startup trucking company business plan

Trucking Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Trucking Company Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your trucking business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their trucking companies.

Trucking Business Plan Example

Below is a sample trucking business plan template to help you write a trucking business plan for your own company.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

On The Road Trucking (OTRT) is a new trucking company located in Dallas, Texas. The company was founded by Michael Williams, a trucking and logistics professional who has over 20 years of management experience in trucking and logistics. Michael is confident in his ability to effectively negotiate contracts, oversee drivers and employees, and minimize costs as he ventures out to start his own trucking company. Michael plans on recruiting a team of highly qualified drivers, sales representatives, client relationship managers, and dispatchers to carry out the day-to-day operations of the company.  

On The Road Trucking will provide a comprehensive array of trucking and logistics services for any business or individual in need of freight distribution. OTRT will use the latest technology to ensure that every shipment is distributed efficiently and handled with the best of care. On The Road Trucking will be the ultimate choice in the Dallas, Texas area for customized trucking services.

Product Offering

The following are the services that On The Road Trucking will provide:

• Dedicated fleet services
• Flatbed transportation services
• Local distribution services
• Logistics services
• Warehousing services

Customer Focus

On The Road Trucking will target all businesses and individuals in need of freight services. OTRT will begin by targeting small business owners in need of distribution services and individuals in need of shipping services who may not be able to get service from a larger trucking company because their shipment size is too small. No matter the client, On The Road Trucking will deliver a customer-centric experience where they will customize each shipment to match the customer’s specific requirements. 

Management Team

On The Road Trucking will be owned and operated by Michael Williams. He has recruited another experienced trucking professional and former CPA, Steve Brown to be the CFO of the new company and manage the financial oversight of the accounting department. 

Michael Williams is a graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He has been working at a local trucking company for over two decades as a Transportation Manager, and is well-versed in all aspects of the trucking industry. Micheal’s organizational skills and customer-first approach have garnered his reputation for being a cost-effective logistics manager with high standards for customer service. 

Steve Brown has been the accounting manager for a local trucking company for over ten years. Prior to his experience in trucking, Steve worked as a CPA in a local tax firm. Michael relies strongly on Steve’s attention to detail, diligence, and focus on cost-saving solutions.

Success Factors

On The Road Trucking will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Proactive, helpful, and highly qualified team of sales representatives and dispatchers that are able to effectively navigate the journey of both customers and drivers. 
• Customized service that allows for a small business or an individual to have their requirements accommodated. On The Road Trucking takes care of everything from truck inspections and maintenance to scheduling drivers, loading/unloading, and short-and-long range distribution. 
• On The Road Trucking offers the best pricing for customized and small shipments compared to the competition.

Financial Highlights

On The Road Trucking is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to launch its trucking business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the warehouse and purchasing the trucks. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Warehouse build-out: $50,000
• Trucks, equipment, and supplies:  $20,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities):  $180,000
• Marketing costs: $30,000
• Working capital:  $20,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for On The Road Trucking.

Company Overview

Who is on the road trucking .

On The Road Trucking is a newly established trucking company in Dallas, Texas. On The Road Trucking will be the most reliable, secure, and efficient choice for small business owners and individuals in Dallas and the surrounding communities. OTRT will provide a personalized approach to trucking services for anyone in need of freight transportation. Their full-service approach includes comprehensive truck driver oversight, short-distance distribution, small shipments, and customized service.   

  On The Road Trucking’s team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in trucking and logistics operations. OTRT removes all headaches that come with dealing with trucking companies and ensures all issues are taken care off expeditiously while delivering the best customer service.

On The Road Trucking History

OTRT is owned and operated by Michael Williams, a long-time trucking and logistics professional who has a Business Management degree. He worked at a local trucking company for over two decades where he served as Lead Transportation Manager for the last five years, and is well-versed in all aspects of the trucking and transportation industry. Micheal used his industry expertise to reach out to potential customers who may need small-size distribution services that are not offered by larger trucking businesses and letting them know about the services OTRT will offer. 

Since incorporation, On The Road Trucking has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered On The Road Trucking, LLC to transact business in the state of Texas. 
• Identified the target location for the warehouse. 
• Contacted numerous small businesses to let them know about the services that will be offered. 
• Began recruiting drivers, sales representatives, and dispatchers. 

On The Road Trucking Services

The following will be the services On The Road Trucking will provide:

Industry Analysis

As the primary source of land freight distribution in the United States, the trucking industry is a $730B industry. 

There are approximately 900,000 available truck drivers across the country. The demand for drivers is much higher than the supply, which means there is a lot of opportunity for new companies to recruit people to become truck drivers by offering them better incentives than currently being offered by larger trucking companies. Additionally, a new trend in trucking is the increasing popularity of shorter or local hauls compared to long-distance. This poses an opportunity for companies to cater to the customers demanding short-distance hauls. 

Some challenges for trucking industry operators include rising fuel costs and an increased use of online booking and monitoring technology, which can leave traditional companies behind if they are using outdated systems. New entrants can benefit from using the latest technology from the outset, providing drivers with incentives to work with them, and implementing cost-effective solutions to reduce their fuel costs. 

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

On The Road Trucking will target anyone in need of trucking services in Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas. Primarily, the company will target small businesses and individuals that may need local distribution or have small size hauls.  Below is a snapshot of this market.

Customer Segmentation

OTRT will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Small business owners
• Small manufacturing companies
• Individuals in need of freight transportation services

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

On The Road Trucking will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A company description of each competitor is below.  

Texas Truck Services

Texas Truck Services provides trucking services, logistics services, freight distribution, and warehousing services. Located in Dallas, Texas Truck Services offers local service to the Dallas area. Texas Truck Services’s team of experienced professionals assures the hauls are run smoothly, freeing the customer from worry over whether their shipments will arrive on time and in good condition.   

US Trucking & Logistics

US Trucking & Logistics is a Dallas-based trucking and logistics company that provides freight distribution services for small businesses across Texas. The management team is composed of former truck drivers and business management professionals who are familiar with the trucking industry in Texas. US Trucking & Logistics uses electric vehicles to reduce its fuel costs, which allows the company to pass these savings on to its customers.   

Best Trucking

Best Trucking is a trusted Dallas-based trucking company that provides superior trucking and logistics service to customers in Dallas and the surrounding areas. Best Trucking provides shipping, receiving, packaging, and disposal services. The Best Trucking team of logistics experts ensures that each shipment is delivered with the highest security standards and that the entire freight process is smooth and seamless for its customers.   

Competitive Advantage

On The Road Trucking will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of trucking and logistics experts with extensive experience in the field. 
• Use of the latest trucking and logistics technology to ensure each haul is handled with the best of care and delivered efficiently. 
• On The Road Trucking offers local distribution and takes small hauls that may be denied by larger trucking companies. 

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

On The Road Trucking will offer the following unique value propositions to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled employees that is able to provide a comprehensive set of trucking services (shipping, receiving, monitoring, short-distance, small hauls).
• Customized approach to freight distribution, leveraging technology and flexibility to provide the highest quality of service to its customers. 

Promotions Strategy 

The promotions strategy for On The Road Trucking is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals Michael Williams has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and expertise to his clients. Once Michael advised them he was leaving to open his own trucking business, they committed to follow him to his new company and help spread the word of On The Road Trucking.

Professional Associations and Networking On The Road Trucking will become a member of Texas Trucking Association (TTA), and American Trucking Association (ATA). They will focus their networking efforts on expanding their client network.

Print Advertising On The Road Trucking will invest in professionally designed print ads to include in industry publications.

Website/SEO Marketing On The Road Trucking will utilize their in-house marketing director that designed their print ads to also design their website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all their services. The website will also list their contact information and provide information for people looking to become drivers. The marketing director will also manage the company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Dallas trucking company” or “trucking near me”, On The Road Trucking will be listed at the top of the search results.  

The pricing of On The Road Trucking will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their services. 

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for On The Road Trucking.

Operation Functions:

• Michael Williams will be the Co-Owner and President of the company. He will oversee all staff and manage client relations. Michael has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Steve Brown – Co-Owner and CFO who will be responsible for overseeing the accounts payable, accounts receivable, and managing the accounting department. 
• Beth Davis – Staff Accountant will provide all client accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting. She will report directly to Steve Brown. 
• Tim Garcia – Marketing Manager who will provide all marketing, advertising, and PR for OTRT.
• John Anderson – Safety Manager who will provide oversight on all maintenance and safety inspections of the vehicles and drivers. 

Milestones:

On The Road Trucking will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

7/1/2022 – Finalize lease on warehouse

7/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the management team

8/1/2022 – Finalize contracts for sales representatives, dispatchers, and initial drivers

9/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events 

10/22/2022 – Begin moving into On The Road Trucking warehouse and securing trucks

11/1/2022 – On The Road Trucking opens for business

Michael Williams is a graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He has been working at a local trucking company for over two decades, most recently as a Transportation Manager, and is well-versed in all aspects of the trucking industry. Micheal’s organizational skills and customer-first approach have garnered his reputation for being a cost-effective logistics manager with high standards for customer service. 

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for On The Road Trucking are the trucking fees they will charge to the customers for their services. Most trucking companies charge a per-mile rate. Average per-mile rates vary, but are typically between $2.30-3.30. 

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a trucking operation. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, fuel and maintenance for the trucks, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Trucks in Fleet: 10
• Average Fees per Truck per Month: $20,000
• Warehouse Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Trucking Business Plan FAQs

What is a trucking business plan.

A trucking business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your trucking business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your trucking business plan using our Trucking Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Trucking Companies?

There are a number of different kinds of trucking companies, some examples include: For- Hire Truckload Carriers, Less Than Truckload Carriers, Hotshot Truckers, Household Movers and Inter-Modal trucking.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Trucking Business Plan?

Trucking companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. This is true for a business plan for a trucking company and a transportation business plan.

What are the Steps To Start a Trucking Business?

Starting a trucking business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster. 

1. Develop A Trucking Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed trucking business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. Starting a trucking company business plan should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your trucking business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your trucking business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Trucking Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your trucking business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your trucking business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Trucking Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your trucking business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your trucking business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful trucking business:

• How to Start a Trucking Business

Where Can I Get a Trucking Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free trucking business plan template PDF here . This is a sample trucking business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Trucking Company Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Transportation Industry » Trucking

Are you about starting a trucking company ? If YES, here’s a complete sample trucking business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE. Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a trucking business.

We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample trucking company marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for trucking businesses. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

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A Sample Trucking Company Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The trucking industry plays a very important role in the economy of the world; they provide essential services to the united states economy by transporting large quantities of raw materials, machines, equipment, dirt, rocks, building materials, and finished goods over land—typically from manufacturing plants to retail distribution centers and from warehouses to construction sites.

As matter of fact, heavy duty trucks are indispensable in the construction industry. The trucking industry is responsible for the majority of freight movement over land, and is a major stakeholder in the manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries in the United States of America and in other parts of the world.

In the United States, Large trucks and buses drivers require a commercial driver’s license (CDL) before they can be permitted to operate. The activities in the trucking industry is regulated by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

They ensure that drivers and trucking companies adhere to safety rules and regulations and also that potential truck drivers undergo special training on how to handle large vehicle before applying and obtaining their commercial driver’s license (CDL).

Statistics has it that food and food products, lumber or wood products, as well as petroleum or coal account for 34.8 percent of truck traffic in the United States and by volume, clay, glass, concrete and stone, farm products, as well as petroleum and coal account for 35.6 percent of truck traffic.

The advancement in technology in areas such as computers, satellite communication, and the internet, have contributed immensely to the growth of the industry. The advancement in technology is responsible for increase of productivity of trucking companies operations, it helps them effectively monitor their trucks and their drivers and it helps driver save time and effort.

The trucking industry is not restricted to trailers or large trucks hauling goods from destination to another via interstate highways, it also involves smaller trucks that helps transport smaller quantity of goods from one destination within a city to another destination within same city.

Trucking business is not only about transporting goods over a long distance. As a matter of fact, in the U.S. about 66 percent of truck tonnage moves distances of 100 miles or less; local and regional hauls account for almost half of all truck revenues and are they are the preferred choice for private carriers.

No doubt starting and operating a trucking business can be challenging, but the truth is that it can be rewarding at the same time. One good thing about the industry is that it is open for both big time investors who have the capacity to start the business with fleet of trucks and aspiring entrepreneurs who may one to start with just one truck.

2. Executive Summary

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. is a trucking company that will be based in 10548 SD Highway 32 Belle Fourche South Dakota.

We will provide daily freight services (trucking services, moving services & supplies, and bulk material sales & supplies) on one skid to full truckloads to and from South Dakota, North Dakota, Southern Illinois; St Louis, Missouri; Southeast Missouri; Evansville, IN; Nashville, Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee and Chicago land areas et al.

We will also provide cross docking, warehousing, lift gate and specialized van service in South Dakota, North Dakota, Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky.

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. has been able to secure all relevant licenses and permits to operate throughout the United States and Canada.

We will ensure that we abide by the rules and regulations of the trucking industry and we will only hire experienced and qualified drivers with valid commercial driver’s license (CDL).Our customers and potential customers alike can be rest assured that they will get quality services at competitive rates.

We will go the extra mile to ensure the safety of goods under our care and our customers get value for their money. At Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. our goal is to provide excellent service to our customers and we pride ourselves on the integrity and competence of our company and our employees.

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. will ensure that all our deliveries are on time and we supersede the expectation of our customers. We will only put trucks that are in top shape on the road, and all our drivers will be trained to be courteous, friendly and to abide by the rules and regulations of the industry.

We will maintain and take proper care of our drivers as well as our trucks and equipment.Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. is a family business; it is owned by Terry Granville and family. Terry Granville is an investor who has an interest in the trucking industry.

The company will be fully financed by Terry Granville and he will be the founding chief operating officer of the company. Terry Granville has a diploma in Transport and Logistics Management and his has over 5 years of experience in the transportation industry.

3. Our Products and Services

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. is a company that looks forward to deliver excellent services in terms of helping our customers move goods and equipment from one destination to another destination. We want to be known as the trucking company that truly care for her customers. Our business offering are listed below;

• Moving supplies
• All furniture quilt-wrapped for protection
• On-time pickup and delivery
• Home and office movement
• Local and long distance movement
• Heavy duty equipment movement
• Excavators movement
• Bulldozers movement
• Construction equipment movement
• Agricultural equipment movement
• Movement of oil and gas products

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to become one of the preferred choices of individual and organization when it comes to the demand for trucking services in the whole of the United States of America.
• Our mission is to ensure that we build a trucking company that will operate in the whole of the United States of America and Canada; a company that will boast of having some of the best and reliable truck drivers in the whole of the United States of America.

Our Business Structure

Our business structure will be designed in such a way that it can accommodate but full – time employees and part – time / contract staff; those who just want to take some time off to generate additional incomes.

We intend starting the business with a handful of full time employees (drivers and back office staff) and some of the available driving roles fill be handled by qualified contract drivers. Adequate provision and competitive packages has been prepared for all our employees.

For now, we will contract the maintenance of our trucks to service provider. This is because we don’t intend to maintain a very large overhead from the onset. But as soon as the business grow and stabilize, we will assemble our own in – house maintenance team. Below is the business structure and the roles that will be available at Terry Granville Truck Service, Inc.;

• Chief Operating Officer (Owner)

Admin and HR Manager

Transport and Logistics Manager

Business Developer

• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer (Owner):

• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for the day to day running of the business
• Responsible for handling high profile clients and deals
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization at regular interval
• Coordinates drivers, vehicles, loads and journeys
• operates IT systems
• negotiates and agrees to contracts
• develops and confirms schedules
• plans for and negotiates technical difficulties
• prepares paperwork for regulatory bodies
• liaises and manages staff
• implements health and safety standards
• Plans routes and load scheduling for multi-drop deliveries.
• Books in deliveries and liaises with customers.
• Allocates and records resources and movements on the transport planning system.
• Ensures all partners in the supply chain are working effectively and efficiently to ensure smooth operations.
• Communicates effectively with clients and responds to their requirements.
• Directs all transportation activities.
• Develops transportation relationships.
• Monitors transport costs.
• Negotiates and bargains transportation prices.
• Deals with the effects of congestion.
• Confronts climate change issues by implementing transport strategies and monitoring an organization’s carbon footprint.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily office activities.
• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information.
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps increase sales and growth for the company
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managers with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Commercial Truck Drivers

• Assists in loading and unloading cargo.
• Maintains a logbook of their driving activities to ensure compliance with federal regulations governing the rest and work periods for operators.
• Keeps a record of vehicle inspections and make sure the truck is equipped with safety equipment, such as hazardous material placards.
• Assists the transport and logistics manager in planning their route according to a delivery schedule.
• Local-delivery drivers may be required to sell products or services to stores and businesses on their route, obtain signatures from recipients and collect cash.
• Transports finished goods and raw materials over land to and from manufacturing plants or retail and distribution centers
• Inspects vehicles for mechanical items and safety issues and perform preventative maintenance
• Complies with truck driving rules and regulations (size, weight, route designations, parking, break periods etc.) as well as with company policies and procedures
• Collects and verify delivery instructions
• Reports defects, accidents or violations

Front Desk / Customer’s Service Officer

• Receives Visitors / clients on behalf of the organization
• Receives parcels / documents for the company
• Handles enquiries via email and phone calls for the organization
• Distributes mails in the organization
• Handles any other duties as assigned my the line manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Going by our vision, our mission and the kind of business we want to set – up, we don’t have any other option than to follow due process. Following due process involves hiring business a consultant to help us conduct SWOT analysis and prepare a trucking company marketing plan for our business.

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. hired the services of a seasoned business consultant with bias for start – ups in the U.S. to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to guide us in formulating other business strategies that will help us grow our business and favorable compete in the trucking industry.

As a company, we look forward to maximizing our strength and opportunities and also to work around our weaknesses and threats. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Terry Granville Truck Services Inc.;

Our areas of strength in U.S include; size advantages, cost advantages, supply chain, customer loyalty and strong reputation amongst domestic industry players.

Our weakness could be lack of finance, high debt burden, cost structure, lack of scale compared to our peers who have already gained ground in the industry.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us as a trucking company in the United States are online market, new services, new technology, and of course the opening of new markets

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face are mature markets, bad economy (economy downturn), stiff competition, volatile costs, and rising fuel prices.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The market trends as it involves the trucking industry especially in the United States and Canada is indeed dynamic and at the same challenging.

But one thing is certain, once a trucking company can gain credibility, it will be much easier for the company to secure permanent deals / contracts with big time merchants and construction companies who are always moving goods and equipment from one part of The United States of America to another part.

No doubt some of the major factors that count positively in this line of business are trust, honesty, good relationship management and of course timely and safe delivery.

8. Our Target Market

Our target market are basically every one (organizations and individual as well who have cause to move things from one location to another location. We cover both short distance (inter states) and long distance (intra states). We are in business to move stuffs and anyone who has stuffs to move within the United States or from the United States to Canada, can contact us.

In other words, our target market is the whole of the United States of America and below is a list of the people and organizations that we have plans to do business with;

• Merchants ( importers, exporters, traders, suppliers, wholesalers, and dealers )
• Manufacturers
• Construction companies
• Corporate organizations
• Small business owners
• The timber industry
• Oil and gas sector

Our competitive advantage

Our major competitive advantage is the vast industry experience and solid reputation of our owner, Terry Granville. Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. no doubt is a new trucking company, which is why we took our time to do a thorough homework before launching the business.

We were able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are trust, honesty, good network and excellent relationship management strong management, strong fleet operations, direct access to all Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports, our transportation network serves some of the largest population centers in the U.S., our size advantages, cost advantages, supply chain, customer loyalty and strong reputation amongst domestic industry players.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we can comfortably work with both individuals who may want to make use of small trucks to transport goods within the city and also big conglomerates who are involved in massive movements of goods and equipment from one part of the U.S. to another part.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be amongst the best in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. will ensure that we leverage on our strength and the opportunities available to us in the U.S. market to generate enough income that will help us drive the business to stability. We will go all the way to explore every available sources of income in the trucking industry. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Terry Granville Truck Service Inc.;

• Movement of timbers

10. Sales Forecast

We are well positioned to take on the available market in the U.S. and we are quite optimistic that we will meet out set target of generating enough income / profits from the first month or operations and grow the business and clientele beyond South Dakota to other states in the U.S. and Canada

We have been able to critically examine the trucking industry and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in the United States of America.

Below is the sales projection for Terry Granville Truck Service Inc., it is based on the location of our trucking business and our competitive advantage;

• First Fiscal Year-: $300,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $900,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $1,500,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and the nature of services that we will be offering.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Networking is an effective way to begin building your client base and we have plans in place to leverage on all our networks. In view of that, we will look out for gatherings where we can network with captain of industries, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and merchant et al.

As a matter of fact, our first port of call will be to connect with the nearest Chamber of Commerce; we are likely going to get our first major deal from them.

At Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. all our employees will be directly or indirectly involved in sales and marketing. We will create provision for our employees to earn commission when they bring in business for the organization. We will also encourage freelancers to work with us; whenever they refer clients to us to will earn a percentage of the deal.

Lastly, we will leverage on the power of the media by advertising our services using both online and offline platforms. We will work hard to ensure that get repeated business from any business deal we execute and also we will encourage our customers to help us refer their friends to us. Part of our strategy is to reward loyal customers and to leverage on word of mouth marketing from satisfied customers.

Over and above, we have perfected strategies to network with people who are likely to refer business our way. In summary, Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. will adopt the following sales and marketing strategies in sourcing for clients for our business;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stake holders in the construction industry, manufacturing industry, oil and gas industry, timber merchant et al.
• Promptness in bidding for contracts
• Advertise our business in haulage magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations et al
• List our business on yellow pages
• Attend expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver quality services
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Direct marketing
• Word of mouth (referral marketing)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street they are operating must be ready and willing to utilize every available means ( conventional and non – conventional means ) to advertise and promote the business. We intend growing our business beyond South Dakota which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means.

Below are the platforms Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. intend leveraging on to promote and advertise her trucking business;

• Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant TV shows
• Maximize our company’s website to promote our business
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook ,Twitter, LinkedIn, Badoo, Google+ and other platforms (real estate online forums) to promote our business and list our properties for sale and for lease.
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas from time to time
• Attend chambers of commerce meetings with the aim of networking and introducing our business.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. has a lease arrangement with various companies and the company’s pricing is based on miles per thousands of tons of cargo transported. We have perfected our plans to charge competitive rates since we have minimal overhead compared to our competition in the industry.

We will ensure that we leverage on price to win over customers; our prices will be affordable and negotiable. The fact that our business door is open to both individuals and corporations means that we will have different price range for different category of clients. As the business grow, we will continue to review our pricing system to accommodate a wide range of clientele.

• Payment Options

Our payment policy will be inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will not accept payment by cash because of the volume of cash that will be involved in most of our transactions. Here are the payment options that Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients pay us without any difficulty. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

• The Total Fee for incorporating the Business in South Dakota – $750 .
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license – $2,500
• The Amount needed to acquire a suitable Office facility with enough parking space for our trucks in South Dakota for 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $40,000 .
• The amount required to finance the purchase of the first set of trucks – $800,000
• The Cost for equipping the office (computers, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al): $5,000
• Cost of accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
• Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
• Phone and Utilities (gas, sewer, water and electric) deposits – ($3,500 ).
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• The Cost of Launching our official Website: $600
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al): $2,500

Going by the report from our market research and feasibility studies , we will need about $1M to set up a trucking business in South Dakota.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Terry Granville Truck Service Inc

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. is set to start as a private business that will be solely owned by Mr. Terry Granville and family. He will be the sole financial of the company but may likely welcome other business partners when need for expansion arises. These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital for our business;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings
• Source for soft loans from family members and friends
• Apply for loan from my Bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $200,000 (Personal savings – $150,000 and soft loan from family members – $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $800,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been signed and submitted.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Terry Granville Truck Service Inc. is a business that was established with the aim of covering the whole of the United States of America and Canada, we have invested a whole lot of money in the business and we would not want to see our investment go down the drain which is why we hired a core professional to help us put strategies and structure in place that will keep the business growing.

Part of the sustainability and expansion strategy that we have adopted is the continuous training and empowerment of our workforce (both full-time staff and freelancers working for us) so as to provide them with the capacity to perform effectively in the highly competitive trucking / haulage industry in the United States of America.

In other to be in business for a long time, we will not in any way comprise our integrity and trust and we will continue to surpass the expectation of our customers.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Acquiring of trucks and relevant equipment: In progress
• Renting of Office Facility in South Dakota: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital Generation: Completed
• writing of business plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees and drivers: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry (networking and membership of relevant organizations and chambers of commerce): Completed

From Idea to Foundation

Master the Essentials: Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Business Success. 

Funding and Approval Toolkit

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Discover the Best Tools for Business Plans

Learn from the business planning experts, resources to help you get ahead, how to write a trucking company business plan, navigate your way to success, the ultimate guide to planning your trucking company.

Elevate your trucking business plan with our expert-curated resources. This guide provides the tools and insights you need to secure funding, gain approval, and build a strong foundation for your company.

Who is this for?

8 key things to do before you begin writing your trucking company business plan.

Listen up, aspiring trucking tycoons. If you want to make it in this cutthroat industry, you need a business plan that’s as solid as a Peterbilt (not that we don’t love Kenworth). The trucking industry is the backbone of the American economy, hauling a whopping 70% of the country’s freight tonnage . But before you start revving your engines, there are eight crucial things you need to consider.

#1 Regulatory Environment and Compliance 

The trucking industry is a minefield of federal and state regulations, with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) calling the shots on everything from safety standards to driver qualifications. Understand the federal and state licensing requirements, including the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) for your drivers and any special endorsements needed. You’ll need to apply for and receive motor carrier authority from the FMCSA, including a U.S. Department of Tra n sportation (USDOT) number and, if applicable, an MC number . And don’t forget about each state’s unique set of hoops you’ll need to jump through to get your trucks on the road. It’s a compliance nightmare, but if you don’t play by the rules, you’ll be slapped with fines faster than you can say “DOT inspection.”

#2 Market and Niche 

The trucking industry is like a Vegas buffet – there’s something for everyone. From dry vans and flatbeds to reefers and tankers, you need to identify your niche and stake your claim. Conduct market research like you’re planning a military campaign, and analyze your target customers’ needs and pain points. The more specialized your services, the more money you can charge, but be prepared to navigate the extra red tape that comes with hauling hazardous materials or oversized loads.

#3 Competition 

You can’t dominate the trucking game without knowing your competition. Identify the top dogs in your niche and dissect their strengths, weaknesses, and pricing strategies like a biology student in a frog lab. Look for gaps in the market that you can exploit, and don’t forget about indirect competitors like rail and air freight. They may not be in your rearview mirror, but they can still put the brakes on your growth.

#4 Start-Up Costs and Financial Needs 

Starting a trucking company isn’t for the faint of heart or the light of wallet. You’ll need to drop some serious cash on Startup & Operational Costs (e.g., trucks, trailers, and a place to park them). And don’t forget about the ongoing expenses like fuel, maintenance, and driver salaries. It’s like playing whack-a-mole with your bank account. Crunch the numbers, develop detailed financial projections, and explore financing options like loans, investors, or leasing programs.

#5 Fleet Operations 

To lease or to buy, that is the question. Leasing offers flexibility and lower upfront costs, while buying gives you more control and potential long-term savings. But don’t skimp on maintenance and technology. Invest in fleet management software from companies like Samsara , Verizon Connect , or Omnitracs to keep your trucks running like Swiss watches and your drivers compliant with ELD mandates .

#6 Human Resources Strategy 

The Organizational Structure of your drivers and staff is the heart and soul of your operation. Recruit and retain top talent with competitive pay, benefits, and a company culture that makes them feel like they’re part of something bigger than just a paycheck. And don’t neglect ongoing training and development, especially when it comes to safety and compliance.

#7 Marketing and Sales Strategy 

You can have the best trucks and drivers in the business, but if no one knows about you, you’ll be spinning your wheels. Develop a marketing and sales strategy that targets your ideal customers and showcases your unique value proposition. Network like a politician at industry events, leverage digital marketing, and build a website that’s as impressive as a chrome-plated Kenworth (see, I told you we love Kenworth).

#8 Safety and Risk Management 

In the trucking industry, safety isn’t just a priority – it’s a matter of life and death. Implement a comprehensive safety program that includes regular vehicle inspections, driver training, and accident prevention measures. Stay on top of FMCSA regulations and maintain high safety standards to keep your insurance costs down and your reputation up.

Writing a trucking company business plan is no Sunday drive, but if you address these eight critical areas, you’ll be well on your way to building a fleet empire that would make even the most seasoned road warriors tip their hats. And if you really want to shift your planning into high gear, check out the Model-Based Planning® Worksheet for Logistics and Delivery Service . It’s like having a GPS for your business, guiding you through the specific challenges of the trucking industry and helping you unlock insights that will leave your competition in the dust. So, grab a cup of coffee, roll up your sleeves, and start crafting a business plan that will pave the way to your trucking success. The open road is calling, and it’s time to answer.

The Power of a Killer Trucking Company’s Business Plan

If you want to make a serious dent in this industry, you need a business plan. And I’m not talking about some half-baked document that you threw together between coffee breaks. I’m talking about a comprehensive, no-nonsense plan that showcases your trucking company’s potential and makes financiers sit up and pay attention.

The Must-Haves of Your Trucking Company Business Plan

Here’s what you need to include in your kick-ass trucking company business plan:.

Executive Summary

This is your elevator pitch on steroids. Give investors the CliffsNotes version of your trucking company’s vision, unique value proposition, and why you’re the one to watch in this space.

Market Analysis

Dive into the nitty-gritty of the trucking industry. Who’s your target audience? Who are your competitors, and how are you going to outmaneuver them? Show that you’ve done your homework and have a pulse on the market.

Services & Specialization

What sets your trucking company apart? Are you the go-to for hazardous material transport, the gurus of last-mile delivery, or the sultans of LTL shipping? Spell it out, and don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.

Operational Strategy

Give financiers a peek under the hood of your trucking company’s operations. From your fleet management strategy to your technology stack, prove that you’ve got the chops to run a tight ship.

Marketing & Sales

How are you going to get the word out and keep clients coming back for more? Lay out your marketing and sales game plan, including your social media strategy, content marketing approach, and any partnerships you’ve got up your sleeve.

Management Team

Introduce the rock stars who’ll be leading your trucking company to glory. Highlight their track record, industry connections, and why they’re the dream team you need to succeed.

Financial Projections

Don’t be shy about the numbers. Present your financial projections, including startup costs, revenue targets, and profitability timeline. Prove that your trucking company is a money-making machine waiting to happen.

Include any extra goodies that’ll give your business plan an edge, such as market research, customer case studies, or letters of intent from potential clients.

Sweat the Small Stuff or Get Ready for a Cash Flow Nightmare

When you’re putting together your business plan, it’s easy to get seduced by the sexy stuff, like the rig you’re going to buy or market dominance. But if you don’t sweat the small stuff, you’re setting yourself up for a world of hurt. I’m talking about the nickels and dimes that can bleed your cash flow dry. That busted alternator? That’s a couple grand. New tires? Another few grand. And if you’re rolling the dice on some used clunker with no warranty? You better have a rainy day fund that can cover a new engine or transmission when (not if) they decide to crap out on you in the middle of BFE. Ignore the little things at your own peril.

Ready, Set, Pre-Plan!

If you’re a rookie in the trucking game, chances are you’re feeling like a deer in the headlights. You’ve got a idea but no clue how to make it a reality. Enter Businessplan.com’s Pre-Planning Process . With the Pre-Planning Process, you’ll have a step-by-step plan to take your trucking company from an idea to a money-making machine. Don’t start your engines without it.

The Pre-Planning Process for Trucking Company Founders

Starting a trucking company is not for the faint of heart. It requires grit, determination, and a whole lot of planning. That’s where our Pre-Planning Process comes in. This comprehensive, step-by-step approach is designed specifically for founders who have the inklings of an idea but more questions than answers. Let’s dive in.

Plan Your Financial Future

The Pre-Planning Process is your secret weapon for trucking company success.

Know Your Customer 

Before you hit the gas on your trucking company, you need to know who you’re serving . We’ll teach you how to conduct in-depth interviews with your competitors’ customers to uncover their jobs-to-be-done. By understanding their pain points, goals, and expectations, you’ll be able to tailor your services to meet their needs and stand out in a crowded market. 

Core Cost Analysis 

Trucking is a capital-intensive business. From trucks and trailers to fuel and maintenance, the expenses can add up quickly. Our Core Cost Analysis will help you identify the essential assets and expenses you’ll need to get the job done for your customers. By understanding your costs upfront, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about pricing, financing, and scaling your business. 

Business Model Development 

Most truckers wing their business model, but not you. You’ll use the Business Model Canvas to structure every aspect of your trucking company, from your value proposition to your revenue streams. We’ll guide you through the process of creating a business model that’s built to last, so you can focus on what you do best: hauling freight and serving your customers. 

Operations in Detail 

Lack of an operational plan is the silent killer of trucking companies. In this section, we’ll teach you how to dissect your key activities, resources, and partners to create a well-oiled machine. From dispatch and fleet management to maintenance and compliance, you’ll have a clear plan for every aspect of your operations . 

Startup and Operational Cost Analysis 

Now that you’ve done the hard work of understanding your customers, costs, business model, and operations, it’s time to crunch the numbers. Our Startup and Operational Cost Analysis will help you account for every penny, so you can get started on the right foot and keep your business running smoothly. We’ll provide you with the tools and templates you need to create detailed financial analyses and make informed decisions about your business.

By following these five steps, you’ll be able to create a solid foundation for your business, avoid common pitfalls, and set yourself up for long-term growth. Don’t leave your trucking company’s future to chance. Invest in the Pre-Planning Process today and start building the business of your dreams.

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Actually Writing a Killer Trucking Company Business Plan

Our no-nonsense resources will guide you through the treacherous waters of crafting a business plan that’ll make financiers salivate. 

Learn to Plan and Pitch Like a Pro

Head over to the Plan & Pitch section and start writing your own damn success story.

Know Your Audience or Else 

You can’t just vomit out a generic business plan and expect everyone to love it. Tailor your pitch to make banks, investors, regulators, partners, and landlords weak in the knees. If you can’t customize your message, you’re dead in the water. 

Model-Based Planning®

Your Secret Sauce Model-Based Planning® is like steroids for your trucking company concept. It’ll help you sharpen your edge and crush the competition. If you’re not using it, you’re bringing a knife to a gunfight. 

StorytellingMake ‘Em Beg for More 

Weave your vision, strategy, and USP into a narrative so compelling, people will be throwing cash at you just to hear more. If your story falls flat, your business will too. 

Market Analysis: Know Your Battlefield 

You can’t dominate the trucking industry if you don’t know what you’re up against. Dive deep into market analysis , or risk being blindsided by competitors and trends you never saw coming. 

Scope out the landscape.

Org Structure: Show ‘Em Who’s Boss 

Nobody wants to invest in a team that couldn’t organize a keg party. Chart out your org structure and craft team bios that scream, “We’re the best in the damn business.” 

Financial Projections: Make It Rain 

If your financial projections are a joke, investors will laugh you out of the room. Get your numbers tight if you want to secure funding and keep your trucking empire afloat. 

Strategy & Implementation: Execute or Be Executed 

A business plan without a killer strategy and implementation section is like a truck with no engine. Show ’em how you’ll conquer marketing, sales, and customer delight, or prepare to be roadkill. 

Pitch Deck & Finances: Seal the Deal 

You could have the best damn trucking company in the world, but if your pitch deck stinks and your finances are a mess, you’ll crash and burn. Master the art of the pitch and the science of financial management, or go home.

Unlock Your Trucking Empire's Potential

Your key to trucking industry domination.

Introducing the Expert Business Planning Bundle, a comprehensive toolkit curated specifically for trucking company entrepreneurs. With the Model-Based Planning® Worksheet, financial projection Excel model, trucking company-specific business plan template, and expert guides on leveraging these tools and AI, you’ll have everything you need to create a winning plan. Don’t just dream about your trucking empire – invest in your future and make it a reality.

Outmaneuver the Competition

Your trucking company planning toolkit.

Created by the top business planning team in the U.S. with a proven track record of success, this bundle equips you with expert resources and insider secrets specific to trucking company planning. Leverage these tools to create a standout business plan that sets you apart from the competition and positions your trucking company for long-term success.

With this bundle, you will:

• Gain access to insider knowledge and proven strategies used by the most successful business planning company in the U.S.
• Leverage expert resources tailored specifically to the trucking industry for a competitive edge
• Utilize a trucking-specific template filled with targeted pro tips, insights, and instructions that address unique industry challenges
• Streamline your planning process using the Model-Based Planning® Worksheet for Logistics and Delivery Service
• Create professional financial projections with the included Excel model
• Structure and organize your plan effectively with the curated trucking-focused business plan template
• Learn to develop a compelling and comprehensive plan using expert guides on leveraging these tools and AI
• Increase your chances of securing loans, investments, or approvals needed to bring your trucking vision to life

Use this bundle as your primary toolkit for crafting a trucking company business plan that unlocks the funding and support you need.

When it comes to crafting a successful trucking company business plan, relying on generic templates is a recipe for failure. Instead, invest in the Expert Business Planning Bundle – a toolkit carefully curated by industry experts who have spent their careers helping trucking businesses succeed.

No other resource can match the depth, breadth, and practical wisdom of this bundle. Our team has distilled thousands of hours of experience working with successful trucking companies into a comprehensive toolkit that saves you time, money, and prevents costly mistakes. With targeted, practical knowledge tailored specifically to the trucking industry, you’ll be able to write a business plan that surpasses what even the best consultants could produce, customized to your unique needs and goals.

Whether you’re seeking funding, approvals, or simply want to set your trucking business up for long-term success, the Expert Business Planning Bundle is the ultimate resource to help you achieve your vision. Don’t settle for less when it comes to your business’s future.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I tailor my trucking company business plan to attract potential investors?

To appeal to investors, highlight aspects that demonstrate profitability, scalability, and your competitive edge in the trucking industry. Emphasize your management team’s experience and expertise in logistics, fleet management, and business growth. Showcase financial projections, market analysis, and strategic partnerships that position your trucking company for long-term success and returns on investment.

• What information should I include in the business description section of my trucking company business plan?

Provide a comprehensive overview of your trucking company, including your concept, target market, service offerings, and unique selling points. Discuss your location, fleet design, and how your business fits into the current market landscape. Highlight your differentiators, such as specialized equipment, advanced technology, or eco-friendly practices. Articulate your vision for making an impact on the trucking industry.

• How much personal information should I share about my management team in the trucking company business plan?

Include succinct biographies of your key management team members, focusing on their relevant experience in the trucking industry, skills in logistics management, and contributions to the company’s success. Highlight their expertise in areas such as fleet optimization, driver training, and customer service. Avoid excessive personal details and keep the information professional and relevant to your trucking business.

• Should I highlight past success stories in my trucking company business plan?

Absolutely! Including past success stories enhances your credibility and appeals to banks, investors, or other stakeholders. Highlight how your team’s experiences in the trucking industry have equipped you with valuable skills and insights for your current venture. Discuss successful logistics projects, efficient fleet management, or strong client relationships that demonstrate your ability to navigate challenges and drive growth in the trucking sector.

• What are the key elements of a company overview in a trucking business plan?

Your company overview should summarize the essence of your trucking business, including its name, location, and the transportation services you provide. Outline your mission statement, emphasizing your commitment to reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction. Discuss your core values, such as integrity, professionalism, and innovation. Clearly state your long-term objectives, such as expanding your fleet, entering new markets, or implementing cutting-edge logistics technology.

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How To Write a Winning Trucking Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for trucking businesses who want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every trucking business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Trucking Business Plan Template

What is a Trucking Business Plan?

A trucking business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Trucking Business Plan?

A trucking business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Trucking Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful trucking business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a trucking business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your trucking company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your trucking business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your trucking firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen trucking business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a trucking business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the trucking industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a trucking business’ customers may include:

• Retailers who need goods delivered to their stores
• Manufacturers who need raw materials shipped to them
• Big box stores that require inventory to be delivered to multiple locations

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or trucking services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your trucking business via public relations and pitch your story to reporters.

Operations Plan

This part of your trucking business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a trucking business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include hiring key personnel, acquiring necessary licenses and permits, and establishing partnerships with vendors.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific trucking industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Trucking Company

Balance Sheet

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Trucking Company

Cash Flow Statement

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup trucking business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Trucking Company

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your trucking company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Now that you know what you should include in a trucking business plan, it’s time to get started on your own. Use the tips and examples provided in this article as a guide, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from an experienced business advisor or mentor. With a well-crafted business plan in hand, you’ll be ready to hit  the ground running and build the trucking company of your dreams.  

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How to Start a Trucking Company

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When most people think about booming industries in the U.S., trucking might not be the first one that comes to mind. But one drive on an interstate should tell you all you need to know about the demand for trucking and haulage companies.

If you’ve been thinking about starting a business of your own and love driving and logistics, a trucking company may just be the right fit. Just over 70% of all U.S. freight moves through trucks, which means that there’s always a demand for trucks —and, more importantly, trucking companies.

If you want to know how to start a trucking company, there are plenty of factors to consider, including hiring employees, choosing your business entity, and securing financing.

We’ll break down what you need to know about how to start a trucking company from start to finish and help you make the right decisions to get your trucking business in high gear.

How to start a trucking company in 5 steps

If you’re still with us so far, odds are you’re ready to take the plunge into starting your own trucking company. Now that you’re convinced, let’s get into how to start a trucking company by looking at the critical tasks you’ll need to accomplish before you get on the road and join a great big convoy.

Step 1: Write a business plan

It might not seem like you’d need to write a business plan for a trucking company, given that the underlying operating premises are somewhat straightforward. Writing a business plan, however, helps you focus on the core parts of your company. A good business plan lays out the reason for your company’s founding, the capital required to get started, financial projections that display costs versus anticipated profits, and other strategy details.

Writing a trucking company business plan keeps you focused on building your company according to a blueprint, which is especially helpful as you get into the dirty work of getting started and may not have time to refocus on your overarching strategy. Just as importantly, you’ll also need a business plan as part of just about any small business loan application. You’ll be glad you created a plan before you start applying for funding, as the process will be smoother. To help you get started, check out our free business plan template.

Step 2: Register your business

Once you’ve written a rock-solid business plan, the next step you’ll want to take to start a trucking company is to register your business with any local or state governments that require it.

Choose a business entity

You’ll want to take a look at the different kinds of business entities available to you before submitting your paperwork. Each business entity offers various personal liability protections, taxation methods, ownership structures, and other technical differences. If you’re starting a one-person, self-owned trucking company, look into limited liability companies (LLC) to protect your personal assets. If you’re establishing your company with a business partner, you will also want to consider the different kinds of LLCs designed for partnerships (limited liability partnership) and corporations. There are other business entities out there as well worth considering, but it’s best to start with these two categories and determine from there whether or not you need to go with something different.

The process of incorporating your business is relatively straightforward, even if it’s a little paperwork-heavy. Typically all it takes is some supporting documentation about the company’s principals and founders, tax identification information, a general business agreement, and a few other materials about your soon-to-be company (which largely differ depending on the state you’re registering in).

Choose a business name

Alongside registering your business, be sure to choose a unique business name. Your business name will the first impression for potential clients, so make sure it communicates your brand, specialty, and personality.

Also, be sure that your business name is not taken. Once you have a boil down your options to a few names, do a quick secretary of state and U.S. Patent and Trademark search to ensure the name you're considering are available for use.

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Step 3: Obtain business licenses, permits, and insurance

Next, make sure your trucking company is operating legally. To do so, you'll want to look into business licenses, permits, and insurance.

Business licenses and permits

Trucking companies face unique challenges and liabilities, which makes it crucial that you line up all the required licenses and insurance policies as required by your state of operation.

Most, if not all, states will require you to get a business license if you intend to headquarter your business within its boundaries. You’ll need to get these policies and licenses set up before your first shipment hits the road.

Another license you must secure is an International Registration Plan. This is required if your truck is 26,000 pounds and crossing state lines. This allows you to operate your truck in all states and some Canadian provinces.

As regulations vary by state, consult with your state’s guidelines to find out exactly what you need to stay on the right side of local regulations.

Business insurance

Some types of business insurance you’ll likely need to obtain include public liability insurance, cargo insurance, bobtail, and physical damage insurance. If you’re unsure about whether you're fully compliant with your business requirements, it’s always a good idea to consult with a startup lawyer that's worked with other trucking companies. Their expertise ensures you're taking all the legally required steps before starting your trucking business.

Step 4: Choose the right truck

Your commercial truck will be one of your most significant investments when learning how to start a trucking company—it’s essential that you choose the right one for your business. When selecting your truck, you’ll want to consider some of the factors:

Comfort level

Your preferred cab style

Weather resistance

Whether they have multiple dealerships across the U.S.

Weight limit

New vs. used

Whether you’re operating locally or long distances

As with any vehicle you purchase, you should do a test drive. But if you want to narrow down your brands, you’ll find that Kenworth, Freightliner, and Peterbilt trucks can accommodate most of your trucking needs:

Buy vs. lease

This buy vs. lease debate depends on your buying power as a small business owner. And there are several advantages and disadvantages that accommodate each route. When you buy a truck outright, your payment is completed—no need to make monthly payments. You can also use the built-in equity to trade in your truck in the future. Of course, this also means a larger down payment—usually 10% to 25%—depending on whether you buy new or used.

When you lease, you don’t own your truck. You must make regular payments and cannot use the equity to buy a new truck. Also, you must abide by specific regulations, including maintaining its condition and mileage restrictions. But leasing offers some advantages—mainly, the lessor will often cover your maintenance expenses.

Whether you choose to buy outright or lease, you will still likely need to find some way to finance your purchase.

Step 5: Secure startup funding

As we mentioned above, buying a commercial truck is no small expense. Thus, you'll likely need to secure startup funding to get your trucking business off the ground. Besides the below funding options, also consider opening a business bank account and credit card.

How much does it cost to start a trucking company?

Trucking can be lucrative, no doubt. It’s also guaranteed to require a fair amount of business capital to start a trucking company—a commercial truck costs around $80,000, after all. Then, of course, there’s the capital that goes into keeping your fleet operating at peak performance. In addition to purchasing your truck, you’ll also want to factor into your business budget:

Registration and documentations

Business permits and licenses

Truck maintenance fees

Trucking accounting software

These expenses can tally up. According to the Small Business Administration, trucking and transport companies took out an average loan of $106,000. So, if you want to learn how to start a trucking company with no money, you won’t get very far. You will likely need to seek additional funding to make your business plan a reality.

The good news is that there are a ton of business loan options available to trucking businesses:

You’ll find that SBA loans are increasingly popular due to their low interest rates, high loan totals, and generous repayment terms. Moreover, the SBA guarantees up to 85% of the loan’s total if the borrower can’t make repayments.

These loans are great to kickstart your trucking company but are notoriously hard to get. You need a long and established credit history, a good credit score, and a high tolerance for paperwork. If you think you can make the cut, check this full list of SBA loan types.

Commercial truck financing

If you don’t qualify for an SBA loan, equipment financing loans are a great alternative and also offer borrower-friendly repayment terms. Under this umbrella, you’ll also find commercial truck financing for buying or leasing new or used trucks or repairing or upgrading a truck you already own.

The way this type of loan works is you will approach the lender with a quote for exactly how much your equipment (in this case, most likely a truck) will cost. If approved, the lender then provides you with the appropriate sum of money, which you’ll repay (plus interest) over a fixed amount of time.

Keep in mind that the truck serves as collateral, should you fail to repay your loans. Because of this “safety net,” lenders are more likely to approve you for commercial truck financing.

Small business term loans

Another option to help start your trucking company is a business term loan. A lender provides a certain sum of money to the borrower to be repaid during a set amount of time. The interest rate associated with the loan may stay fixed throughout its duration or may vary based on economic factors.

While short-term business loans are easier to get than SBA loans—chiefly because they have lower credit requirements and easier applications—they typically hold higher interest rates, lower loan tallies, and must be repaid much more quickly.

» MORE: Best trucking business loans

LLC Formation

4 reasons to start a trucking company

Here are the top four reasons why learning how to start a trucking company could be your next business venture:

1. There’s a major shortage of drivers

The trucking industry is forecasted to need 100,000 drivers in the near future, and companies are desperate to find drivers to fill the void. When you want to figure out how to start a trucking company, this will likely provide you with a tactical advantage, considering that you’ll be helping to fill a need for more trucks and drivers.

2. There’s a need for innovation in the industry

Nearly any industry welcomes innovation—including the trucking industry. Increasing efficiency within your fleet and establishing less fuel-intensive routes and logistics helps you improve your value to your customers. This gives you a competitive advantage, positioning your business for long-term success.

3. It's recession-proof

Trucking is the backbone of the country’s economy. As a trucking business owner, you’ll play a pivotal role in getting goods to stores and warehouses. Also, the trucking industry is largely recession-resistant —there is always a need for trucking companies to obtain products and materials across the country.

4. It’s easy to start small (and scale)

You won’t have to invest as much into your trucking company before it turns a profit, and you can better expand your business as demand—and your profit margin—grows. Eventually, you can learn how to start a trucking company without driving by hiring additional employees and drivers.

The bottom line

Learning how to start a trucking company can sound complicated. In reality, it’s not dissimilar to the steps involved in starting a small business of any other stripe. Your equipment costs may be a bit higher, and the hunt for talent a bit more competitive, but the underlying principles involved in starting a trucking business are still the same. With the right business plan, licensure, and financing in place, you too can get the wheels rolling on your trucking business.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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Trucking Business Plan Template

Whether you want to start your own trucking business or expand an existing one, you need a business plan. the following trucking business plan template lets you know what elements you need to include in a successful trucking business plan., fill the form to download 300+ business plan templates.

To ensure your trucking business’s success in this highly competitive market, you need a properly structured trucking business plan. With over 12 years of experience, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their trucking businesses. Using the following trucking business plan template, you can put together an effective business plan.

Things to Know Before Writing a Trucking Business Plan?

A Long-Distance Freight Trucking company handles a variety of commodities, usually palletized and transported in containers or van trailers.

Typically, trucking operators operate between metropolitan areas and regions that may cross borders of North American countries. Carriers in the industry operate both on a truckload and a less-than-truckload basis.

These are the major products and services in this industry

• Truckload carriers
• Less-than-truckload carriers
• Other transportation services

Consumer spending, manufacturing output, and trade volumes expand demand for industry services as the economy grows.

In 2020, the American Trucking Association reported that domestic freight trucks moved almost 11.8 billion tons, accounting for 72.5% of the nation’s total by weight (latest available data).

Trucking is expected to remain the most widely used mode of freight transportation over the 3 years to 2024 as the US economy recovers from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Therefore, industry revenue is expected to increase 2.6% annually to $255.5 billion during the outlook period. In the future, the industry’s value-added services will become more prominent.

According to the US Department of Transportation, the total for-hire motor carriers in the US were 996,894, private motor carriers were 813,440, and other motor carriers totaled 83,235 as of February 2021.

Key Success Factors for Trucking Business

Despite the challenges of the trucking industry, We have identified 6 factors that can help you boost profitability, efficiency, and ultimately success.

• Market research and understanding: Knowledge of market segments and an ability to understand client needs ensures delivery of superior customer service.
• Having a high profile in the market: Profit is small, and thus, large sales volumes are crucial for success.
• Output is sold under contract – incorporate long-term sales contracts: Due to strong competition in the sector, long-term contracts are advisable. If a client is tied to a distribution system that commits them to the operator’s facilities, it makes it difficult and costly for the client to transfer to a competitor.
• Optimum capacity utilization: Operational experience, especially in the loading and use of vehicles and equipment, will likely increase efficiency and output.
• Ensuring pricing policy is appropriate: Effective cost management through pricing policy, such as the implementation of fuel surcharges, can help bolster profit.
• Superior financial management and debt management: Tight financial control over costs and revenue, especially debt collection and overheads, is critical for planning cash flows.

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What is a Trucking Business Plan?

A business plan for a trucking business is a written document that sets your company’s financial goals and discusses how you’ll reach them.

A solid, comprehensive plan will serve as a road map for the trucking business’s next three to five years. Any bank or investor you approach will require a trucking business plan, so putting one together will be critical to securing funding.

In short, writing a business plan can help you succeed if you’re thinking of starting a trucking business or pitching to investors or venture capitalists. If you are planning to start a hotshot trucking business, use this free hotshot trucking business plan template to write one yourself.

Why You Need a Trucking Business Plan

If you want to start a trucking business or expand an existing one, the first thing you need to do is to write a business plan. A business plan is also necessary for attracting investors who want to know if your trucking business is on the right track and worth investing in.

A solid, detailed plan gives you a clear path to follow, forces you to examine the viability of a trucking business idea, and may help you better understand your company’s finances and competition.

Trucking business owners who have a business plan grow 30% faster than those who don’t, and 71% of fast-growing businesses have one.

A trucking business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Free: Business Plan Examples

Do you need help creating a business plan? Check out these six free, proven business plan examples from different industries to help you write your own.

Funding Sources for Trucking Business

(SBA) Loans

Small Business Administration programs provide funding for trucking companies. SBA loans offer new financing options for small businesses that don’t qualify for conventional business loans. These funds can be used in a variety of ways, including equipment purchases, business expansion, and working capital.

Equipment Lenders

An equipment lender might be able to help you with financing. This type of lender sells and manufactures trucks and equipment. They offer competitive financing packages for those in the trucking industry. Vehicles and equipment are used as collateral.

Despite a highly fragmented industry, you may still be able to attract venture capital by meeting the standards set by equity investors. Most business owners find that if their company is managed well and has a capital base of about $20 million, they can easily attract investors.

Franchise Agreements

Franchise agreements can help you expand your business quickly. As part of such an arrangement, other owner-operators operate their trucks under your name and pay you a franchise fee plus a share in their profits.

Freight Bill Factoring Financing

A significant challenge for your trucking business will be a delay in revenue while you have to meet operational expenses constantly. With freight bill factoring financing, you can solve these cash flow problems immediately. This facility enables your freight company to pay bills in advance without needing to push clients. The freight factoring company buys your existing freight invoices with immediate payment, then waits for your clients to pay them.

The use of bank loans can aid in cash flow problems or in expanding a trucking business. Banks, however, set strict conditions. As your company’s balance sheet will be scrutinized by the bank, you must have a good operational history. In addition, you will need fixed assets to satisfy the lender since most banks rarely consider rolling stock (fleet of wheels) as collateral.

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How to Write a Trucking Business Plan

To write a trucking business plan, you don’t need to be an expert. Our step-by-step guide will show you how to write a trucking  business plan, or you can just download our proven  sample business plans  to get a better idea.

Free Trucking Business Plan Template PDF and Word

Download our trucking business plan template in PDF and Word here.

Executive Summary

The executive summary is the most important part of the document since it outlines the whole business plan. Despite the fact that it appears first in the plan, write the executive summary last so you may condense key concepts from the other nine parts.

It’s a part that catches the investor’s eye and provides key information about your company’s overview and upcoming short- and long-term goals.

Tell them what kind of trucking business you have and what stage you’re in; for example, are you a startup, do you have a trucking company that you want to expand, or do you have a lot of trucking businesses?

Finally, an executive summary should provide investors with a preview of what they may expect from the rest of your document.

• Provide a high-level overview of the trucking industry
• The name, location, and mission of your trucking company
• A description of your trucking business, including management, advisors, and a brief history
• Discuss the type of trucking business you are operating, Give an overview of your target customers., and how your company differs from competitors in the industry
• Create a marketing plan that describes your company’s marketing strategies, sales, and partnership plans.
• And give an overview of your financial plan

Check out these executive summary examples to help you write a perfect one for your trucking business plan.

Free: Executive Summary Examples

An executive summary is the most important part of your business plan, and it need not be challenging to write. This is why we have put together some awesome free Executive Summary examples for you.

Company Analysis

The company analysis follows the executive summary as the second section of a trucking business plan. Your company overview in a business plan will be short and clear, similar to the executive summary.

Even if they just have a few minutes, your reader has to understand what your company does and who your customers are.

The following sections will be included in your business plan’s Company Analysis:

• Company summary: Your company analysis will describe the type of trucking business you are running and its future goals. The type of trucking business you might be focused on (For hire truckload carriers, Less than truckload carriers, Household movers, Inter-modal trucking, etc)
• Company history: When and why did you start your trucking business?
• What milestones have you achieved so far? Your milestones could include served 100th customer, new fleet purchase, etc.
• Legal structure and ownership: Do you have S-Corp status? Is it an LLC ? A sole proprietorship ? Describe your legal structure.
• Mission statement: An overview of your trucking company’s guiding principles. Learn how to write a perfect mission statement .

Industry Analysis

You need to include an overview of the trucking business in the industry analysis you performed before sitting down to write your trucking business plan.

While this research may appear to be unnecessary, it helps you to build strategies that maximize business opportunities while lowering or avoiding the identified risk.

Furthermore, market research can improve your strategy, especially if it identifies market trends. For instance, if there is a trend toward long-haul trucking, it would be beneficial to include such services in your business plan.

The third purpose for conducting market research is to demonstrate to readers that you are an industry expert.

Industry analysis can be presented as a 8-step process when written as part of a company’s business plan.

• Give a quick overview of the trucking industry. Define the trucking business in terms of size (in dollars), historical background, service region, and products.
• Examine previous trends and growth patterns in the trucking industry.
• Identify the market’s major competitors.
• Age, gender, and general lifestyle of the targeted market
• Determine the factors that have an impact on the trucking industry. These might include government regulatory rules and other businesses’ competitive activities.
• Using research data, the industry forecast expected growth over the next five to ten years. Predictions should be made for both the long and short term.
• Describe how your trucking business intends to position itself in the industry. Concentrate on how your trucking business can benefit from opportunities highlighted in the industry.

Customer Analysis

The first condition for a trucking business is to identify its target customers clearly. Customers can be categorized into the following segments: Other trucking companies, Merchants (importers, exporters, traders, suppliers, wholesalers, and dealers), Manufacturers, Construction companies, Household, Corporate organizations, Small business owners etc.

The customer analysis section is an important part of any trucking business plan since it evaluates the consumer segments that your company serves. It identifies target customers, determines what those customers want, and then explains how the product will meet those requirements.

Customer analysis may be divided into two parts: psychosocial profiles (why your trucking services suits a customer’s lifestyle) and demographic profiles (descriptions of a customer’s demographic qualities).

With regards to demographics, include information about: When moving residential, the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of your customers. When targeting businesses, describe what kind of business, size, and location your target customers are.

The psychological profiles of your target clients reveal their wants and needs. The better you understand and identify these demands, the better your chances of attracting and retaining customers will be.

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Competitor Analysis

It is necessary to do a competitor analysis. Because you may use their data to define your goals, marketing plans, tactics, new product lines, pricing, and more. Use competitor analysis to:

• Identify the strength and weakness of your trucking business competition.
• Search for opportunities to distinguish your trucking company from competitors.
• Set your service’s price.

On the market, you will almost certainly discover some extremely powerful competitors, some of whom will be offering trucking services similar to yours at unbelievably low costs. However, not every competitor offer with low-cost, low-quality services.

The first step is to determine who your direct and indirect competitors are.

The direct competition consists of other trucking businesses that offer essentially the same services or to the same people as you do.

Your indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from you that aren’t direct competitors.

This includes hauling products, driveway services or other segments of the trucking industry.

Once you’ve identified the competition, concentrate on the direct, head-to-head competitors, since they are the most threatening to your trucking business— but keep an eye on the indirect competition as well, just in case.

Provide an overview of each direct competitor’s business and detail their strengths and weaknesses.

You will be able to position yourself competitively in the market if you perform proper competition research. Perform a SWOT Analysis to learn your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and competitive advantages in the following areas:

• Prices – Are they offer cheaper trucking services or more costly than you and other competitors, what value do buyers get for that price?
• Quality – Are they offer premium trucking services, the perceived worth in the eyes of the customers
• Customer service – How they respond to their consumers, whether they treat them poorly or well, and the degrees of satisfaction customers show
• Reputation — The sum of everything mentioned above: their credibility, how loved the brand is, and the loyalty of their customers

The final section of your competitive analysis should include a list of your areas of competitive advantage. for example: Are you going to offer premium t trucking services? Will you offer unique trucking services that your competitors don’t offer? Will you offer better pricing or will you offer greater customer support?

Consider how you will outperform your competitors and include them in this portion of your trucking business plan.

Free: SWOT Analysis Examples

Take advantage of our free SWOT analysis examples. Make your business future-proof by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using this free SWOT Analysis Template.

Marketing Plan

Creating a marketing plan for a trucking business involves identifying the target demographic and finding trucking services that suit their preferences.

As part of your marketing plan for a Trucking company, you should include:

Pricing and Product Strategy

Your trucking business must offer services that are different from those of your competitors. Research what your competitors offer and how they price their trucking services. Unique services identifies your trucking business as the place to go for unique services and differentiates it from others.

Placing and Promotions

The place is where you have your trucking business. List the locations where customers can avail your services. Do you run a trucking business near several manufacturing companies or oil and gas sectors?

Promoting your trucking business is the final part of your marketing plan. In this step, you document how you will drive customers to purchase your trucking business. A few marketing methods you could consider are:

• Partnerships
• Direct mail
• Search engine optimization
• Marketing on social media
• Pay Per Click marketing

You should also think about your trucking company’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP), which should explain why clients should choose you over other trucking businesses. Ensure that your USP is reflected in your marketing.

Suggested Resources: If you are a DIY business plan writer, this guide on how to write a marketing plan in a business plan might be helpful for you.

Operations Plan

While the previous sections of your described your goals, your operational plan in a business plan discusses how you will achieve them.

An operations plan is helpful for investors, but it’s also helpful for you and employees because it pushes you to think about tactics and deadlines.

Your operational plan should be able to answer the following questions:

• Who – Personnel in charge of completing specific tasks.
• What – A breakdown of the responsibilities of each personnel.
• Where – The location of everyday operations.
• When –The deadlines for completing tasks and goals.
• How much – The amount of money required for each department to perform their job.

Your operations plan should be divided into two individual parts, as seen below.

Your daily short-term processes include all the tasks involved in running your trucking business, such as serving customers, purchasing supplies, and maintaining trucks etc.

Long-term goals are milestones you hope to reach. It may be the date when you expect to serve your 1000th customer or when you hope to reach $X in sales. Another example would be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or start a new location or service.

Management Team

The management team section in a business plan ‘ outlines your management team, staff, resources, and how your trucking business ownership is structured.

This part may be easily organized by dividing it into the following points:

Ownership Structure

Internal Management Team

External Management Resources

Human Resources

This section outlines your trucking business’s legal structure. If your company is a sole proprietorship , it may simply be one phrase. It might be longer if your company is a partnership or a corporation . You should make it a point to clarify who owns what part of the business.

This section should not only outline who is on your management team but also how each person’s skill set and experiences will contribute to the growth of your trucking business. Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct expertise in the trucking business. If this is the case, highlight your experience and skills.

Think of these external management resources as your internal management team’s backup. Consider forming an advisory board if your team is lacking expertise and experience with trucking business.

An advisory board would consist of 3 to 7 people who would serve as mentors to your trucking company. They would assist in answering queries and providing strategic direction.

If necessary, search for advisory board members with expertise running trucking business.

Describe all of your company’s external professional advisers, such as accountants, bankers, attorneys, IT experts, business consultants, and/or business coaches. 

The final topic to consider in the management area of your trucking business plan is your human resource needs.

Financial Plan

As part of your financial plan, you should present a 5-year financial statement broken down monthly or quarterly for the first year, and then annually. Financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

Read Later: How to write a financial plan in a business plan

Income Statement

A profit and loss statement is more commonly called an income statement. It shows your revenue and subtracts your expenses to determine whether you were profitable or not.

As you develop your income statement, you need to develop assumptions. Will you serve 50 customers per day or 300? Will sales grow by 3% or 15% per year? Your choice of assumptions will greatly impact your business’s financial forecasts. Conduct as much research as possible in order to ground your assumptions in reality.

Want to learn how to make an income statement? Download our free income statement templates to make a stunning one for you.

Free: Income Statement Template

Create a financial statement for your business by downloading our free income statement templates.

Balance Sheet

While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities.

The balance sheet shows your trucking business’s net value at a specific point in time. It categorizes all of your company’s financial data into three categories:

• Assets: Tangible goods with the monetary worth that the company owns.
• Liabilities: Debt owing to a company’s creditor.
• Equity: The net difference when the total liabilities are subtracted from the total assets.

The equation that expresses the relationship between these financial data elements is Assets = Liabilities + Equity.

Create a pro forma balance sheet for your trucking business plan that highlights the information in the income statement and cash flow projections. A balance sheet is normally prepared once a year by a company.

Balance sheets indicate your assets and liabilities, and while they contain a lot of information, they are simplified to highlight the most important things you need to know.

For example, spending $150,000 to build out your trucking business will not result in instant revenues. Rather, it is an asset that should help you earn money for many years to come.

Similarly, if a bank sends you a check for $100,000, you do not have to pay it back right now. Rather, that is a liability that you will repay over time.

Want to learn how to make an balance sheet? Download our free balance sheet templates to make a beautiful balance sheet template.

Cash Flow Statement:

Your cash flow statement will help you determine how much money you need to start or grow your trucking business. In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a trucking business:

• Fees for registering a trucking business
• Taxes and licenses costs
• Business insurance
• Acquiring the US
• Cost of Buying trucks: new vs. used
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff

Free: Balance Sheet Template

Create a financial statement for your business by downloading our free balance sheet templates.

List any additional material you cannot include elsewhere, such as resumes from key employees, licenses, equipment leases, permits, patents, receipts, bank statements, contracts, and personal and business credit histories.

Attach your full financial projections along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling in the appendix.

Bonus Tip: Learn what to include in a business plan appendix when writing a trucking business plan.

Summary of the Trucking Business Plan

A trucking business plan is a worthwhile investment. As long as you follow the template above, you will become an expert in no time. By following the template, you will understand the Trucking business, your competition, and your customers. The plan will help you understand the steps necessary to launch and grow your Trucking business.

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Since 2010, Wise business plans’ MBA professional business plan writers has developed business plans for thousands of companies that have experienced tremendous success.

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We will show you some real-world business plan examples so you may know how to write your own, especially if you are seeking a bank loan or an outside investment and need to use SBA-approved formatting.

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Home » Transportation » Trucking Company

A Sample Trucking Company Business Plan Template

A trucking company is a company that is involved in transporting large quantities of raw materials, and finished goods over land—typically from manufacturing plants to retail distribution centers. The trucking industry hauled 72.5 percent of all freight transported in the United States in 2019, equating to 11.84 billion tons.

The trucking industry was a $791.7 billion industry in that same year, representing 80.4 percent of the nation’s freight bill. Available data shows that the industry is currently (2022) worth over $67.3 billion in the United States of America.

As of May 2015, over 90.0 percent of companies in the United States long-distance freight trucking industry are owner-operators. Therefore, even the top corporate operators only hold a small share of the total market.

According to the industry market research firm IBISWorld, J.B. Hunt Transport Services holds an estimated 2.5 percent market share, YRC Worldwide holds 1.8 percent, FedEx holds 1.6 percent, United Parcel Service of America owns 1.5 percent, and Con-way holds 1.4 percent.

Steps on How to Write a Trucking Company Business Plan

Executive summary.

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. is a licensed trucking company that will be based in Springfield, Illinois. They focus on special services that include; oversized, rare, and unusual commercial and military cargo, as well as the planning, coordination, and transportation of hazardous nuclear waste from source to destination.

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. has been able to secure all relevant licenses and permits to operate throughout the United States and Canada. We will ensure that we abide by the rules and regulations guiding the trucking industry and we will only hire experienced and qualified drivers with valid commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) to handle our trucks.

Benny Blanco is the founder and CEO of Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc.

Company Profile

A. our products and services.

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will be involved in: Transporting large quantities of raw materials and finished goods over land—typically from manufacturing plants to retail distribution centers and also from seaports to warehouses et al.

b. Nature of the Business

Our trucking company will operate the business-to-consumer and business-to-business model.

c. The Industry

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will operate in the trucking industry.

d. Mission Statement

Our mission is to be at the forefront of our industry and to make sure we build a successful trucking company that will operate in the United States of America and Canada.

e. Vision Statement

Our vision of to be listed among the top ten trucking companies in the whole of North America.

f. Our Tagline (Slogan)

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. – Your Trusted, Fast, and Highly Secured Trucking Company!

g. Legal Structure of the Business (LLC, C Corp, S Corp, LLP)

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will be formed as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The reason why we are forming an LLC is to protect our assets by limiting the liability to the resources of the business itself. The LLC will protect our CEO’s assets from claims against the business, including lawsuits.

h. Our Organizational Structure

• Chief Operating Officer (Owner)
• Admin and HR Manager
• Transport and Logistics Manager
• Marketing and Sales Executive (Business Developer)
• Truck and Van Drivers
• Material Handlers/Yard Spotters/Forklifts Operators
• Customer Services Executive/Front Desk Officer

i. Ownership/Shareholder Structure and Board Members

• Benny Blanco (Owner and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer) 52 Percent Shares
• Moses Selah (Board Member) 18 Percent Shares
• Joe Toddler (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
• Cain Dickson (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
• Isabella Winston (Board Member and Sectary) 10 Percent Shares.

SWOT Analysis

A. strength.

• Ideal location for a trucking company
• Highly experienced and qualified employees and management
• Access to finance from business partners
• Large storage facility
• Excellent customer testimonials
• Reliable and efficient trucks and vans
• Access to reliable trucking and logistics software.

b. Weakness

• Financial Constraints
• No structure for our maintenance and servicing team (will be contracting the servicing and maintenance of the trucks and vans for a period of a time)
• A new business that will be competing with well-established trucking companies and also haulage and trucking companies
• Inability to retain our highly experienced and qualified employees longer than we want

c. Opportunities

• A rise in existing construction, manufacturing, and shipping activities will increase demand for trucking services
• Online market, new services, new technology, and of course the opening of new markets
• Increase in the number of families moving from one apartment to another
• Increase in the movement of goods from one location to another
• Increase in production activities and warehousing.

i. How Big is the Industry?

The trucking industry is very big in the United States of America. The industry is responsible for most of the overland freight movement in the United States, with the market worth 732.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. At that time, there were over 902,000 truck drivers employed in the U.S., which is less than the industry requires.

ii. Is the Industry Growing or Declining?

Although the trucking industry declined in 2020, the industry is currently experiencing growth. Available data shows that steady wage expenses and increasing prices of fuel amid the low demand during the pandemic were responsible for reducing industry profitability.

Revenue in the trucking industry dropped 0.7 percent in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that as the economy rebounds and moves are rebooked, the industry is expected to grow.

The industry was projected to record 5.4 percent revenue growth in 2023 and this is expected to outweigh the declines experienced earlier in the period, including 2020. Because the industry was deemed an essential service, operators have been able to maintain operations during most of the pandemic.

iii. What are the Future Trends in the Industry

The trucking industry is changing, and players in the industry are improvising. No doubt, technology (software apps, dashboard cameras, and electric trucking) and climate change (people moving either from cooler to hotter regions or hotter to moderate regions) will change the landscape of the trucking industry going forward.

iv. Are There Existing Niches in the Industry? If YES, List them

No, there are no existing niches when it comes to a trucking company, but a trucking company may decide to specialize in transporting certain types of goods.

v. Can You Sell a Franchise of your Business in the Future?

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. has plans to sell franchises in the nearest future and we will target major cities with thriving trucking markets in the United States of America.

• The arrival of new trucking companies within our market space
• Unfavorable government policy and regulations.
• Steady wage expenses and increasing prices of fuel amid the low demand during the pandemic will reduce industry profitability.
• Economic uncertainty
• Liability problems (Financing of trucks and vans that are bound to depreciate)
• The transport department could change its regulatory status and decide to enforce strict regulations that can strangulate new businesses.

i. Who are the Major Competitors?

• UPS Freight
• FedEx Freight
• YRC Worldwide
• Swift Transportation
• Schneider National
• Landstar System
• XPO Logistics
• Old Dominion Freight Line
• MVSN Trucking
• PLS Logistics Services
• Wynne Transport Service
• DVL Express Inc
• Independent Landstar Agent
• Shelton Trucking
• JetEx Logistics
• ATC Trucking
• Puma Logistics
• Diamond State Trucking.

ii. Is There a Franchise for the Trucking Business? If YES, List them and their cost

Yes, there are franchise opportunities for the trucking business. Here are they;

• Two Men and a Truck Int’l. Inc. (Initial Investment – $100,000 – $585,000)
• Zippy Shell Trucking (Initial Investment – $657,450 – $1,219,830)
• BlueGrace Logistics
• Craters & Freighters
• Worldwide Express
• United Shipping, Inc.
• SUPPLY POINTe
• United Charis Transport LLC
• Unishippers Global Logistics LLC
• AIT Freight Systems.

iii. Are There Policies, Regulations, or Zoning Laws Affecting the Trucking business?

Yes, there are county or state regulations or zoning laws for a trucking company, and players in this industry are expected to work with the existing regulations governing similar businesses in the county where their business is domiciled.

Please note that trucks are required to stop at motor carrier safety and weight inspection stations when signs direct them to do so. Driving large trucks and buses requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Obtaining a CDL requires extra education and training on how to handle such a large vehicle.

Drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) must adhere to the hours of service, which are regulations governing the driving hours of commercial drivers. Drivers must be at least 21 years old to drive on the interstates, with efforts being made to reduce the age to 18.

Marketing Plan

A. who is your target audience.

i. Age Range

Our target market comprises of adults above 18 years old who have the finance to do business with us.

ii. Level of Educational

We don’t have any restrictions on the level of education of those we are ready to do business with.

iii. Income Level

There is no cap on the income level of those we will help transport their goods or properties.

iv. Ethnicity

There is no restriction when it comes to the ethnicity of the people we will transport their goods or properties.

v. Language

There is no restriction when it comes to the language spoken by the people we will transport their goods or properties.

vi. Geographical Location

Anybody from any geographical location will be welcome to do business with our company.

vii. Lifestyle

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will not restrict any client from doing business with us based on their lifestyle, culture, or race.

b. Advertising and Promotion Strategies

• Deliberately Brand All Our Vans and Trucks.
• Tap Into Text Marketing.
• Make Use of Billboards.
• Share Your Events in Local Groups and Pages.
• Turn Your Social Media Channels into a Resource
• Develop Your Business Directory Profiles
• Build Relationships with players in the manufacturing, shipping, and construction industry.

i. Traditional Marketing Strategies

• Marketing through Direct Mail.
• Print Media Marketing – Newspapers & Magazines.
• Broadcast Marketing -Television & Radio Channels.
• OOH, Marketing – Public Transits like Buses and Trains, Billboards, Street shows, and Cabs.
• Leverage direct sales, direct mail (postcards, brochures, letters, fliers), and referral (also known as word-of-mouth marketing).

ii. Digital Marketing Strategies

• Social Media Marketing Platforms.
• Influencer Marketing.
• Email Marketing.
• Content Marketing.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Marketing.
• Affiliate Marketing
• Mobile Marketing.

iii. Social Media Marketing Plan

• Start using chatbots.
• Create a personalized experience for our customers.
• Create an efficient content marketing strategy.
• Create a community for our target market and potential target market.
• Gear up our profiles with a diverse content strategy.
• Use brand advocates.
• Create profiles on the relevant social media channels.
• Run cross-channel campaigns.

c. Pricing Strategy

When working out our pricing strategy, Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will make sure it covers profits, insurance, premium, license, economy or value, and full package. All our pricing strategies will reflect;

• Cost-Based Pricing
• Value-Based Pricing
• Competition-Based Pricing.

Sales and Distribution Plan

A. sales channels.

Our channel sales strategy will involve using partners and third parties—such as referral partners, affiliate partners, strategic alliances in the production sector and the construction industry, and freelancers to help refer clients to us.

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will also leverage the 4 Ps of marketing which are place, price, product, and promotion. By carefully integrating all these marketing strategies into a marketing mix, so we can have a visible, in-demand service.

b. Inventory Strategy

The fact that we will need loading crates, lubricants, and spare parts means that Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will operate an inventory strategy that is based on a day-to-day methodology for ordering, maintaining, and processing items in our warehouse. We will develop our strategy with the same thoroughness and attention to detail as we would if we were creating an overall strategy for the business.

c. Payment Options for Customers

Here are the payment options that Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via credit cards
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via mobile money transfer
• Payment via bank draft

d. Return Policy, Incentives, and Guarantees

At Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc., we transport goods from one location to another hence the nature of our offerings does not accommodate a return policy, but we guarantee our customers of the safe delivery of the goods under our care.

e. Customer Support Strategy

Our customer support strategy will involve seeking customer feedback. This will help us provide excellent customer service to all our clients. We will work with effective CRM software to be able to achieve this. Regularly, we will work towards strengthening our Customer Service Team and also Leverage Multi-Channel Servicing as part of our customer support strategy.

Operational Plan

We plan to expand our revenue by 25 percent in the second year and the plan will include a marketing, sales, and operations component. The operations component of the plan would include attracting partnership and retainer deals that will enable the firm to boost our trucking service offerings and support revenue growth.

a. What Happens During a Typical Day at a Trucking Business?

• The business is open for the day’s work
• The vans and trucks are washed, cleaned and ready for transporting goods and properties
• Customer’s requests are taken and they are scheduled or attended to
• Schedule maintenance of trucks and vans is carried out
• Marketing/website upkeep
• Administrative duties
• The business is closed for the day.

b. Production Process

There is no production process when it comes to the trucking business.

c. Service Procedure

The service procedure for a trucking company starts with a customer requesting the transportation of his or her goods or properties from one location to another or from one storage facility, warehouse, or business premises to another. Once the request is gotten, it will be processed and a suitable truck or van and staff are assigned to carry out the job.

d. The Supply Chain

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will rely on key players in the manufacturing and construction industry to refer business deals to us. So also, we have been able to establish a business relationship with wholesale supplies of crates, lubricants, spare parts et al.

e. Sources of Income

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. makes money from;

• Transporting large quantities of raw materials, and finished goods over land—typically from manufacturing plants to retail distribution centers and also from seaports to warehouses et al.
• Sale of franchises.

Financial Plan

A. amount needed to start your trucking company.

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. would need an estimate of $1.2 million to successfully set up our trucking company in the United States of America. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of our staff for the first month of operation.

b. What are the Costs Involved?

• Business Registration Fees – $750.
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $7,300.
• Marketing, Branding and Promotions – $5,000.
• Business Consultant Fee – $2,500.
• Insurance – $5,400.
• Rent/Lease – $200,000.
• Other start-up expenses like commercial satellite TV subscriptions, stationery ($500), and phone and utility deposits ($2,800).
• Operational Cost (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $100,000
• Start-up Inventory – $15,000
• Store Equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $4,750
• Furnishing and Equipping – $80,000
• Purchase of Trucks and Vans: $500,000
• Website: $600
• Opening party: $3,000
• Miscellaneous: $2,000

c. Do You Need to Build a Facility? If YES, How Much will it cost?

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will not build a new facility for our trucking company; we intend to start with a long-term lease and after 5 years, we will start the process of acquiring our own facility.

d. What are the Ongoing Expenses for Running a Trucking Company?

• Gas and lubricants
• Utility bills (internet subscriptions, phone bills, signage, and software renewal fees et al)
• Salaries of employees
• Trucks and vans maintenance
• Marketing costs

e. What is the Average Salary of your Staff?

• Chief Operating Officer (Owner) – $68,000 Per Year
• Admin and HR Manager – $48,000 Per Year
• Transport and Logistics Manager $48,000 Per Year
• Marketing and Sales Executive (Business Developer) – $42,000 Per Year
• Accountant $38,000 Per Year
• Truck and Van Drivers – $36,800 Per Year
• Material Handlers / Yard Spotters / Forklifts Operators – $28,000 Per Year
• Customer Service Officer (Receptionist) – $26,100 Per Year
• Security Guard -$24,000 Per Year

f. How Do You Get Funding to Start a Trucking Company?

• Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
• Raising money from investors and business partners
• Sell shares to interested investors
• Applying for a loan from your bank/banks
• Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from the government, donor organizations, and angel investors
• Source for soft loans from your family members and friends.

Financial Projection

A. how much should you charge for your service.

Most trucking businesses charge an hourly rate that generally includes a moving truck, all the equipment, miscellaneous materials, and the movers. The more loaders and offloaders or trucks needed for your specific move, the higher the hourly rate will be. For example, a truck and 2 movers may cost $120 per hour. We will follow the industry’s standard.

b. Sales Forecast?

• First Fiscal Year (FY1): $450,000
• Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $750,000
• Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $1.3 million

c. Estimated Profit You Will Make a Year?

• First Fiscal Year (FY1) (Profit After Tax): $150,000
• Second Fiscal Year (FY2) (Profit After Tax): $350,000
• Third Fiscal Year (FY3) (Profit After Tax): $600,000

d. Profit Margin of a Trucking company 

The ideal profit margin we hope to make at Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will be between 16 and 20 percent on each job carried out irrespective of the distance covered.

Growth Plan

A. how do you intend to grow and expand .

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. will grow our trucking company by first opening other offices in key cities in the United States of America within the first five years of establishing the business and then will start selling franchises from the sixth year.

b. Where do you intend to expand to and why?

Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. plans to expand to Boise – Idaho, San Francisco – California, Chicago – Illinois, Washington, D.C., Boston – Massachusetts, Miami – Florida, Seattle – Washington, Dallas – Texas, and Montpelier, Vermont.

We intend to expand to these locations because statistics show that the cities listed above have the most thriving trucking market in the United States.

Of the states that have witnessed the largest net gains in new residents, Idaho ranks near the top at 84.3 percent net gain, followed by Montana at 82.3 percent and Vermont at 64.29 percent. The states with the busiest interstate routes include California to Texas, New York to Florida, and California to Washington.

The founder of Benny Blanco© Trucking Company, Inc. plans to exit the business via family succession. We have placed structures and processes in place that will help us achieve our plan of successfully transferring the business from one family member to another and from one generation to another.

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How to Start a Trucking Business [GUIDE]

Will your business idea succeed? Take our quiz - completely confidential and free!

Maybe you’re a professional truck driver and want to start a trucking company by transitioning to owner-operator. Or, you’re considering getting your commercial driver’s license (CDL) to start your own trucking business.

If you’re like many would-be trucking entrepreneurs, you’re unsure how to get started. Navigating the transition between employee/driver and trucking company owner-operator can be tricky.

Over the past fifteen years, our team has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners start trucking and transportation companies. We’ve frequently written about and talked about the trucking industry on our blog and elsewhere. This guide shares the actionable insights, tips, best practices, and expertise we’ve developed after helping over one hundred thousand brands.

If you’re ready to leap, we’re here to share everything you need to know about how to start a trucking company .

How to Start a Trucking Company

Choose your niche, define your services, write a business plan, hire an experienced business attorney, decide your legal business structure.

• Set up accounting and bookkeeping

Assess your finances

Develop your brand identity, fill in the business blanks, crunch the numbers, build an online presence, spread the word, find the right help.

Starting your own trucking company will be much easier to stand out from those generalized trucking companies (especially over the long term) if you specialize .

Think about it. Would you go to a general practitioner or an oncologist specializing in lung cancer if you had lung cancer? You’d see a lung cancer specialist because they offer the best chance to solve your unique problem.

The same is true for businesses that need to move products.

Customers want assurance that their freight will arrive in good, sellable condition. Knowing that you’re an expert in moving their type of freight will boost their confidence in your ability to do the job well.

This is a great time to get into trucking and start a transportation company. There is a huge demand but not enough drivers and owner-operators to meet that demand. According to the American Trucking Association :

• 72.5% of all freight transported in the U.S. in 2019 was hauled by truck;
• The trucking industry was a nearly $800 billion industry in 2019;
• There were 36.9 million trucks registered and used for business purposes in 2018 (excluding government and farm use);
• There were 928,647 for-hire carriers registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in 2020;
• The vast majority of trucking companies (91.3%) overate 6 or fewer trucks; and
• More than 3.6 million truck drivers were employed in 2019.

The U.S. relies on truckers to keep people fed, deliver needed supplies, and keep the economy flowing. And, despite intermittent fluctuations, trucking services are consistently in demand.

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Here are common niches in the trucking industry:

• Dry van driver
• Freight hauler
• Refrigerated freight drivers
• Flatbed drivers
• Tanker drivers
• LTL (less-than-truckload) drivers
• Local, regional, or OTR (over-the-road) drivers

Trucking companies that are specialists will appear most qualified to help and will most appeal to the clients and potential clients with those needs.

You may find that your niche is obvious. For example, it may be where you have the most expertise. Or, it may be a transport niche that needs to be filled in your local economy.

But, if you’re struggling to identify what your trucking niche or specialty should be, consider these techniques for narrowing it down:

• Identify any unique types of freight that originate in your state or region.
• Ask yourself if your unique trucking background and expertise provide you with rare knowledge not easily found in the trucking industry.
• You may have informally helped friends move their freight. Do others have a similar need?

Whatever niche you choose, don’t try to be the right fit for every client.

Marketing directly to the businesses that need your expertise will deliver the best results.

You may be an experienced trucker, but you may need special training to deliver the best possible service, depending on the trucking business model you select. So, take advantage of opportunities to improve your skillset – even if you’re an expert.

And be sure to consider your total addressable market in your selected niche. Not all market segments offer meaningful opportunities for new entrants.

Choose your trucking business model

The experts at CDL Life (the largest online community of truck drivers in the U.S.) outline these five types of trucking business models :

1. For-hire truckload carriers

For-hire truckload carriers haul other companies’ freight.

There’s a good chance this may be the business model you had in mind when considering starting a trucking business. But consider it from all angles (and your other options) before committing.

Even within this fairly straightforward business model, many variables must be decided.

What kind of freight will you haul? Will you need special equipment to haul it? Will you operate locally, regionally, or nationally? Will your drivers be contractors or employees?

2. Private fleets

Private fleets provide their own trucks, trailers, drivers, and products. Thus, they’re a one-stop shop for both the items being shipped and the transportation of those items.

If you plan to start a trucking company, this probably isn’t the model you had in mind.

But, if you plan to manufacture an exciting, in-demand product and have a known audience reliably waiting for it… then you may want to consider starting a private fleet.

3. Less-than-truckload carriers

Less-than-truckload (or LTL) carriers haul items that comprise less than a full truckload. This means you may carry smaller quantities of items from several sources on a single trip.

Travis Overton of CDL Life explains :

 One less than truckload trailer might be shipping 10-30 different products to all different customers.

LTL carriers can operate regionally, locally, or nationally.

4. Household movers

Household moving companies do just what it sounds like – they help people move.

This business model is generally a hybrid of transportation, manual labor (loading and unloading the truck), and possibly even helping clients pack their belongings.

You must decide whether to offer packing services, loading/unloading, and driving. You’ll also have to choose whether to be a local, regional, national, or global moving company and plan your licensing, permits, and infrastructure accordingly.

5. Inter-modal trucking

Inter-modal trucking companies deliver shipping containers to and from the rail yard or shipping port. This keeps these companies localized in one region while helping to deliver goods worldwide.

This may be a good trucking business model if you’re near a major train hub or a cargo port. But if train activity is scarce in your area and you’re landlocked, consider another option.

Once you know your trucking business model, you’re ready to move on to the next step – writing a business plan.

People often make mistakes when they start a trucking company. They rush into things before considering their business from all angles.

Writing a business plan isn’t mandatory. But it can help you think things through and avoid many mistakes.

Studies show that entrepreneurs who take the time to write a business plan when starting a business are 2.5 times more likely to follow through and get their business off the ground.

The work that goes into creating a business plan helps new owner-operators build skills (like analyzing their competition and examining their finances) that will be important to their success.

But don’t get obsessed about getting every detail right in your business plan. You don’t even need to write a traditional 100-page business plan. Instead, do your research and create a one-page business plan .

For insights and free downloadable business plan templates, read this definitive guide to writing a business plan .

The trucking industry is overseen by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These government agencies take their rules and regulations seriously and expect trucking companies to do so as well.

That’s why an attorney specializing in transportation safety compliance will be valuable to your business.

They can advise you on best practices as you establish your trucking company. And they’ll understand the legal details if you ever find yourself in trouble with the DOT or FMCSA.

A good lawyer will help you find the proper business structure for the business – and split ownership interests with partners or investors – in ways that will protect everyone and give you flexibility in the future.

There are many different types of legal business structures for various business entities.

(Note: These legal business structures differ from your trucking business model.)

For new trucking owner-operators, choosing the best business entity can feel overwhelming. So don’t rush into registering your business immediately.

For example, while a sole proprietorship or partnership might be quick and inexpensive in the short term, it might expose you to more risk, create an unfavorable tax treatment, and create problems for you in the long term.

A limited liability company (LLC) might make more sense for many trucking companies, and a corporation could make sense for bigger trucking companies, especially if they have investors.

Spend some time reading about each possible entity your business might fit into. Then, consider which business structure is most helpful for your business; and how each can help you accomplish your personal and business goals.

You’ll also need to designate a process agent to whom court and other real papers can be served. You’ll need a process agent in each state where you have an officer, operate your company, or establish customer contracts.

Hire an expert to form your company and save time. Our trusted partners can help: Northwest ($39 + state fee) or Bizee ($199 + state fee) . We recommend Northwest. After evaluating the leading registration companies, Northwest stands out as our top choice due to its competitive pricing, exceptional customer support, and commitment to privacy. Pay just $39 + state fees and you'll get a free year of registered agent service, articles of organization, privacy, and client support from local experts.

Remember that most states require you to register your trucking company with the secretary of state or county clerk in the county in which you operate if you operate your business under a different trade name than your legal business name.

This is an easy problem to solve. Just register your actual trade name with your state (and/or local government) by filing a “doing business as” (DBA) certificate. DBAs are also commonly called “assumed name,” “fictitious business name,” or “trade name.”

Here’s a terrific resource that explains what a DBA is, the DBA state requirements, and how to file a DBA for your trucking company in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Set up business accounting and bookkeeping

Business accounting is how your business records, organizes, interprets, and presents financial information.

• Accountants analyze a business’s financial condition and offer financial advice to help the business owner make better decisions.
• Bookkeeping is recording, organizing, storing, and retrieving financial information related to your business.

Accounting and bookkeeping do overlap. The main difference between the two is that bookkeeping is how you record and categorize financial information, whereas accounting puts the information to use through analysis, strategy, and tax planning.

Typically, bookkeepers record and organize your day-to-day business transactions, keep your bank account balanced, produce simple reports, and assist with keeping your financial records in order.

While a bookkeeper can handle most of your day-to-day number crunching and record-keeping, having an accountant is still important.

Filing state and federal taxes can be complicated. And you don’t want to get caught in a situation where you’ve underpaid or violated any tax laws.

This is where an accountant will shine. Hire an accountant to advise you on taxes before officially starting your trucking company. It’s important to know how to plan for taxes from day one.

And an accountant can also help you analyze your finances to help you understand if you need additional financing to get your trucking business up and running.

Knowing exactly how much money you need to invest in a trucking company is essential when starting the project.

Purchasing or leasing trucks and trailers, drivers’ wages, and trucking insurance payments all cost money.

You’ve got to know if you have enough. Then, you may need help with your business financing. Luckily, there are many business financing options for small businesses.

You’ll have difficulty building a sustainable, profitable business if you don’t understand the numbers. Most of your strategic decisions will be impacted by your cash flow.

And be extra careful to conserve your funds when starting a business. Don’t overspend.

Some purchases will be necessary and make sense for your business, but others, like expensive and unnecessary equipment, will threaten your trucking company’s chances for survival.

You’ll need to set up a bookkeeping and accounting system to track your finances. We talked about this above. This is important for understanding your business’s cash flow and will also be necessary for tax-filing purposes.

It’s hard to build a successful trucking company unless you take branding seriously.

Branding provides a reassuring level of professionalism that small-business trucking operations sometimes struggle to establish. So, don’t think you can afford to leave your brand identity to chance.

Your brand’s importance cannot be understated. Businesses trust trucking companies with thousands (and sometimes hundreds of thousands) of dollars in products. A weak brand identity will undermine their trust and make them reluctant to hire you.

So, before you hit up your first networking event, ask yourself these critical questions:

• What identity/personality do I want my trucking brand to project?
• Who will want or need my services?
• What can my clients get from my services that they can’t get from other trucking companies?
• What values guide the way that I do business?
• What is the most important part of my client’s experience?

Your answers to these questions (and others like them) will build your brand’s core.

All of your future branding decisions should expand on these ideas. For example, your company name, logo, and website design should grow from the concepts you laid out here.

So, take the time to think – think – about your brand from the start. Trucking is a competitive industry. And it’s the trucking companies with clear, authentic brands that survive and thrive.

Important branding elements for a trucking company include:

• A unique and distinctive  company logo that is easily recognizable from a distance (so potential customers can recognize your trucks on the road)
• Truck wraps or decals that include your brand name and logo (so potential customers can recognize your trucks on the road)
• A custom email address and web domain that matches your business name (because people think less of businesses that use Gmail or Yahoo email addresses). You can get a professional business email address even if you don’t own your own domain.
• A professional-looking website that provides possible clients with all of the information they need to decide if your trucking company is the right fit for their needs
• Business cards that can be passed to potential clients in your region of business operations

And if you’ve already started your trucking company, but are struggling to grow it, maybe it’s time to consider a rebrand . It’s possible that your existing branding is holding you back more than you realize.

The cost of brand design

Before you decide that you should put off building a strong brand identity because your budget is tight, rethink that plan.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars building a strong brand identity. Here are a few pricing guides that can help you identify the sweet spot for pricing:

• How much should a logo design cost?
• How much does a business card cost?
• How much does website design cost?

The above guides describe free, cheap, affordable, and expensive options. So, regardless of your budget, you’ll find a price point that fits.

You can learn more about the nuts and bolts of establishing and maintaining a consistent brand identity in Grow Your Small Business with Consistent Branding .

Your new trucking company is born into a framework of existing laws, licenses, and permits.

While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of becoming your boss, it’s essential to give equal attention to the less glamorous aspect of business ownership – following the rules.

If you don’t operate legally, your new trucking business may get shut down before it has a chance to grow. So, let’s talk details.

You must file the necessary paperwork after determining your business’s legal structure.

The U.S. Small Business Administration says a license or permit is necessary for every business type. Their website has all the info you need to determine what sort of license or permit you’ll need to start a trucking company in your state.

In addition to any basic business licenses or permits you may need to operate in your state legally, you will also need some licenses and permits specific to the trucking industry.

Trucking-specific permits and licenses

Many states require special permits and other specific licenses or paperwork. So, check out your state’s Department of Transportation website for the details in your state. But, some requirements are fairly universal.

You can expect to complete the following:

• Obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) if you don’t already have one. Visit your state’s Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Administration, or Department of Motor Vehicles for the CDL guidelines specific to your state.
• Register with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) to obtain your U.S. DOT number and your MC (motor carrier) number . The MC number is also known as a motor carrier operating authority, trucking authority, or carrier authority. Having carrier authority means the government permits your trucking company to be paid for hauling freight for your customers and dictates the type of cargo you can carry. Also, ensure your commercial vehicles have an ELD (electronic logging device) ,  as this is a requirement from FMCSA under de ELD mandate.
• Once your business is insured and you’ve acquired your U.S. DOT and MC numbers, complete your Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) . This verifies your active business insurance coverage.
• If you plan to operate in multiple states, obtain your International Registration Plan (IRP) tag. The international registration plan distributes fees based on the distance traveled in each state or Canadian province. You can get the IRP from your state’s transportation website .
• Get your International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) decal through your state DOT if you’ll be hauling loads in more than one state. The International Fuel Tax Agreement is required if you’re doing interstate trucking. The IFTA is an agreement between the continental 48 U.S. states and Canadian provinces to simplify reporting of fuel use by carriers that drive in multiple states. Carriers must submit a quarterly fuel tax report and a quarterly tax payment distributed to the states.
• Consider the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax – This tax is charged for trucks exceeding 55,000 pounds. The proceeds fund highway programs.
• If you plan to operate in multiple states, file your BOC-3 form to ensure legal coverage everywhere you go. The form designates a process agent where a carrier maintains an office or establishes contracts in each state. In addition, some companies offer blanket coverage that designates a registered agent in every U.S. state, making this process simple.
• Drug Testing and FMCSA Clearinghouse . You’ll want to set up a drug-testing program and check the FMCSA Clearinghouse for CDL driver drug and alcohol program violations.

This list is not exhaustive. You may need to complete other paperwork as well.

Bookmark the FMCSA website and your state Department of Transportation website. These will be your go-to resources for the licenses and permits you need to obtain to start a trucking business in your location.

Insurance for trucking companies

Every truck in your fleet must be covered by commercial auto insurance.

But that’s only the start.

You may need (or want) to carry many different types of business insurance to protect your trucking business.

• Cargo insurance protects your business from loss if cargo is lost or damaged in transit.
• General liability coverage protects your business if a person or property is damaged due to a crash or load delivery error.
• Bobtail ( or non-trucking liability) insurance covers drivers driving between gigs (off-dispatch) or using the truck for personal reasons.

There’s also physical damage coverage, medical payment coverage, trailer interchange coverage, and more .

In most cases, you must carry at least $750,000 in primary liability coverage. This covers damages or injuries that result from an accident when you’re at fault. But many brokers and carriers require higher minimums, starting at $1 million in liability coverage.

You’ll also need at least $100,000 in cargo coverage, which covers damage to the freight and theft. The amount of cargo coverage depends on what you’re hauling.

Research the insurance options and requirements for your state. And protect your business by investing in the strongest coverage you can reasonably afford.

Knowing the legal and logistical considerations of starting a trucking business will create a strong foundation for your business’s successful future. 

You’ll want to track revenue for a trucking business, but there’s much more to consider. So you’ve got to start at the beginning –  with your start-up costs .

Start-up expenses and costs for a trucking business may include the following:

• brand design (logo, business cards, and website)
• any license or permit fees
• vehicle insurance
• deposits and rent for a physical work location (Will you have a terminal for storing a fleet when they’re not on the road? Where will your office be located?)
• basic infrastructural costs like phone and internet service, scheduling, invoicing, and dispatch software, etc.
• marketing and advertising costs
• initial legal and accounting services.
• equipment (trucks, trailers, securement straps, chains, tarps, etc.)

Regarding trucks and trailers, leases can help you get more for your money. Here are three common types of leases:

• Operating (Full-Service) Lease. Under the Full-Service Lease, you must handle maintenance, taxes, and permits. When the lease ends, you simply walk away and don’t owe any additional payments.
• Terminal Rental Adjustment Clause (TRAC) Lease. Under a TRAC lease, you must make a small down payment and regular lease payments. When the lease ends, you pay the difference in value and purchase the truck. You can also ask the leasing company to sell the truck. If the leasing company makes money on the sale, you get the profit from the sale. However, if the leasing company loses money on the sale of the truck, you owe the difference between the sale price and the purchase value of the truck in your TRAC lease.
• Lease-Purchase Plans. These are designed for truckers who don’t have enough funds for a down payment to buy a truck outright or for those with bad credit. These plans are costly, and you pay more throughout the lease-purchase agreement when compared to traditional purchase financing. But, this is a good alternative for those who cannot use traditional financing.

Once you know how much it will cost to start, compare it with your funds. Then plan how you’ll make up any difference.

Then it’s time to consider what your recurring costs will be.

Recurring costs for a trucking business may include:

• fuel (diesel)
• vehicle maintenance and repair
• utilities (phone, internet, electricity, etc.)
• office rent
• software subscription costs (bookkeeping and dispatch)
• license and permit renewals
• bookkeeping, accounting, and legal services
• employee wages
• annual taxes

Researching ahead and running smart calculations to determine how much it will cost to start and run your business will allow you to plan and think about pricing.

Setting your prices

Setting prices isn’t a simple matter. You should keep several factors in mind when setting your prices.

The hard numbers

To create a competitive pricing structure, you must start by knowing how much it costs to run your trucking business (your recurring operating costs).

While there may always be unexpected expenses, the recurring costs you know should all be considered.

But your operating costs are only a starting point. It’s essential to bake some profit into your prices as well. Otherwise, it will be challenging to sustain your trucking business over time.

So, make sure your prices are high enough to cover the cost of doing business and deliver some profit.

Your competition

Your potential clients are most likely doing research – and they’re considering your competitors, too.

Consciously or not, they gather data about what they think trucking services like yours should cost and what they’re willing to pay. That means you must also be aware of what your competitors are charging.

You might feel your services are worth more; or want to charge new clients less than your competitors. And that’s okay.

But, if you’re entirely unaware of what your competitors charge, you may miss the mark – either costing you profit if you charge too little or business if you charge too much.

Perceived value

Perceived value is the amount a client thinks a trucking service is worth.  And your competitor’s prices are a part of that perception. But not the whole picture.

Your time has value, and you need to make a living wage. But your clients and potential clients won’t care about that. Instead, they will care about the tangible results that your trucking company delivers for their business.

The more they stand to gain, the higher the perceived value.

Your branding influences how your trucking services are perceived, as well. A professional logo and high-end brand positioning will produce a higher perceived value than a cheap logo and discount branding.

Clients, especially new clients, may be willing to pay you more if they trust your trucking brand more.

So, remember to consider your brand and competitors’ pricing when creating your pricing strategy.

A website is active online, promoting your business 24/7 – even when you’re on the road. So, put this vital business tool to work for your trucking business.

Start by ensuring that your website design truly embodies your trucking brand. Visitors should understand who you are and what your company is about when they arrive.

Are you the fastest transport service? The safest? The most reliable?

Important brand differentiators (things that set your trucking company apart from your competition) should be communicated on your website.

Your website’s visual design and marketing copy should protect your business’s personality and identity. Here are some suggestions:

• Use your brand’s colors .
• Prominently feature your company logo.
• Write marketing copy with your target audience (best customer) in mind.
• And showcase your personal identity and what makes your trucking business the best choice.

Besides helping people to get to know your trucking brand (increasing the likelihood that they’ll hire you (now or in the future), your business website is also an excellent venue for showing off your success stories. Consider sharing testimonials from past satisfied clients.

Finally, a strong website design will lend credibility and legitimacy to your business.

And don’t worry that you have a brand new site and trucking business. You can overcome that obstacle too. Mandi Ellefson, CEO of The Hands-Off CEO, told us that:

I could take a brand-new company and spin up a website and a logo and make it look like they’ve been around for 10 years.

Perception is everything.

To learn more about excellent website design, check out Grow Your Small Business With These 7 Website Design Best Practices and 11 Biggest Web Design Trends for 2022 .

Marketing is essential .

An owner-operator is often the only team member, so you’ll need to get comfortable selling… well, yourself.

And, if you’re planning to start a small fleet, you’ll need to learn to sell your business.

Either way, build a game plan for selling yourself and your trucking services. And opt for tactics that you can implement daily without taking too much time from your core business – trucking.

Your marketing efforts will mean the difference between success and failure.

Here are three tips to get you started:

Take time to develop and rehearse an “elevator pitch” (explaining exactly what your trucking company does, what it does best, and why it’s the best choice) until you can deliver it comfortably and confidently to anyone, anywhere.

This 20-30-second explanation of what you do should be interesting and descriptive. After all, you’re the expert in trucking – not your potential client.

Check out MindTools’ guide to Crafting an Elevator Pitch .

Practice overcoming objections. No matter how excellent your transport services are, clients and potential clients will always have reservations – after all, their money is on the line.

For example, how do you answer questions about your safety track record or timeliness of delivery? So, brainstorm as many possible objections as you can think of.  Then practice putting those concerns to rest.

Develop and execute a list of day-to-day tactics that will keep your sales/marketing efforts moving forward.

If you’re not selling your services, then it’s likely that no one is. So, you’ll complete your current contracts to find an empty calendar with no income looming ahead.

Make sure to make marketing a part of your day every day .

Here are a few ideas…

• Use your truck(s) as passive marketing ambassadors everywhere you go. For example, place decals or vehicle wraps with your business name, logo, web address, and contact info on every truck. This will also help your trucks visually stand out and create a professional impression.
• Build a mailing list and stay in touch with your clients and prospective clients. This will keep your business top of mind, so you’re more likely to get a call when your services are needed.
• Ask happy clients to refer you to their friends and colleagues. Word-of-mouth is the most powerful form of marketing there is.
• Keep business cards with you always and hand them out whenever you see an appropriate opportunity. (Be sure to share business cards with potential clients already located along the routes you regularly travel.)
• Contact local businesses needing your services and offer them a first-time discount.

However you approach it, plan to seek new business to help your trucking company grow proactively.

Eventually, if all goes well, you’ll hire employees to take tasks off your plate so you can focus on managing your business and/or driving your truck.

But employees must be paid. So, first, you should only hire for positions that will provide the most immediate benefit to your business.

In a trucking company, additional drivers will probably be your first hires.

After that, consider what aspects of the business pose the most significant challenges. And consider your limitations. It may be smart to hire an employee who is an expert in those areas in which your business is currently lacking.

Building a robust and well-rounded team will create a stable foundation for your business.

So, what does your business need?

You may want your very first hire to be a part-time assistant. Look for someone who is a jack-of-all-trades, eager to learn new skills, and with a strong work ethic. You’ll sleep better knowing you’ve got someone you can rely on in the trenches with you.

The legal stuff

Of course, hiring drivers or other employees for your trucking company means you’ll have to deal with all sorts of legalities and paperwork.

This isn’t an area where you should “wing it.” So, we went straight to the source. The hiring experts at Indeed recommend that you:

Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) by applying on the IRS website (you’ll get your number immediately after applying!). You’ll need an EIN for many things, including to open a business bank account for your trucking company. Register with your state’s labor department. Fill out paperwork to withhold federal taxes from your employee’s wages. Set up workers’ compensation insurance if it is required in your state.

You’ll also need to decide whether you hire full- or part-time employees.

Part-time employees cost less. So you may want to start with part-timers. Then, as the business grows and you can afford it, you can expand their hours.

Full-time employees also require more paperwork to get set up.

Before you go...

For the brave men and women who dare, starting a trucking company may be the most rewarding, life-changing decision ever.

Will you join them and start a trucking company of your own?

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How to Write a Trucking Business Plan

Last Updated May 30, 2024

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for trucking, you may have considered starting a trucking company . However, owning a business is a challenging task if you don’t have a plan.

A business plan can help you define your company’s mission to get investors, loans, partners, and employees interested. You will prove to people that you are serious about trucking and want to learn and grow in the industry.

By writing a comprehensive business plan, you can more effectively convey your company goals. They will help you determine your company’s unique qualities and how you can succeed in the foreseeable future.

When writing a business plan, you will want to keep a few pointers in mind to include in the final copy. Here are some strategies to help you start and run your trucking company.

What Is a Trucking Business Plan?

A trucking business plan is a written record of your company’s goals, operating costs, profits, and other relevant factors. Essentially, your trucking business plan is your business growth roadmap.

However, a business plan is not a static document. As your business changes and shifts with time, your plan should adjust to these changes to ensure you are still working toward your goals.

Why Do You Need a Trucking Business Plan?

You need a trucking business plan to cover all your bases before taking action. A trucking business plan is like a road trip map – you need it to know where you are going and how to get there.

A trucking business plan supports your entrepreneurial efforts by helping in:

• Choosing the right location for company premises
• Determining what kind of trucks and equipment you need
• Defining which licenses and insurance policies to get
• Outlining the criteria for the driver hiring process
• Calculating your initial capital for investment purposes
• Deciding whether this business is worth creating

What to Include in A Trucking Business Plan

Your trucking business plan contains the information necessary to run your company. Some important things to include in a trucking business plan are:

• Executive summary : An executive summary is a short description of your plans for the company. It is usually used to give potential investors an overview of your company and entice them to read your business plan further.
• Detailed company description : This section is where you go in-depth into what makes your company tick. Common topics covered here include the management team’s background, your past trucking experiences, and what sets you apart from the competition.
• Services provided : Different trucking companies offer different services, so make sure to include a section that details what kind of freight services you provide.
• Market analysis : A thorough market analysis tells potential investors that you understand the industry landscape and know how to succeed. It also helps you identify what competitors do well and how you can differentiate your business from them.
• Sales and marketing strategy : The best-laid business plans will likely not succeed without a solid sales and marketing strategy. This section includes how you want to advertise your business and attract more clients.
• Financial projections : This section usually includes how much you need to start the business and how much you expect to gain. This helps investors measure your business’s profitability and potentially convince them to back your company.

How to Make a Trucking Business Plan

Now that we have covered what goes into a business plan, it is time to learn how to make one. Here are the key steps to creating a trucking business plan:

1. Name Your Business

One overlooked aspect of starting a successful business is choosing a fitting name. No matter the quality of your services, an unappealing name will detract customers.

To pick a name, brainstorm words that you associate with your business. Try to work with a group of trucking enthusiasts to ensure your ideas relate. Anything goes at first because you can narrow them down to your favorite words.

Some common trucking company names include:

• Family names
• Freight types
• Location-based names
• Plays on words
• Unique name inspired by your company’s personality

You will need to know the purpose of your business when choosing the name. If you want it to carry on through family generations, your surname could be the name. Those who specialize in hazmat, heavy-haul, or reefer may desire these terms in the title.

Companies that operate in one area might want to include that in the name to attract local business enthusiasts. Some more memorable titles include plays on words, metaphors, trucking references, and company culture allusions.

If you can picture the name on the side of a truck, you might have a winner on your hands. Make sure people can pronounce and remember it by avoiding anything long-winded. Also, try to come up with a logo.

Before registering your corporation, LLC, or partnership, check with the US Patent and Trademark Office to guarantee that you have a unique design.

2. Identify a Target Market or Niche

You can select a target market for your trucking company by defining your goals. Specializing in too many markets may open the door to more customers, but it will lower the quality of your services. Ensure you choose a specific focus for your target market to deliver excellent business and maximize returns.

The various types of trucking companies include:

• For-hire truckload carriers
• Household movers
• Less-than-truckload carriers

For-hire truckload carriers haul the freight of manufacturing companies. These businesses lend drivers, trailers, and trucks to others, but they do not make anything themselves. Customers often hire household moving companies to pack, load, move, and unload their home’s items. This job is labor-heavy but typically in high demand.

Intermodal trucking companies will haul rail containers from the rail yard. A truck driver takes the freight to the rail yard, where a railway will move it to its final destination. There, another truck driver transports the goods to the customer. It has a lot of hands-on involvement, but starting this business works best if you live near a rail company.

Less-than-truckload carriers (LTL) deliver small products to homes and businesses at once. The drivers schedule the delivery to homes or have the customer get them from a distribution center. These companies have line haul and city drivers.

3. Perform a Competitive and Market Analysis

Your business plan needs a market analysis to show your expertise in the industry. Writing it will inform you of any trends, demands, and areas with the most success. Try to include these topics in your market analysis.

• Competitive Analysis: research similar trucking companies and describe the advantages and disadvantages of their business model
• Distinguishing Characteristics: explain your target customer’s needs and how you can fulfill them
• Gross Margin and Pricing Targets: figure out your margins, pricing structure, and discounts
• Industry Description: summarize your share of the trucking industry, determine its size, and name your primary competitors
• Market Share: calculate how much business you will gain within a year and explain how you reached these conclusions
• Regulatory Restrictions: analyze government regulations to see how they would affect your business
• Target Market: find your specialization and focus on the types of customers you believe you can satisfy
• Target Market Size: provide an in-depth analysis of your target customers

Use multiple resources to locate this information, and make sure to cite them. You want this report to show your authority on the topic, so don’t skimp!

4. Determine Your Competitive Edge and the Services You Offer

To stand out from other trucking companies, you will need to get a competitive edge. Analyze your experience to see where your strengths lie. If you worked as a driver, use your track record to prove your safe practices.

Even indirect experience like working as a committed employee can help. Reach out to your former employers to provide any references or connections to build your reputation and authority.

You can draw from your experiences to determine the services you wish to provide. Ask yourself some of these questions:

• What kind of freight will I haul?
• What equipment do I need to handle this freight?
• Will I operate intrastate or interstate?
• What type of trucking company do I want to run?
• Will I stay in one location or travel far distances?

Once you figure out the services you wish to offer, you can research the products you need before you can help customers. Look into financing, insurance, logging, and testing providers. Also, check out fuel services and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration guidelines.

5. Determining Your Rate-Per-Mile and Cost Structures

Your rate-per-mile determines how much you will earn for each mile you travel. Calculating your target rate-per-mile can help you figure out the type of business you want to run. First, estimate your ideal monthly profits. Then, divide this number by how many miles you wish to drive each month. Aim for a number about 10-15% higher than your break-even point , or the amount you need to make to cover your expenses.

Next, you should figure out your cost structures. You can do this by calculating the labor, equipment, and hours that go into completing a task and charging an amount about 10-15% higher for each service. You can earn a modest profit without overcharging your offerings.

6. Create a Marketing and Sales Strategy

Your marketing strategy features your tactics to attract new customers and retain them. A vital aspect is your advertising channels, such as social media, email, websites, internet ads, commercials, and trade publications. Write how you will use these methods to reach potential consumers.

Look to see if your marketing strategy requires costly purchases or acquisitions to calculate the affordability of your ideas. Also, include what regions and industries you will market to with your promotional materials.

A sales strategy describes your sales force. Consider if you want to use independent salespeople or hire ones yourself. Also, determine how you will identify a potential customer and how you can get their attention. Then, calculate your sales team’s closing rate to see if you can reach your company’s goals with your current techniques.

7. Make Financial Projections

The financial projections section features information concerning your financial statements and profitability. You will want your cash flow , profit, loss, balance sheet, and sales forecast included. Also, create a five-year projection and write how you will meet your goals.

A five-year goal should align with your current performance and any changes you plan on implementing to expand your profits.

Once your business is established, you can consider other cash flow financing options like factoring invoices , also known as freight factoring .

8. Make An Employee Plan

Your business plan should discuss who you need to hire. Trucking companies can be any size. A simple model may only have you and your truck acting as an owner-operator. You may want to expand your business with qualified drivers , multiple trucks, a sales team, office support, or dispatching.

If you have clearly defined company goals, you can readily create an employee plan. Figure out the amount of capital you can spend on hiring people and make a budget for how much of your profits you will spend on others.

9. Define Management and Organization

You can manage and organize your trucking business with computer software that you update regularly. Services like TruckingOffice or other accounting software can help you keep track of your payments, invoices, dispatch, fuel, truck maintenance, expenses, rate-per-mile, and mileage.

You could also do the math by hand, but a program can help you keep everything in one place.

10. Have a Plan to Finance Your Trucking Business

One of the most overlooked aspects of a trucking business plan is mapping out how you’re going to get sufficient funding for your company.

Note that, while there will likely be a few different types of trucking business loans , not all of these will be attainable due to various reasons. Maybe you’re yet to obtain the hard assets a bank is looking for to use as collateral for a traditional loan. Maybe this is your first business, and therefore you lack any semblance of business credit that most banks require to approve for a loan.

Therefore, consider alternative financing such as freight factoring as well. Banks that offer freight factoring don’t require a high credit score or significant hard assets to protect the funds. This makes it a fantastic option for brand new carriers and small trucking businesses.

In-Summary: How to Make a Trucking Business Plan

Writing a trucking business plan is a tedious yet necessary task when starting a company. By including varied information about your organization, goals, competitors, profits, and employees, you can attract investors, partners, and customers.

Business plans build industry authority and help you become a trusted provider of trucking services. Try to update your plan once a year to stay on top of your business and expand it further.

Once you have your trucking company up and running, read our other guides about various aspects of the trucking business:

• What is a TWIC card and who needs one?
• What is a truck detention fee and how do you determine it?
• How to prepare for a Level 1 DOT inspection

Trucking Business Plan FAQs

Here are some common questions about trucking business plans answered.

How much cash do you need to start a trucking company?

The amount of cash you need to start a trucking company varies, but you can start a small trucking company with one or two vehicles for as little as $10,000.

What is the average profit for a trucking company?

The average profit margin of trucking companies is between 2.5% and 6%. If you operate your trucking company well, it can be a fairly lucrative business.

How do I start a trucking company from scratch?

You can start a trucking company from scratch by following these steps:

• Create a business plan.
• Register your company and obtain relevant licenses.
• Buy or lease a truck.
• Secure funding.

Grey was previously the Director of Marketing for altLINE by The Southern Bank. With 10 years’ experience in digital marketing, content creation and small business operations, he helped businesses find the information they needed to make informed decisions about invoice factoring and A/R financing.

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Trucking Business Plan

With the boom in online ordering and cross-border transactions, the demand for trucking is on the rise, and there is no stoppage in the near future. Thus, if you are planning to start your business right now, the timings are perfect.

Now your idea is validated, but have you thought about planning your idea thoroughly before actually executing it? Whether you want external investment or not, a trucking business plan will help you in each step of your journey as a guide.

Here the catch is how to write a business plan because it seems like a boring lengthy procedure, right? Worry not, our trucking business plan template with various examples will help you write yours.

Key Takeaways

• The executive summary is one of the most important parts readers will go through first, so keep it simple and engaging.
• Conduct a thorough industry analysis to get a better understanding of your business positioning.
• To ensure daily smooth operations, provide a detailed operations plan that includes who will work on what.
• Create realistic financial projections for your financial plan, you can even base your assumptions by looking at the competitor’s response.

Things to Consider Before Writing a Trucking Business Plan

The trucking business is the wheels of the economy, without it the world might close. As a long-distance trucking business transports a variety of goods that is necessary for living.

This industry generally includes trucking companies that operate between major metropolitan regions and cross-borders. The main services of the industry include:

• Truckload carriers
• Less-than-truckload carriers
• Other transportation services

According to American Trucking Association data , 11.46 billion tons of freight was transported by trucks only, accounting for 72.6% of domestic total tonnage shipped.

Thus, trucking was one of the most important sectors and will continue to be the one in the future too. Even, the revenue of trucking was $940.8 billion , which accounted for 80.7% of the total revenue of the industry of the nation.

As we now know the importance of the industry, let us get started with the trucking business plan outline along with various examples and guidance.

How to Create a Trucking Business Plan: A Detailed Guide

1. executive summary.

The executive summary should be the most engaging part for readers, summarizing the entire business plan.

It is generally the part business owners prefer to write at the last because till then they can get the full knowledge of the trucking company business plan.

Start your summary with a brief introduction of your business, as shown in the below example with the help of Upmetrics:

After the introduction, include information like

• Products Served
• Customer Focus
• Mission Statement
• Vision Statement
• Success Factors
• Financial Summary
• Call to action

Tip: Executive summary is a quick overview for your readers. They might not read the whole business plan and only read this section. Thus, make sure to keep it clear, precise, and crisp enough to grab their attention.

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2. Company Overview

Provide a detailed company description in this section. It includes the name of your own trucking business, the location of your office, the legal structure of your business, and other such information.

Also, do not forget to mention the type of your business, for example, your trucking company will be one from below:

• Freight trucking
• Intermodal trucking
• Specialized hauling
• Courier and delivery services
• Bulk commodity trucking
• Dump trucking

After that, mention the history of your company if your business is already in existence. Here is an illustration of the company’s history with the help of Upmetrics:

Also, describe the vision & mission statement of your trucking business along with your future goals. Add the names of the owners along with their qualifications and specifications.

In short, this section should provide an in-depth understanding of your business and business owners.

3. Industry Analysis

This analysis gives all the details about the trucking industry. It will support you in a better understanding of your business.

Here are some questions to ask while conducting industry analysis :

• What is the current size of the trucking industry in the USA?
• What are the major trends in the transportation industry?
• Who are the huge players in the industry and what is their market share?
• How is technology affecting the trucking industry?
• How are fuel prices affecting the operating costs of the businesses?

Conduction this industry analysis will educate you about the market and help you prepare marketing strategies according to the market trends.

In short, industry analysis will help you have a better understanding of the market and support you in making informed decisions.

4. Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis will help you know your unique selling propositions (USPs) along with your market positioning. You will also be able to know your direct and indirect competitors & other trucking companies.

Start by listing out all your competitors along with their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Focus more on your direct competitors and ask certain questions like:

• Who do they serve?
• What is their market share?
• What are their USPs?
• What is their pricing strategy?
• What do they need to work on according to their customers?

After conducting competitor analysis, understand your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats like below to better get your strong points.

This way you can get to know the USP of a trucking company. Once you get the USP, flaunt it in your own business plan.

5. Market Analysis

In the market analysis section, begin with market research and deep dive into the market where your trucking business will operate. Start the section by providing the details of your target market.

Your target market will depend on the trucking services you provide and on the location of your business.

Once you are clear about the target customers, discuss the market trends of the trucking industry. Mention what your customers prefer and what new they want.

For instance, here is the market trends section with the help of Upmetrics:

At the end of the market analysis, do mention the regulatory environment trucking companies need to follow in the particular location.

6. Product and Services

After knowing the market trends and conducting market analysis, give details about the services you will provide. Your trucking services might be one of these:

• Hazardous material transportation
• Freight transportation services
• Specialized transportation
• Intermodal transportation
• Last-mile transportation
• Reefer services
• Container drayage

Mention your time duration of the services in this section, to let your readers know the efficiency and capacity of your trucks. You can also add the images of trucks in this section along with their capacity.

Keep the language of this section understandable and simple to give knowledge about your services to the readers.

7. Sales and Marketing Plan

There are around 750,000 trucking companies in the USA that own at least 1-2 trucks. Therefore, being noticed in this much competition is necessary, which is why you need a proper sales and marketing plan.

Developing a marketing plan means writing down strategies to acquire potential customers and retain them.

Some of the marketing strategies for trucking companies are:

Having a professional website

Having a professional website will spread your reach to a wider audience.  On the website, you can showcase all your services and the images of the trucks directly to potential customers.

Content marketing

Write blog posts, infographics, and articles for the logistics industry in which you can promote your own business. This way you can establish your expertise too in the same niche.

Social media engagement

For a successful trucking company, staying active on social media is a necessity. Share industry trends, news, and other events on social media to engage with your customers.

Email marketing

Build an email list of potential and existing clients and send them newsletters or updates about your services, industry insights, and special promotions.

Once you have noted down how you will acquire customers, then mention the following things:

• Customer acquisition cost
• Your monthly marketing budget

8. Management Team

Letting your readers or investors know who is behind your trucking company will increase the appeal of your business plan.

The management team section tells about the people in charge of the trucking business and their experience of the work. If you have a new trucking company, then showcasing all your experienced managers will make your business look stronger.

Here is an example of a management team:

Management team of Maxwell Truck service

John Maxwell – CEO and Founder

John is the visionary leader who founded Maxwell Truck Service. With over 20 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry, he sets the company’s strategic direction and oversees overall operations.

Sarah Adams – Chief Operations Officer (COO)

As the COO, Sarah is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. She manages dispatch, fleet maintenance, and driver scheduling to ensure efficient and timely delivery of goods.

Michael Turner – Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Michael is responsible for the financial health of the company. He manages budgets, and financial planning, and oversees financial reporting, ensuring the company’s financial stability and growth.

Karen Simmons – Director of Sales and Marketing

Karen leads the company’s sales and marketing efforts. She develops strategies to attract new clients and maintain strong relationships with existing ones, helping to grow the customer base.

9. Operations Plan

In the whole above plan, we have discussed mentioning your goals, now it is time to write the strategies of daily activities on how to achieve the above-mentioned goals. You can divide these goals into two parts:

Everyday goals

They’re the heart and soul of your trucking business’s daily life, from buying the most appropriate trucks to delivering the goods timely is a tricky thing. These are the everyday heroes that keep your business running smoothly.

Long-term goals

It’s all about milestones: the moments that make you pop the champagne. Picture celebrating your 10,000th timely delivery, hitting that milestone sales figure you’ve dreamt of, or expanding your team.

10. Financial Plan

For a successful trucking business, you will need a proper financial plan with practical financial projections. In the plan, you have to include the income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet for 3-5 years.

Income statement

An income statement also known as a profit and loss statement, describes the gross profitability of your business by deducting costs of goods sold from revenue.

For this, you don’t need to be greedy and make practical assumptions so that you can know the actual profitability range of your business. Here is a projected profit and loss statement for 3 years:

Balance sheet

Balance sheets display your assets and liabilities. Although they can contain a lot of details, like equity, goodwill, other intangible assets, etc. Here is an example of a balance sheet for 3 years with the help of Upmetrics:

Cash flow statement

Your cash flow statement helps you see how much money you need to start or grow your business and avoid running out of money. This cash flow should be maintained even for certain months after launch that is before you start making profits.

Surprisingly, you can make a profit but still face financial problems that could lead to bankruptcy. Therefore, you will need proper cash flow planning to avoid such circumstances.

Funding Sources For Trucking Business

Funding a trucking business might be difficult because of the high investments in the truck, various sources to get funding from are:

• Bootstrapping
• Truck financing companies
• Venture capital & angel investors
• Crowdfunding
• Family and friends

Download a Trucking business plan template

Ready to kick-start your business plan writing process? And not sure where to start? Here you go, download our free trucking business plan pdf , and start writing.

This intuitive, modern, and investment-ready template is designed specifically for trucking businesses. It includes step-by-step instructions & examples to help in creating your own trucking business plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Write Your Business Plan with Upmetrics

Finally! Now you know how to write a business plan for your business with the help of our trucking business plan example. Thus, you are a step closer to beginning or growing your business.

No doubt, writing a business plan with accurate financial projections is daunting, but it is a lot smoother with the help of business plan software . Therefore, take a deep breath, calm down, and get started with writing your business plan.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should i hire a professional to write my trucking business plan.

Hiring a professional for your business plan is a great option: it will make things easier for you. But no one knows your business better than yourself.

So, try writing your trucking company business plan with the help of business plan software. That way you will get guidance as well as professionalism in your plan.

How often should you update your trucking business plan?

Remember, your trucking business plan is a living document which means it is flexible and open for changes whenever you want. Ideally, at least updating your business plan once a month as per the current situation is advised.

Should I include photos of trucks and equipment in a plan?

Including photos of your trucks and other equipment is a good option to showcase the service range of your trucking business. Do not overuse them, and just include them in your products and services section.

What legal and regulatory aspects should be covered in a trucking business plan?

A trucking company business plan should include various regulatory aspects:

• Business structure
• Licenses and permits
• Vehicle rules compliance
• Driver compliance
• Record keeping

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Free Business Plan Guide

How to write a business plan for your trucking company.

Have you always wanted to own a trucking company and become your own boss, but you don’t know the first thing about starting a business? We can help you! We’ll explain the elements commonly found in a traditional business plan, give examples to help complete it, and take a deep dive into planning for your trucking company’s finances.

Our Guide Will Help You:

• Determine the services you’ll provide, who you’ll hire, where you’ll find customers, and more.
• Create specific goals and plans for growth.
• Project your trucking company’s costs, expenses, and profits.
• Plan to build a successful trucking company.

Get the Guide

Watch our video series to follow along.

Our How to Write a Business Plan video series goes over the key points of writing a business plan to help you get a 360-degree picture of your trucking company.

• Part One: Discover the basics of a trucking company business plan and determine what kind of trucking company you want to own.
• Part Two: Dive deep into your trucking company’s future finances. We explain how you can build a successful trucking company with three important financial projections.

What’s in this Guide to Write a Business Plan for Your Trucking Company

Section 1 | getting started with your trucking company business plan.

A business plan is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a plan for your business’s future. It’s a way to think through how you want to run your trucking business and come up with strategies for how to be successful.

In this section, we’ll talk about some business components in your plan and give some examples to get you started. There’s a Business Plan Template provided when you download the guide.

• What types of services will you provide?
• Who will you hire?
• What products/services do you need?
• What will be your competitive edge?
• What does your industry sector look like?
• Where will you find customers?
• What do you know about your competitors?
• What are your main goals?
• What is your short-term growth plan?
• What is your long-term growth plan?
• What will your expenses be?
• What will it take to make a profit?

Section 2 | Trucking Company Executive Summary and Mission Statement

In section 2, we’ll cover creating an executive summary and mission statement for your trucking company. We’ve included the Business Plan Executive Summary template in the guide. Follow along and complete each field using your answers on the Business Plan Questionnaire as a starting point.

Section 3 | Trucking Company Business Plan Financials

Finally, in section 3, we will go through some financials. There are worksheets to help you create an income statement projection, estimate your revenue and expenses, calculating your break-even point and desired monthly profits.

Apex Startup Program

If you follow along and complete the templates, you will have completed a business plan for your trucking company! So, what’s next? Learn more about how the Apex Startup Program can help you get started and check out our other resources.

Starting Trucking Business Plan (PDF)

Trucking is the conveyance of freight by trucks. Trucking business is a very profitable business venture, which is highly rewarding. The trucking industry is a cornerstone of the economy within many countries.  Although a potentially lucrative business; joining the trucking business sector has very specific requirements in terms of finance, logistics, marketing strategy and customer care. This article will outline how to start the trucking and logistics business, and the trucking business plan – PDF, Word and Excel.

Size is not everything in the trucking industry – you do not need a large fleet in order to start up the trucking and logistics business. There are stories of people who have started a successful trucking business with nothing more than a single vehicle. At the same time, the trucking business industry is diverse and rich enough to accommodate very large conglomerates with impressive fleets. Whatever option you choose; there are some critical issues that you must take into consideration as you come up with your trucking business plan.

Trucking Business Model

An important choice: owner-operator or start a fleet.

The trucking business can be done using several approaches. The most basic or market entry one is being an owner-operator. This shows you that you can start the trucking business with just one truck. The other approach is putting together a fleet of trucks i.e. a trucking company. It is advisable to have at least 3 trucks if you are to realize good profits. With a fleet of trucks you can get contracts to haul goods from a wide range of clients. You can also hire out your trucks for use in moving freight.

Multivariate Business Model

Despite which approach you choose, the trucking business model is a bit intricate. This is because there are several variables you must factor in to determine your pricing. For instance, you have to factor in distance to be covered, load size, type of goods, and so on. Then you have to determine a service charge that offsets all the related costs leaving you with a profit. That is why it is recommended to get transport management system software. This helps you to make iterative calculations to determine whether or not a gig is worth it. It also helps you know what you can tweak to widen your profit margins.

Although your business will be on the road; you still need some sort of premises for your trucking and freight business. You can hire an office in the beginning and then purchase your own later on. There are many providers that can furnish the premises and give you a secretariat to manage your administrative work. The work of the office is vital to the rest of the business. You should not treat it like a separate entity which does not need to conform to the highest standards of customer care. Instead try to ensure that you have a seamless service provision that is uniformly impressive and excellent. You also need secure premises where your trucks will be parked when not on the road. The trucking business plan should cater for funds to purchase or lease premises.

Vehicles and Equipment

Obviously you will require trucks in order to start the trucking business. The vehicles can be imported from other countries where they are cheap or you can buy them locally from your country. The number and type of trucks required will depend on the amount of capital which you have and your target market. You will also have to make a decision of whether to buy brand new trucks or used trucks. When starting the business with limited capital, it maybe better to purchase used trucks. The advantage of having new trucks is that you have lower maintenance costs and better reliability on the road.

There are several factors to take into consideration when purchasing the trucks. Some of the factors include: purchase price, fuel consumption, transmission mode (automatic vs manual), gross vehicle mass (GVM), truck engine horsepower, availability of sleeper cab, new truck vs used truck. The trucks that are selected must be large enough to safely carry the items that you propose to transport. If you have limited capital, you can always start your trucking business with just one truck. Trucking business is very profitable and if you reinvest your profits, you will be able to purchase more trucks.

Equipment required for the trucking business include garage equipment, tents, ropes and repair tools. The truck drivers should always travel with basic repair tools such that if they encounter minor problems along the way, they can always fix the trucks. The trucking and logistics business plan should include the costs of purchasing the vehicles and equipment.

Truck Servicing And Repairs

Regular truck servicing must be a principle.

If you are to experience long term success in the trucking business, you must prioritize regular truck servicing. Trucks have prescribed servicing regiments that they must undergo periodically. This is something you can have done in-house or you can outsource. Trucks will normally cover long distances which is why they must be serviced regularly. How efficient your trucks will be is a function of how often you get them serviced. Your trucks will even last longer as well. This will translate to profitability in the long run because your brand will be reputable, getting contracts all the time. The costs of servicing should be included in the trucking business plan.

Early Detection Of Potential Problems Is Paramount

Servicing in itself helps in early detection of potential truck problems. However, it should be the custom to regularly check your truck(s). This is to see if all is in good working order. When trucking it is also wise to make regular stops to do some checks. Early detection will make repairs, if there are problems, cheaper and less tasking. Faulty starters, faulty brakes, tyres defects (or low pressure), and overheating of the engine are typical. Have an appreciation of how to do basic repairs. This will eliminate the need to pay to get professionals do the repairs. However, when in doubt it is best to get professional assistance.

Trucking Business Insurance and Licences

One of the critical requirements that can potentially have catastrophic consequences for the public as well as the business is insurance. It is advisable to have a comprehensive insurance plan. The costs of such a package are more than offset by the potential losses if you were to have an accident. As a business; the trucking company may be liable for very significant punitive damages particularly if there is a loss of life. Without adequate insurance, the trucking company business could be bankrupted by compensation claims.

The trucking industry is regulated and the specific licences depends with the country. First of all, your drivers must be properly licensed with up to date records including health checks and driver licences. Driving a truck is very different from driving a small car. Therefore; specific training, testing and review procedures are mandatory. There are specific requirements for transporting sensitive items such as cash, food, medicine and hazardous goods. Your local council will have a list of regulatory requirements which must be diligently followed lest you lose your license to operate the trucking business. The trucking and logistics business plan should include costs for the insurance and licenses.

Staff and Management

Operations staff is a necessity. Operations staff are responsible for handling the operations of the trucking business. They include drivers, assistants, logistics personnel, mechanics and operations manager. You will need a truck driver as the minimum starting employee for the trucking business.

Finance and accounting employees are also required. For a small trucking and logistics business, the duty can be handled by the owner of the business or a part time accountant. However as the trucking transport business grows, there will be need for full time employees who will be responsible for the finance and accounting needs of the business. Their duties will include usual day to day transaction accounting for business, managing the cash flow of the trucking business, and always ensuring the enough funds are available for the day to day needs of the trucking business.

Marketing is essential for you to be successful in the trucking and logistics business. To have a stable cash flow, your trucks should always be on the road. This is only possible if you are marketing your business. Thus your trucking business will also need marketing and sales staff. You can also have part time marketing employees who are paid on commission basis based on the number of clients which they bring to your business. Your trucking business plan should cater for the wages and salaries of all your staff.

Capital for the Trucking and Logistics Business

The amount of capital required for the trucking business depends on the size of the business. It all depends on what you want to achieve and the resources that you have. When starting a trucking and logistics business, most of the capital goes to acquiring the trucks. You can get a loan from the bank, or funding from investors, to use as capital to start your trucking business. If you plan to raise capital from investors and a loan from the bank, you need a good trucking business plan. If you don’t have access to investors and bank loan, you can use your personal savings and start small, and grow your trucking business overtime. Trucking business is very profitable, so if you reinvest the profits you get, you can grow over time. Even if you are not planning to get a loan, you should still get a trucking project plan to guide you in starting and operating the business. It is essential for you to have a trucking business plan before you venture into the trucking and logistics business, so that you know all the costs involved and you make an informed decision.

• Market Analysis

Pay Attention To The Various Segments

The trucking industry is highly segmented and quite competitive. You must understand that segmentation can come from the nature of loads to be hauled. There are different types of trucks e.g. flatbeds, dry vans, tankers, and refrigerated trucks, amongst others. Segmentation can also come from the average distances to be covered e.g. short haul, medium haul, and long haul. Long haul is over 250 miles and medium haul lies between 100 miles and 250 miles. Short haul is for distances of 100 miles or less. Segmentation could be pertaining to the industry in question. Trucking dynamics vary across the various industries e.g. manufacturing, mining, agriculture, wholesale and retail, and energy.

Study Trends, Consumer Behaviour, And Competitors

For you to be successful in the trucking business you should get intimately acquainted with important statistics in the industry. Examples of this include multiyear outlooks and forecasts. This is important especially statistics that are instructive to your ultimate trucking business strategy. You have to become knowledgeable in the status quo of your respective trucking industry. Get to know what is trending e.g. the use of technology in trucking is on the rise. Find out what the most common trucks and load types are. Study on the various consumers in your intended target market. What do they usually need in terms of trucking services? Dig into what your direct competitors will be – their offerings, operations, and market shares.

Market for the Trucking Business

The market for the trucking industry is very huge. A lot of industries require trucking services. These include agriculture industry, mining industry, manufacturing industry, construction industry, fuel industry, supermarkets, wholesalers, distributors and raw materials suppliers. Companies and individuals need trucks to transport bulky goods.

Sales And Marketing Strategies

A good reputation for reliability, consistency and good service are the key ingredients for developing the customer base for your trucking business. Most of the people that use haul freight focus on repeat business with those service providers who have met their needs and gone the extra mile before. You need to build those relationships by joining the community of truckers and their customers. That means not turning down invitations to industry events and actively organising some of your own. Remember that once a reputation is lost, it is hard to recover it. You must be proactive in the marketing strategy of your trucking business. That means going out to meet and woo customers rather than waiting for them to come for you. Later on when the business has acquired a reliable client base; you may find that previous customers are actually selling your business for you via their review and recommendations process.

Online Marketing

Do not forget the power of the internet. If your trucking business is to stand out, you must come up with robust marketing and sales strategies. It all starts with having a powerful website and it should be augmented by active social media accounts. It is smart to incorporate a blog element on your website. This will enable you to regularly post engaging content related to the trucking industry. This is effective in generating leads. You must leverage on many online trucking communities. There are many social media pages or groups exclusively for truckers. There are also online marketplaces where you can put up the profile of your trucking business. Your trucks should be properly branded because they are essentially ad material on wheels. Make sure that you have a functional website that includes a welcome message, clear details about what you do and a purchasing process that is convenient so that people can order without physically visiting your premises. A proper marketing plan should be included in the trucking business plan.

Keys To Trucking Business Profitability

First off, limit operating costs as much as possible. Regularly service and do maintenance for your trucks. This cuts out costs related to repairs. You will also avoid losses from downtimes or loss of clients. Be thorough in your costing so that you do not overlook and can even tweak costs. Always ensure you are booked, with your trucks on the road. You should also strive to find high revenue gigs but with short distances covered. Get a GPS tracking system set up to ensure operators are always on-schedule. Overall, create the best client experiences so that you get more work via word of mouth. Make sure you have a good trucking business plan. The trucking business is full of unlimited business opportunities. It is common to see trucking companies today that started off with one person as an owner-operator. Steady growth is possible; the trucking business is quite scalable. The many niching options available are also a bonus.

Pre-Written Trucking Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel): Comprehensive Version, Short Funding/Bank Loan Version and Automated Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the trucking and freight business, we encourage you to purchase our well-researched and comprehensive trucking business plan. We introduced the business plans after discovering that many were venturing into the trucking transport business without enough knowledge and understanding of how to run the trucking and logistics business, lack of understanding of the financial side of the business, lack of understanding of : the industry, the risks involved , costs and profitability of the business; which often leads to disastrous losses.

The StartupBiz Global trucking transport business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run your trucking business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as you will be aware of all the costs involved in setting up and running the trucking transport business.

Uses of the Trucking Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The trucking business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your freight trucking business
• As a trucking business proposal
• Assessing profitability of the trucking business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Trucking Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The trucking business plan include, but not limited to:

• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, payback period analysis, start-up costs, financial graphs, revenue and expenses, Bank Loan Amortization)
• Risk Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements
• Operational Strategy
• Why some people in trucking business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your trucking business

The Pre-written trucking business plan package consist of 4 files

• Trucking Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive Version – 74 Pages)
• Trucking Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive Version – 74 Pages)
• Trucking Business Plan Funding/Bank Loan Version- Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan/funding – 43 pages)
• Trucking Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel File)

The business plan can be used in any country and can be easily edited. The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of trucks, pricing rate per KM etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change.

Click below to download the Contents Page of the Trucking Business Plan (PDF)

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Get the Trucking Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

Click Buy Now  below to purchase using Paypal, Credit Card, or Debit Card. After you have purchased, you will immediately see the download link for the business plan package on the screen. You will also immediately get an email with the business plan download link. The Pre-written business plan package (PDF, Word, and Excel) costs $30 only!

If you want to purchase multiple business plans at once then click here: Business Plans Store.

The business plan package is a zipped compressed file containing the PDF, Word and Excel documents. To open the package after downloading it, just right click, and select Extract All. If you have any problems in downloading and opening the files, email us on [email protected] and we will assist you.

We wish you the best in your trucking business! Check out our collection of business plans  , and more business ideas .

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General Freight Trucking Business Plan

Start your own general freight trucking business plan

Mike's Trucking Service

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">, opportunity.

The USA has grown to be prosperous with many huge cities over miles of land. The cities need food and supplies. Long-haul trucks are the fastest and most efficient way to get people food before it spoils and other supplies that people need.

Mike’s Trucking Service is a Dallas, TX-based trucking company that aims to be one of the largest trucking companies in the USA.  Mike’s is initially focusing on the food industry with plans to diversify with new industries served. Mike’s has chosen the trucking industry as the growth prospects are encouraging and stable, with trucking dominating the freight industry in this country.

Mike’s will employ three distinct marketing efforts to raise awareness about the company and generate new customers. The first strategy is the use of promotions. This will focus on press releases and advertising using various different media. The second effort will be the use of incentives. The incentives will be offered to existing customers. The last effort will be social media to reach new and existing customers.

Mike’s Trucking Service is a customer-centric organization looking to become one of the premier trucking companies in the USA.  Profitability is forecasted to occur at month three. Mike’s has conservatively projected sales of $100,000 for year one and $400,000 for year three.

Competition

Although there are major players in each of the commercial carrier market segments, the market remains highly fragmented. According to a Google search of Dallas trucking, there are numerous companies providing different kinds of the trucking services. Major competitors for Mike’s Trucking are those companies who have comparable truck fleets and are also targeting the food industry.

Market research shows that customers in the food industry are price sensitive, and they value on-time deliveries, special handling capabilities, and less-than-truckload orders. Customer referrals and carrier’s reputation are believed to strongly influence the buying decision.

Mike’s Trucking enables someone to lease a truck, of any size, for any project that needs hauling. We will provide this service to the whole of the Dallas area, and hope to expand from this base area within the first five years of operation.

Expectations

The company is raising $165,000 for the purpose of financing equipment purchases to meet a growing demand for its services. The company management has reason to believe that an increased truck fleet will assist the company in its effort to widen its market offering and increase sales.

Financial Highlights by Year

Financing needed.

We will be raising $165,000. There will be $105,000 invested in cash for operations and $40,000 in equipment.

Problem & Solution

Problem worth solving.

The USA has grown to be prosperous with many huge cities over miles of land. The cities need food and supplies. Long-haul trucks are the fastest and most efficient way to get people food before it spoils and other supplies that people need. 

Our Solution

Mike’s will offer both for-hire trucking as well as private carriers. Most of their business will be derived from the private carriers.  For the private carrier segment, both truckload (TL) and less than truckload (LTL) will be offered.  Mike’s services will be especially attractive to the food industry, as participants in that industry typically use referrals, reputation, and customer service as purchasing variables. 

Target Market

Market size & segments.

 Market Segmentation

There are several potential customer segments that we will provide our transportation services to. Major customer segments include the food industry, PC, and semiconductor manufacturers, and retailers. The chart and table below outline the current market size and growth estimates for these customer segments in Texas.

Large established companies in the afore-mentioned segments (especially in the food industry) have their own truck fleets, while smaller players outsource the transportation function. The latter vary in the scale of their operations but have a steady demand for reliable transportation solutions. We will actively solicit such customers.

Target Market Segment Strategy

Mike’s Trucking will focus its marketing budget on a selected industry niche. A narrow-served market focus will help strengthen the company’s reputation of a reliable transportation services provider and will generate favorable referrals.

The major customer segment the company is focusing on is the food industry. Companies in this segment have varying needs, and Mike’s Trucking has already gained valuable experience serving such customers. The company management believes that by increasing its truck fleet it can capture additional clients and provide better service to existing clients.

Current Alternatives

Private carriers

Although private carriers comprise the largest component of the motor carrier industry, financial information isn’t available for them. However, the industry is estimated to provide services valued at some $200 billion annually (or 58% of motor carrier revenues in 1998).

The American Trucking Association (ATA) estimates that there are more than three million trucks operated by private fleets transporting 3.5 billion tons of freight annually.

For-hire carriers

The for-hire category generated $144 billion in 1998, or 42% of the industry total. Of that $144 billion, some $105 billion (73% of the sector’s business) came from truckload shipments, and $39 billion (27%) was from less-than-truckload and package/express delivery.

• Truckload (TL).  The national for-hire truckload segment had total revenues of $65 billion in 1998. The TL sector has historically been mostly privately owned, with the exception of the top ten publicly-owned companies (For this reason, we focused on the LTL sector in this survey). Schneider National Carriers was the largest TL operator, with revenues of $2.8 billion in 1998, followed by J.B. Hunt Transport Services ($1.8 billion), and the Landstar family of truckload carriers ($1.3 billion). Of the 50,000 truckload carriers, perhaps 95% had annual revenues of less than $1 million.
• Less-than-truckload (LTL).  The ATA estimates that the less-than-truckload market garnered $20 billion in 1998. Of this amount, the fast-growing regional segment accounted for slightly more than the national market.

Our Advantages

Our major competitive advantage is the vast industry experience and solid reputation of its owner, Mike Smith. His company is also well known among its clients for going that extra mile in the customer-service department.

Marketing & Sales

Marketing plan.

We market our services as solutions to the many companies requiring cargo to be transported promptly and efficiently. The company’s future marketing plans will be nationwide, emphasizing haulage capabilities for any cargo. The overall marketing plan for services is based on the following fundamentals:

• The segment of the market(s) planned to reach.
• Distribution channels planned to reach market segments: television, radio, sales associates, and mailings.
• The share of the market expected to capture over a fixed period of time.

At the time of this writing, Mike’s Trucking has a lease arrangement with various companies. The company’s pricing is based on miles per thousands of pounds of cargo transported. We will be able to charge competitive rates, as we have minimal overhead compared to our competition. The table below sketches out the pricing structure; for a key to this table please see asterisks at the bottom of the page.

Locations & Facilities

Milestones & Metrics

Key metrics.

• Freight cost per unit shipped
• Outbound freight costs
• Inbound freight costs as percentage of purchases
• Transit time
• Claims as % of freight costs
• maintenance
• driver commissions
• repeat clients

Ownership & Structure

Mike’s Trucking has been in business for one year. We have maintained financial stability during the first year of operation due to the extensive industry experience of our management team.

The company’s management is minimal in order to reduce the overhead. Mike Smith, the company owner, and president makes all executive decisions. At the moment, he also generates most of the sales leads. Joan Rose works as an executive secretary who answers phone inquiries and maintains the customer database. A part-time sales representative will be hired to solicit new business once the company acquires new trucks. In year 2 the administrative staff is planned to increase in order to handle the higher sales volume. In the future, a sales manager will be hired to allow Mr. Smith more time to dedicate himself to company management.

Management Team

The management of Mike’s Trucking is highly experienced and qualified. Mike Smith, president and CEO, has been involved in the trucking industry for 15 years. He is well respected by the trucking professionals with whom he has worked. All administrative functions are performed by Joan Rose, who has worked with Mr. Smith for the last seven years. She possesses extraordinary customer service and database management skills.

The company’s management philosophy is based on responsibility and mutual respect. Mike’s Trucking maintains an environment that stimulates productivity and emphasizes respect for customers and fellow employees. The company structure is linear, which leads the staff responsibilities and decision-making power.

Our truckers on salary earn about $50K per year, which is close to the national average. Our two own-operators earn less because we are building a company. 

Personnel Table

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

Key assumptions.

Our assumptions:

• Trucks are the best way to get food and supplies 
• The market will pay the prices needed to support the trucks 

Revenue by Month

Expenses by month, net profit (or loss) by year, sources of funds.

This business is owner operated and owner funded. 

Projected Profit & Loss

Projected Balance Sheet

Projected Cash Flow Statement

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News - 2013

New Facility will Meet Growing Demand in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)*

Tokyo (April 12, 2013) - Bridgestone Corporation today announced plans to build a passenger car radial tire plant in the Zavolzhye Industrial Zone in Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia. On April 12, Bridgestone concluded an investment contract with co-investor Mitsubishi Corporation and with the Ulyanovsk Oblast government and Ulyanovsk Region Development Corporation. The new facility will be Bridgestone's first tire plant in the Russia/CIS region.

The plant will be operated by Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing C.I.S. LLC (BMCIS), a tire manufacturing company jointly established by Bridgestone Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation. Bridgestone Corporation will have 90% equity ownership, and Mitsubishi Corporation will have 10%. Total investment by both companies in the project will approximately ¥37.5 billion (RUB 12.5 billion), and production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2016. Production items will be strategic products centered on winter tires for Russia/CIS market. Production capacity is estimated to reach approximately 12,000 units a day by the second half of 2018.

The Russia/CIS region is a large market with a population of approximately 300 million. New vehicle sales in the region have shown strong growth, and demand for tires is expected to increase in the future. Bridgestone is building this new plant in order to meet this demand growth with local production. The Bridgestone Group has previously taken steps to further develop its operations in the region, such as expanding the Pole Position retail channel network. The construction of this new plant will enable the Group to be closer to the market, and supply our products to our customers in a timely manner.

In conjunction with the establishment of the tire manufacturing company, Mitsubishi Corporation will take an equity position in Bridgestone C.I.S. LLC (BSCIS), a sales company established in Moscow by Bridgestone. As a result, Bridgestone Corporation will have 80% equity ownership, and Mitsubishi Corporation will have 20%, and BSCIS will have capital of about ¥1.8 billion (RUB 600,592,730).

Moving forward, the Bridgestone Group will continue building a global production system that quickly responds to changes in market demand, while providing high quality products and services to its customers.

<Overview of New Manufacturing Company: BMCIS>

<Overview of Sales Company: BSCIS>

About Bridgestone Corporation: Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

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Russian Company OOO "AI GRUPP"

Brief profile.

active Commercial

Facts to Consider

Strong decline in the revenue for the year (by 78.4%).

Steep drop in the assets – by 65.2% per year.

The organization holds 1 license.

The age of the organization is higher than the industry average.

Complete Profile

• 1. General Information
• 2. Registration in the Russian Federation
• 3. Company's Activities
• 4. Legal Address
• 5. Owners, Founders of the Entity
• 6. OOO "AI GRUPP" CEO
• 7. Entities Founded by Company
• 8. Number of Employees
• 9. Company Finance
• 10. Timeline of key events
• 11. Latest Changes in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities (USRLE)

General Information

Full name of the organization: OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU "ASTRA INZHINIRING GRUPP"

TIN: 3019010537 (region of TIN receipt – Astrakhan Oblast)

KPP: 732101001

PSRN: 1143019000530

Location: 432017, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Ulianovsk, ul. Pushkinskaia, 4A, of. 308

Line of business: Electrical installation (OKVED code 43.21)

Organization status: Commercial, active

Form of incorporation: Limited liability companies (code 12300 according to OKOPF)

Registration in the Russian Federation

The organization OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU "ASTRA INZHINIRING GRUPP" was registered in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities 10 years ago 4 March 2014.

The tax authority where the legal entity is registered: Upravlenie Federalnoi nalogovoi sluzhby po Ulianovskoi oblasti (inspection code – 7300). The tax authority before 03/29/2022 – Mezhraionnaia inspektsiia Federalnoi nalogovoi sluzhby №2 po Ulianovskoi oblasti (code 7321), before 12/04/2018 – Inspektsiia Federalnoi nalogovoi sluzhby po Zasviiazhskomu raionu g. Ulianovska (code 7327).

Registration with the Pension Fund: registration number 083026109525 dated 6 December 2018.

Registration with the Social Insurance Fund: registration number 300002885573001 dated 14 August 2015.

Company's Activities

The main activity of the organization is Electrical installation (OKVED code 43.21).

Additionally, the organization listed the following activities:

OOO "AI GRUPP" holds license entitling to carry out the following activities:

Legal Address

OOO "AI GRUPP" is registered at 432017, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Ulianovsk, ul. Pushkinskaia, 4A, of. 308. ( show on a map )

Before 12/04/2018 the organization was located at .

No other organizations are listed at the current registered address.

Owners, Founders of the Entity

The founder of OOO "AI GRUPP" is

OOO "AI GRUPP" CEO

The head of the organization (a person who has the right to act on behalf of a legal entity without a power of attorney) since 4 March 2014 is general manager Khydyrov Rustam Nurullaevich (TIN: 732730041883).

Entities Founded by Company

OOO "AI GRUPP" is not listed as a founder in any Russian legal entities.

Number of Employees

In 2023, the average number of employees of OOO "AI GRUPP" was 2 people. This is 3 people less than in 2022.

Company Finance

The Authorized capital of OOO "AI GRUPP" is 10 thousand RUB. This is the minimum authorized capital for organizations established in the form of a LTD.

The net assets of OOO "AI GRUPP" as of 12/31/2023 totaled 941 thousand RUB.

The OOO "AI GRUPP"’s operation in 2023 resulted in the profit of 89 thousand RUB. This is by 87.6 % less than in 2022.

The organization is not subject to special taxation regimes (operates under a common regime).

The organization belongs to the micro business category. In accordance with the criteria established by regulations, an organization with the annual revenue of up to 120 mln RUB and up to 15 employees is considered a micro business.

Information about the taxes and fees paid by the organization for 2022

The organization had no tax arrears as of 05/10/2024.

The organisation is listed in the register of recipients of state support:

Timeline of key events

• The legal address changed from to Ulyanovsk Oblast, Ulianovsk, ul. Pushkinskaia, 4A, of. 308 .
• The tax authority where the legal entity is registered was changed to Mezhraionnaia inspektsiia Federalnoi nalogovoi sluzhby №2 po Ulianovskoi oblasti (earlier it was Inspektsiia Federalnoi nalogovoi sluzhby po Zasviiazhskomu raionu g. Ulianovska ).

Latest Changes in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities (USRLE)

• 03/29/2022 . Entering information about accounting with the tax authority.
• 12/14/2021 . Submission of information about the registration of an individual at the place of residence.
• 12/07/2018 . Entering information about registration in the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation.
• 12/04/2018 . Entering information about accounting with the tax authority.
• 11/13/2018 . Submission of information on the issuance or replacement of documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation.
• 07/04/2018 . Submission of information about the registration of an individual at the place of residence.
• 06/15/2018 . State registration of changes made to the constituent documents of a legal entity related to changes in information about a legal entity contained in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, based on an application.
• 03/28/2018 . Submission of information on the issuance or replacement of documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation.
• 03/23/2018 . Submission of information on the issuance or replacement of documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation.
• 10/17/2016 . Representation by the licensing authority of information about the grant of a license.

The data presented on this page have been obtained from official sources: the Unified State Register of Legal Entities (USRLE), the State Information Resource for Financial Statements, the website of the Federal Tax Service (FTS), the Ministry of Finance and the Federal State Statistics Service.

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