How To Start a Trucking Company

You have been driving a truck for your employer for some time and are ready to open your own company. There are many steps you have to complete, such as licensing and insurance, before you can put your vehicles on the road. Here are some items to cover to get started.

Apply For Licensing

Before you can open your doors for customers, you will need to have several certifications in place. If you have yet to do so, register for commercial truck driving classes and, when you are finished, test for your CDL license. Once you have that, apply for your United State Department of Transportation, or USDOT, number. This allows officials to know which company your employees drive for when they must have an inspection done or they are audited. You must also get a business license to operate your company and other identification numbers, such as sales tax, before you begin accepting clients.

Insure Your Business

Contact your agent to get a quote on both business and truck insurance meridian id. Many aspects of your company, including the permission from the Department of Transportation to operate, will require that you have the proper coverage. Explain what types of materials you intend to transport, how many employees you want to have, what jobs they will do, and how many vehicles you will be purchasing. You will be provided with the options available to you and the cost for what you need. Be sure to get quotes from several organizations before you decide on the one that works best for you.

Establish a Business Plan

Take a moment to think about what you want to do as a company. Record your goals and a general time frame to accomplish them. Determine how much money you will require and where you intend to get your financing. List potential customers and their contact information so that you can reach out to them. Keep this documentation handy and easily accessible and refer back to it when you need to.