businesses & clients is by road, then hiring an RV for your business trip could very well prove to be an excellent idea, especially if you can claim business expenses.

Not only do you have a vehicle that allows you to take your accommodation with you, which will prove particularly handy if you’re travelling for business in remote or rural areas, but if you hire a decent sized RV for your business trip you’ll also be taking your office with you, not bad at all.

There are a few considerations to take into account when hiring an RV for a business trip, including the following:

1. Speak to your accountant about writing off rental costs as business expenses

If you plan on writing off the rental costs as business expenses you might find it advantageous to speak to your accountant to ensure you can do so.

This is because you’ll need to convince the taxman that hiring an RV for your business trip is a legitimate business expense and therefore that getting behind the wheel of an RV is necessary for your business interests.

Some vehicles might be considered necessary business expenses whilst others won’t, so it’s wise to check.

2. Ensure that you’re insured to drive an RV

As a travelling businessperson you’re no doubt insured, so check with your insurer just to make sure that your travel insurance policy covers you when driving a recreational vehicle.

This usually won’t pose a problem, though fine print is characteristic of insurance policies and you’ll want to make sure you’re covered.

This is especially important if you’re ordinarily covered for roadside assistance and other insurance benefits.

3. Ensure that you’re licensed to drive an RV

Licensing laws differ around the world and whilst you might be licensed to get behind the wheel of a recreational vehicle at home that might not be the case abroad.

Bear in mind that some recreational vehicles are much larger than others, for example the difference between a pop-up campervan and a motorhome can be quite significant, so ensure that you’re licensed to drive the RV you’ve planned on hiring or you could find that there’s a spanner lodged firmly in works when you arrive at the rental agency.

This consideration is especially important to check if you’re planning on hiring a large motorhome, however, you’ll find that campervans and small RVs generally won’t prove to be a problem.

4. Think about suitable vehicles

In addition to insurance and licensing considerations also give some thought to your needs on your upcoming business trip – as you’re travelling for business you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible.

You’ll need to take into account the length of your trip, the average distances you’ll be covering per day, whether you’re travelling solo or with company, whether you need an office space (motorhomes would be best here as they offer plenty of room and a comfortable table to work at), and how often you’ll cook, etc.

5. Source a competitive rental agency

This is especially important for businesspeople who travel frequently and are considering getting behind the wheel of an RV rental on a regular basis for business purposes. Frequent travellers find it advantageous to source a competitive rental agency and stick with them.

Rental rates are likely to be the first thing businesspeople look at, though they should also focus their attention on pick-up and drop-off points to ensure they fit in with their travel plans, the booking process to ensure they’re not going to lose time at the rental agency’s counter filling in the same forms they did the previous occasion, as well as optional extras available for hire.

Time to hit the road!

About the Author:

A company that is both horizontally and vertically integrated, Apollo is one of the top providers of RV rental services in Australia. They also have branches in New Zealand, Canada, and the USA.