How should a mobile dog groomer charge for travel?
25 August 2026·2 min read
Travel occupies the grooming day even when no dog is on the table. Hiding every kilometre inside one service price can make nearby clients subsidise the edge of the map.
Use an included core area, then predictable zones or a quoted isolated-trip fee. The client should know the rule before choosing a time.
Draw the service area from time
Start with the depot or first usual stop. Mark zones by realistic driving time, including the return or onward journey, rather than neat circles that ignore a river crossing or a permanently busy road.
Choose one model:
- Included area: simplest where routes are dense and travel variation is small.
- Zone fee: predictable for regular outer suburbs.
- Quoted trip: appropriate for an isolated address or unusual access.
- Minimum route value: useful when several nearby dogs make the journey viable together.
Work an isolated trip through the hourly target
Suppose an outer booking adds 35 minutes out and 35 minutes back, plus 10 minutes of parking and setup beyond the usual route. That is 80 occupied minutes. At an internal target of $120 per hour, the trip needs to contribute about $160 before extra vehicle costs. Use your own time and cost figures.
You might charge the full amount as travel, set a minimum booking value, or offer the area only on a clustered route day. A kilometre-only fee can miss the part the diary feels most: slow, empty time.
Quote the total clearly
Tell the client their zone, included area, fee or minimum booking rule before confirmation. The ACCC says displayed consumer prices must include unavoidable or pre-selected fees, so don't advertise a service total that every client in that area must exceed.
For a one-off quote, write the grooming service and travel amount separately, then give the total. Record unusual parking, access or ferry costs rather than surprising the owner on the day.
Make the map learn from the route
Review actual drive time, setup, cancellations and revenue by zone. Cluster nearby clients where the route becomes kinder, but don't promise a discount until the group genuinely changes the cost.
Route review card:
- Included area and normal drive time:
- Zone boundaries and fees:
- Isolated-trip calculation:
- Minimum booking or cluster rule:
- Access costs disclosed:
- Next review trigger and date:
A postcode stays the same while roadworks, traffic and the rest of the diary change around it.
Seglo note: Keep location and appointment history together when organising mobile grooming work.