Step-by-step guides on starting your trucking company, getting your authority, and staying DOT compliant, written in plain English.
From business entity to your first load: every step to legally start a trucking company in the U.S., explained in plain English.
The real startup math: $12,000 to $25,000 in filings, insurance, plates, and setup before your first load, plus the truck and 1 to 2 months of operating cash.
Most new trucking companies start as an LLC for liability protection, then talk to a CPA about the S corp election once profits are steady. Sole proprietor leaves your personal assets exposed.
MC authority is FMCSA's permission to haul freight for hire across state lines. Six steps, $300 filing fee, 3 to 6 weeks: here's exactly how to get yours.
USDOT is your free federal safety ID. MC authority is your $300 permission to haul for hire interstate. Which you need, the order to get them, and the mix-ups that cost money.
Plan 3 to 6 weeks from MC application to active authority. Here's the exact timeline: 10-day protest period, 20-day insurance clock, and the steps that keep you moving.
A BOC-3 designates legal process agents in every state you operate. FMCSA charges $0 to file; a blanket agent files it for about $30 to $75.
New authority insurance typically costs $8,000 to $25,000 in year one. The FMCSA minimums, the 20-day filing clock, and how to shop for the right policy.
UCR is an annual federal registration for interstate carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. For 2027 it starts at $55 for 0 to 2 power units. Register at ucr.gov.
The IRS annual tax on trucks 55,000 lbs and up, filed on Form 2290. The real tax table, the deadlines, and why you need Schedule 1 before IRP plates.
IRP is your apportioned plate, one plate for every state. IFTA is your fuel tax license, one quarterly return for every state. Here's who needs them and how filing works.
Your MC is active and the truck is ready, but brokers want history you don't have yet. The real playbook for booking freight in your first 90 days.
Every new interstate carrier faces a safety audit in its first year. Here's what the new entrant audit covers, what fails you automatically, and how to prepare.
The exact file folders DOT auditors request first: driver qualification, HOS, maintenance, drug testing, insurance, and more. Print-ready checklist.
Safety audits, compliance reviews, roadside inspections: what each DOT audit type means, what auditors examine, and the preparation that keeps you passing.
Your first truck is the biggest bet of your career. Lease-purchase, full-service lease, bank loan, or cash: what each really costs and which fits a new owner-operator.
IFTA returns are due four times a year and the dates never move. The quarterly calendar, what goes in the return, and the penalties for filing late.
Your cost per mile is the single number that decides whether you make money. Here's the real formula: fixed costs, variable costs, and the deadhead trap most new owners miss.
