Knowing you’re a critical part of the county’s infrastructure can make you passionate about owning your own truck fleet. Without truckers, approximately 70 percent of all freight would be stuck on loading docks. This industry is primed for growth, which can be an ideal time to start your own business. Read through the tips below to know what you need to begin successfully.
Create a Business Plan
The first step towards starting your own business is to write a business plan. This will help you figure out the description of your company, what types of freight you want to carry, what types of trucks and how many trucks will be in your fleet, income projections and more. Your entire business will be laid out on paper.
Be Protected
Make sure you’re licensed properly with a CDL driver’s license. You’ll also need to fulfill requirements placed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Once you’re legally set, make sure your commercial truck insurance in Glendale AZ is in place.
Stay Organized
Especially if you’re an owner-operator starting off alone, you’ll need to stay on top of expenses, income, pickup schedules and networking. Loads won’t just magically appear on your truck, you have to seek out the work and that takes time and effort. Once you add more trucks to your fleet, the challenge becomes hiring and retaining drivers. A thorough onboarding and training process will help you keep good drivers in an industry with extremely high turnover.
Be Compliant
With many rules, regulations and licenses to track, organization comes into play again with staying compliant. Stay up-to-date on your tax returns and your CDL renewals to keep yourself, your drivers and your business operating legally.
Owning your first fleet of trucks may seem daunting, but with the proper planning and organization you could be the happiest trucker on the road.
