What a pallet run costs
Most carriers make you ring for a number. Here is the starting point so you can work out whether it stacks up before you pick up the phone. Every job is confirmed with a firm quote before the truck moves.
Local — Western Sydney
From $180 + GSTSingle or double pallet between suburbs like St Marys, Eastern Creek, Wetherill Park, Erskine Park, Smithfield, Blacktown and Penrith.
Blue Mountains & Lithgow
From $450 + GSTPallet and commercial freight up the mountains, including Springwood, Katoomba, Blackheath and Lithgow.
Dedicated vehicle
From $95/hrMinimum 2 hours. Warehouse transfers, multi-drop runs and jobs where the truck stays with you for the day.
Regional NSW
Quoted per jobBathurst, Orange, Parkes, Dubbo, Newcastle and beyond, priced on distance, freight and return travel.
What moves the price up or down
- Forklift at both ends. Forklift-to-forklift is the cheapest and fastest way to move a pallet. No forklift means another arrangement, and that costs more.
- Distance and return travel. A one-way run into an area with no backload has to carry the return leg.
- Waiting time. Sites that hold the truck at the gate add cost. Booking a delivery window helps.
- Weight and footprint. Overhanging or unusually heavy pallets change how they are restrained.
- Timing. Same-day and after-hours work is priced separately and depends on truck availability.
How much actually fits on the truck
Straight answer, because “it depends” does not help you plan a delivery. KDS runs one Hino flat-top tray, owner-driven.
A standard Australian pallet is 1165mm × 1165mm. On a 3.2 × 2.2 metre tray that means two standard pallets, loaded, strapped and legal, with room for the restraint gear that keeps them there. Two is the maximum — this is a dedicated single-job truck, not a multi-drop network vehicle. Weight is usually the limit before space is: with 1,800 kg of usable payload, a two-pallet load works cleanly when each pallet sits at or under about 900 kg.
Oversized, overweight or awkwardly shaped freight gets an honest no rather than a squeeze onto the wrong vehicle. If a bigger truck is the right answer, Tyson will tell you on the phone instead of wasting your morning.
Not sure if your load fits? Send a photo with the dimensions through the quote form. That is usually a 30-second answer.
A taxi truck, not a pallet network
Both move pallets. They are completely different products, and picking the wrong one is where deliveries go missing. Here is the honest comparison, including where a network beats KDS.
| KDS — dedicated taxi truck | Pallet network / general freight | |
|---|---|---|
| Handling | Loaded once, unloaded once. Same truck the whole way. | Cross-docked through depots, often two or three times. |
| Timing | Same-day and booked windows. You know when it lands. | Next-day to several days, depending on the run. |
| Who you speak to | Tyson, the driver, from booking through to delivery. | A call centre, then a dispatcher, then hopefully a driver. |
| Damage risk | Lower. Fewer touches, one person accountable. | Higher. Every transfer is a chance to knock a corner off. |
| Best value on | 1–2 pallets, urgent freight, sensitive or awkward loads, repeat local runs. | Long-haul interstate, high volume, freight where the date is flexible. |
| Cost | Higher per pallet over long distance. | Cheaper per pallet at volume and over distance. |
The short version: if the pallet has to be somewhere today, or it is fragile, or a missed delivery holds up a site, a dedicated truck is worth the difference. If you are sending twenty pallets to Perth next week, use a network, and KDS will say so.
Who books pallet runs with KDS
Regular customers
- Warehouses moving stock between sites or to customers
- Manufacturers sending finished goods to trade buyers
- Importers clearing pallets out of a container unpack
- Building suppliers getting materials to commercial sites
- Businesses whose regular carrier let them down that morning
Typical jobs
- One pallet, Eastern Creek to Penrith, needed this afternoon
- Weekly warehouse transfer on a standing booking
- Two pallets of stock to a trade customer in Blacktown
- Urgent replacement freight after a supplier missed a drop
- Regular Friday run for a manufacturer clearing the week’s orders
Example runs and what they cost
Real routes KDS covers regularly, priced as a guide. Your job is confirmed with a firm quote before dispatch.
What goes on the tray — and what does not
Freight KDS moves
- Palletised stock
- Cartons strapped to pallets
- Warehouse transfers
- Packaged manufactured goods
- Building materials
- Steel and fabrication
- Workshop equipment
- Commercial goods
Freight KDS does not take
- Household removals
- Furniture moves
- Refrigerated goods
- Perishables
- Hazardous goods
- Dangerous chemicals
- Explosives
- Over-capacity loads
Booking a pallet run
Send the load details
Both addresses, pallet count, dimensions, weight, forklift availability and a photo if you have one. Photos cut quote time roughly in half.
Get a firm number
Tyson checks suitability, access and timing, then comes back with a fixed price, usually within 15 to 30 minutes in business hours.
Lock the window
Confirm pickup and delivery times, site contacts and any gate or induction requirements before the truck rolls.
Tyson runs the job
One driver, one point of contact, updates as it happens. If something changes on the road you hear it from the person driving.
Pallet delivery questions, answered
How much does it cost to deliver one pallet in Western Sydney?
Local Western Sydney pallet runs start from $180 + GST for a forklift-to-forklift job between nearby suburbs. Price moves with distance, weight, loading arrangements, waiting time and urgency. You get a firm quote before anything is booked.
How many pallets can the truck carry?
Two standard 1165mm pallets, maximum, on the 3.2 × 2.2 metre flat-top tray, properly strapped and restrained. The Hino runs a 4,495 kg GVM with 1,800 kg of usable payload, so weight is generally the limiting factor before floor space, at around 900 kg per pallet on a full load.
Is this the same as a taxi truck?
Yes. Taxi truck is what most Western Sydney warehouses call it — a dedicated truck and driver hired for your job alone, rather than freight consigned into a network and moved through depots. Your pallet is loaded once, travels on its own, and is unloaded at the other end by the same driver.
Do I need a forklift?
Forklift-to-forklift is strongly preferred and it is the fastest, cheapest way to move a pallet. If one end does not have a forklift, say so when you request the quote. Alternative loading can sometimes be arranged, but it must be agreed before booking and it affects the price.
Can you deliver a pallet the same day?
Often yes, when the truck, route and freight line up. Same-day work is quoted individually and depends on availability. Calling 0412 994 805 is faster than the form for genuinely urgent freight.
Do you have a tail lift?
No. KDS runs a flat-top tray, which is why forklift-to-forklift work suits it best. If your freight needs a tail lift or hydraulic loading, Tyson will tell you straight away rather than turning up unable to do the job.
Can I book a regular weekly run?
Yes, and it is the work KDS is built for. Standing bookings for warehouse transfers, supplier collections and scheduled customer deliveries are available, priced on route, time and frequency. Regular runs mean the driver already knows your sites, gates and unloading arrangements.
Which suburbs do you cover?
The core area is Western Sydney — St Marys, Penrith, Blacktown, Wetherill Park, Smithfield, Eastern Creek, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Mount Druitt and Parramatta — plus the Blue Mountains and Lithgow. Regional NSW including Bathurst, Orange, Parkes, Dubbo and Newcastle is available by arrangement. Sydney CBD and inner metro are not serviced.
How quickly will I get a quote?
Usually 15 to 30 minutes during business hours, Monday to Friday 7:00am to 6:00pm, when you have supplied both addresses, dimensions, weight, pallet count and forklift details. Attaching a photo of the load is the single fastest way to get a firm number back.
Pallet delivery in Western Sydney: the short version
- Service: Dedicated flat-top taxi truck for pallet delivery and warehouse freight. Also known as a taxi truck, hot shot delivery or single-pallet courier.
- Operator: KDS Transport Services, an owner-driver business based in St Marys NSW 2760. Every job is driven by the owner, Tyson.
- Capacity: 2 standard 1165mm pallets maximum, 1,800 kg usable payload, on a 3.2m × 2.2m Hino flat-top tray (4,495 kg GVM). No tail lift.
- Price: Local Western Sydney from $180 + GST. Blue Mountains and Lithgow from $450 + GST. Dedicated vehicle from $95 per hour, minimum 2 hours. Regional NSW quoted per job.
- Quote time: A firm, fixed price within 15–30 minutes during business hours, Monday to Friday 7:00am–6:00pm.
- Area: St Marys, Penrith, Blacktown, Wetherill Park, Smithfield, Eastern Creek, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Mount Druitt, Parramatta, the Blue Mountains and Lithgow. Regional NSW by arrangement. Sydney CBD and inner metro not serviced.
- Not carried: Household removals, furniture, refrigerated or perishable goods, hazardous goods, dangerous chemicals, explosives, and any load over capacity.
- Contact: 0412 994 805 or info@k-dstransport.com.
Get a firm quote on your pallet run
Fill this in and Tyson comes back with a fixed price, usually within 15–30 minutes in business hours. Attaching a photo of the freight is the quickest way to a firm number.
Pallet delivery across Western Sydney
Based in St Marys and running the industrial estates daily.