"All dreams are possible"
GreyWolf,
There are so many things that you need to get started in your own compant. Let's go through just a few things neccessary.
1. Authority $300.00 to file (this is if you do this yourself) If you have someone else file for you the price is around $800.00
2. Insurance is about $8,000 a year with a hefty portion due upfront
3. DOT Complaince 18 month New Entry Audit..... There is a whole list of things need for that. Driver Qualification records, Maintainence files, you need to join a drug cordordium. Yes even though you are the only driver you need these things. You need to set up an office in your house. DOT will come to your house or office and audit in the first 18 months of business. If you run in just your own sate I do not believe you need all of this......but if you cross state lines and you are in a vehicle of more than 26,000# gross weight than you DO NEED all of the above.
Some other things to think about......Bookeeping,(How much does it cost to run your truck..... how do you know what you need to make?)recordkeeping...what type of program are you going to buy to keep track of jobs/) office expense...faxes,phones,files,... dispatching,(where are the jobs coming from) maintenance,(it has cost us about $500.00 a month to keep the truck on the road..... DOT compliant, Money to run while you are waiting the standard thirty days for checks to start coming in from your customers. Remember you still have to keep your gas tanks full. Then there are all the taxes....IFTA and Single State Registration.
So AFTER you buy your truck all of the above is approx an additional $30,000 dollars. My point here is if you do not have enough money to buy a truck where is all the rest of this money coming from? I do not wnat to discourage you but this is just part of what YOU WILL NEED.
I would take the other advice on this board........drive for someone else and start saving the needed funds. It can be done. We have been running under our own authority for about 6 months.......also....do not expect to make tons of money off one truck. Our insurance payments are about $600.00 a month. We are paying the bills,,,,,,but...probably leased on with a good carrier you should be able to do just as well without all the hassles.
I wish it was as easy as buying a truck and runnning. Just SOME things to think about. Go to the FMSCA site and look at all the rules and regulations. Most think just one truck....I do not need this.....WRONG.....you do need all the above and more.
Good luck......I do wish you the best in whatever decison you come too.
I do not know of where you can get any loans either....even with the SBA you must have decent credit and they like you to be in business for about 2-3 years before they will even consider granting one.
