start up costs????

Not sure about Indiana, I live in Wisconsin. cost should be about the same. Your cargo-Liability insurance, depends on your driving record. My cost is $800 a month,3 months down payment. IRP plates $2000. Trailer plate $100. Ifta permit $15. Are you getting your own authority, Federal was $300-Wisconsin was $500.

 

Yes insurance does vary quite a bit. I have been otr for over 20 year. It depends on the product you transport. One insurance company I looked into would not let me haul any ,zero, steel product. Currently I transport about 70% oversize loads. When I started I only pulled oversize mobile homes. My insurance was a bit higher (double) then. Some insurance companies will let you pay directly to them monthly with only a 10% down payment on annual premium. Their aim is to get a month ahead of coverage so if you don't make a payment they have the current month paid until they cancel your coverage.
I have always carried $1million liability, $100,000 cargo, with a combined $1000 deductible. I like the combined because when you are involved in an accident I have only one total deductible in the amount of $1000 not two $1000 deductibles. 1g for cargo and 1g for liability.
I also forgot to include your HVUT ($1500) that you have to pay in July. If you are an O/O you probably are already paying this. If you don't have proof of paying this tax every year you can not renew your IRP, base plate.
When I got my own authority I had only 2 years experience driving. My situation was unique because the company that I was company driver for hired me as an O/O. They didn't want the hassle of running the truck.

 

Also your IRP, base plate may be different. Each state has their own amount to charge. A good resource for information is the Landline website, OOIDA. I have been a member since I got my license. Some good and some not so good views and information. We all have our own needs. I read almost every trade journal I can find. I subscribe to FleetOwner, Landline, CCj Mass transit just to name a few. All of these have different emphasis in the trade. I believe it is good to get different opinions on every aspect of my business. I even read Broker based forums so I can learn how they look at freight, lanes and transporters.

 

I could not advise you without knowing more than I could learn in this forum. No idea what your business acumen is. Being self-employed is a very demanding position to be in. When you get home, your not "home" because you have all the paperwork to catch up on. No matter what you accomplish on the road there is always paperwork, income taxes, state and federal, IFTA reports quarterly and annually to do. Who is going to get you your loads. Partner or hired help. I have no customers, I get all my loads off the load boards. What kind of equipment and loads. I do really well with a stepdeck, in the winter this freight gets a little scarce. Well decent paying freight anyway. I have a per mile minimum under that I will run empty. Be ###### if I'll let someone make money off my work while I lose money hauling their cheap freight. I have run 500 miles empty to get a decent paying load. Remember I haul a lot of better paying Oversize. If you haul your basic loads of steel, sod, salt, wood and hay what I call earth products, you can't afford to run very far empty. Because they don't pay good.
Another resource you might pursue is getting a business mentor at "Score" this is a website where you can get someone that has business experience to personally guide you with advice. Excellent source.

 

I reside in Florida.
IRP Base Plate for Florida was $1700
IFTA $17
Insurance $725 for 10 months with $2500 down (1,000,000 and 100,000 cargo)
Authority $300
Trailer Cost VARIES depending on operation

What type of trailer are you planning on pulling?