Where to start new trucking business?

It depends on where you are, what kind of freights available in your area. I started out one year ago and based on my experiences the #1 advise I can give you is DO NOT run a pickup truck, you WILL REGRET IT. For the budget that you have $40k you can have a setup like Hulld's

Trying to make a silk purse out of my max 6

With this setup you can haul cars, cars are always available just the pay fluctuates depending on where you want to run. You can add a 40' gooseneck flatbed to run hotshot freight, and an end dump trailer it would broaden your varieties.

 

I ignored the other stuff for a reason.

First off the credit doesn't matter, you can lose that with no issues.

Credit means credit cards to me and should not be used.

What you need is capital that you can make liquid within a day, that can be other things than say a bank account.

Second hot shot, straight truck and all other things don't matter. they are thin margin ventures and subject to high competition with little flexibility. Forget them for now.

Third, I would before pulling the trigger on anything is to stop researching and get driving. Lose the dreams of owning trucks until maybe your second or third year on the road. AND do it with the attitude that you will become an expert of everything but driving - you need driving skills first, business skills second.

This will allow you to leverage some of that experience into a niche where the money is. Just because people say "oh get into flat bed you will make lots of green" or "you'll make millions with a reefer", it just doesn't always work that way.

If you are planning on anything, plan on making a plan and leave the niche for just before you are actually ready to fill the authority paper work out.

 

Whoever won't give you a quote isn't worth dealing with. Call Progressive. They'll give you a rough estimate which should be more than enough to start planning financially. Expect anywhere from 12-20k a year.

 

Insurance will cost 18g+.
Used equipment, luck of the draw.
New equipment is the same, just with a higher monthly payment.

Only you know if your ready to go on your own. I suggest more driving experience. Find out if otr is in your bones or not.
Good luck.

 

I second that. Call progressive. Find an ad for a truck that is same make model and year that you are looking for and write down the vin on the ad. Use that vin when you call progressive for the quote.

 

Don't even need a VIN. Just give them a year, make and model.

 

Getting a quote out of Progressive without a DOT or MC number depends on which state you live in. Progressive is getting tough on new DOT's and at least where I live in California, they won't quote anybody in business less than 3 years. Many companies are doing that because so many new drivers are failing at the business and having too many accidents.

As if it wasn't already difficult enough to start a new trucking company, this makes it much more difficult.