Trucking 101: How to Start a Trucking Company
Start CourseOverview
You’ve made the first step: Choosing independence and starting your own trucking company. Now what? In this course, we’ll show you how to get your company off the ground and on the open road.
Starting with an overview of the trucking industry, this course guides you through the basics of setting up and running your own trucking company, including business financials, understanding the freight market, and how to find customers that fit your services.
In this course, you’ll learn:
- How to start a trucking business and get your operating authority.
- What tools, fuel cards, and insurance truckers need to be successful.
- How to manage health and fitness, sleep, and time away from home on the road.
Who is this course designed for?
This course is perfect for anyone looking to start their own trucking business. Whether you’re a seasoned driver or new to the industry, this course provides the insights and tools necessary to navigate the trucking landscape and build a new business from the ground up.
What can participants expect after completing this course?
Once you finish this course, you will have practical skills that can be immediately applied to your trucking business. You will:
- Understand how to start and manage your own trucking business.
- Know how to use tools and resources to keep your operations running smoothly.
- Be able to manage your health and well-being effectively while working on the road.
Launch your trucking business with confidence
Many people dream of starting their own business, but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. Even if you’ve worked in the trucking industry for years, the step from employee to owner-operator or business owner involves a steep learning curve. This course is designed to demystify the process and provide you with a clear roadmap to launching and managing your own successful trucking company.
With this free course, crafted by industry experts for professionals like you, we aim to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to turn your dream of business ownership into reality.
Course Outline
1.1 Motor carrier overview
1.2 FMCSA and DOT
1.3 Types of truckers
1.4 Parties involved
2.1 Steps to set up a trucking company
2.2 Ownership of your company
2.3 Recommended motor carrier tools
2.4 Buying or leasing equipment
2.5 CDL, training, US DOT, and MC
2.6 Trucking insurance
2.7 Factoring
3.1 Intro to business planning
3.2 Accounting basics
3.3 Variable costs
3.4 Fixed costs
3.5 Starting costs
3.6 Operating costs
3.7 Creating a balance sheet
3.8 Cost per mile vs. cost per day
3.9 How to do your bookkeeping
3.10 Best practices for running your business
4.1 How to get loads
4.2 Networking with brokers, shippers, and dispatchers
4.3 How to market yourself
5.1 A look at the US trucking industry
5.2 Customer or broker setup and credit approval
5.3 Dedicated lanes and bids
5.4 How to price a lane
5.5 BOL prospecting
6.1 Restrictions (ELD, weight, HAZMAT, commodities)
6.2 Dispatching and load management
6.3 Getting paid
6.4 Claims and common issues
6.5 Driver lifestyle
7.1 Managing your CSA scores and your out of service time
7.2 Preventing downtime
7.3 Plan for market changes
7.4 Know your niche and your demand
7.5 Ethics in trucking