Pick your transportation niche first
Different niches have very different rules, equipment costs, and margins.
- Long-haul trucking (OTR)
- Regional / local freight
- Box truck & last-mile delivery
- Hotshot trucking
- Non-emergency medical transport (NEMT)
- Rideshare or black car service
- Courier and same-day delivery
Form your legal entity
Transportation is a high-liability industry. An LLC is the minimum — most established carriers operate as LLCs or S-Corps.
- Form an LLC in your state
- Get your EIN from the IRS
- Open a business bank account
- Set up bookkeeping software (per-load tracking matters)
Want optional setup services?
Done-for-you technical setup is available as a separate service.
DOT, MC, and federal registrations
If you cross state lines or haul above certain weights, you must register with the FMCSA.
USDOT Number
Required for most commercial vehicles. Free to obtain through FMCSA.
MC (Operating Authority) Number
Required for for-hire interstate carriers. $300 application fee.
BOC-3 Filing
Designates a process agent in every state you operate in. Required before MC activates.
UCR Registration
Annual fee based on fleet size. Required for interstate carriers.
IFTA & IRP
Required for commercial vehicles over 26,000 lbs crossing state lines — fuel tax and apportioned plates.
Insurance — non-negotiable
Insurance will be your largest fixed cost. Get quotes before you buy equipment so you understand the real monthly nut.
- Primary liability ($750K–$1M minimum federally)
- Cargo insurance ($100K typical)
- Physical damage on your equipment
- Non-trucking liability (bobtail)
- Workers' comp if you have drivers
Want optional setup services?
Done-for-you technical setup is available as a separate service.
Equipment, financing, and lease vs buy
Decide whether to lease, finance, or buy used. New authorities almost always pay more for insurance for the first 12 months — plan cash flow accordingly.
- Used truck under $40K can be a smart entry point
- Lease-purchase deals are flexible but often expensive long-term
- Factoring companies advance cash on invoices — useful for cash flow in year one
- ELD (Electronic Logging Device) is required by federal law
Building an operational system from day one
The carriers that scale treat operations like a system, not a hustle. Even as a one-truck operation, you need:
- Load board or broker relationships
- Dispatch process — even if it's just you
- Maintenance schedule per vehicle
- Driver qualification files (if hiring)
- DOT compliance binder
- Monthly P&L review