Launching a profitable trucking company takes thorough planning and preparation. This comprehensive guide provides a trucking business plan template alongside real examples, financial forecasts, operations tips, and expert advice to get your transportation company on the road to success.
Creating a comprehensive business plan is important because it requires you to:
Proper planning prevents major pitfalls down the road and provides a blueprint for growth. Our template simplifies the process.
Use this trucking business plan outline as a guide when writing your plan:
Executive Summary
Company Overview
Services
Market Analysis
Marketing Plan
Operations
Financial Plan
Now let’s explore real examples for each section using successful trucking companies’ plans as illustrations.
Coastal Transport Inc. is a new trucking company providing refrigerated hauling services for restaurants, grocery stores, and food distributors in the Pacific Northwest. Based in Portland, Oregon, Coastal Transport manages on-time refrigerated deliveries across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
Mile High Trucking LLC is a new Denver-based transportation company founded by Barbara Willis, a logistics specialist with over 20 years of fleet operations experience. The company will focus on commercial deliveries across Colorado out of a centrally located Denver distribution hub. Mile High operates as an LLC solely owned by Barbara.
As an asset-based provider, Mile High Trucking will own a fleet offering the following transportation solutions:
All units are late-model Freightliner or Volvo trucks outfitted with tracking, safety gear, and cold-chain monitoring. We maintain our fleet in peak condition.
Coastal Transport primarily serves three customer segments:
These customers require frequent, reliable refrigerated transportation. We specialize in temperature-controlled deliveries they can trust.
Coastal Transport will lease a 10,000 square foot warehouse space in Portland, Oregon to house its fleet, loading bays, maintenance shop, and administrative offices.
From this home base, drivers will transport goods along routes reaching Seattle, Spokane, Boise, and statewide. We will start with 6 company drivers and use independent contractors to meet demand fluctuations.
Our Operations Manager uses a transportation management system (TMS) to optimize routing efficiency and equipment utilization while minimizing empty backhauls.
Year 1
Number of Monthly Jobs - 437
Average Freight Rate per Job - $1,120
Annual Revenue - $5.8 million
Expenses
Fuel - $725,000
Insurance - $185,000
Payroll - $1.4 million
Maintenance - $315,000
Loan Repayment - $497,000
Other - $112,000
Total Expenses - $3.24 million
Net Profit - $2.56 million
Year 2
Annual Jobs - 6,100
Net Profit - $3.2 million
Use this template to forecast your trucking company’s financial outlook based on projected jobs, realistic rates, operating costs, and fleet growth plans.
Opening a successful trucking company takes thorough preparation and planning. Our business plan template guides you through key steps.
Take time to analyze your operating regions, research target customers, evaluate financing for equipment, create financial forecasts, and assess competitors.
Your business plan provides the strategic roadmap to grow your transportation company and build lasting relationships with satisfied shippers. Now start your engines and drive toward lasting success!