growthink.com logo

Transportation Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

transport and logistics business

Transportation Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their transportation businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a transportation business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your transportation business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.  

Why You Need a Business Plan

If you’re looking to start a transportation business, or grow your existing transportation business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your transportation business in order to improve your chances of success. Your business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.  

Sources of Funding for Transportation Companies

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a transportation business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for transportation businesses.

How to Write a Business Plan for a Transportation Company

If you want to start a transportation business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below we detail what you should include in each section of your own business plan:  

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of transportation business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a transportation business that you would like to grow, or are you operating transportation businesses in multiple markets?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the transportation industry. Discuss the type of transportation business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of transportation business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of transportation businesses:

In addition to explaining the type of transportation business you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the transportation industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the transportation industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section:

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments:individuals, seniors, families, and companies that need to transport their products.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of transportation business you operate. Clearly, companies would respond to different marketing promotions than individuals, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Transportation Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Click here to finish your business plan today.

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other transportation businesses. 

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes transportation companies such as limousines, bicycle services, car rental companies, etc.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other transportation businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be transportation businesses located very close to your location.

transportation competition

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a transportation company, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of transportation company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to transportation services, will you provide GPS tracking, 24/7/365 service, client communication, and any other services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your transportation company. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your transportation business located near a warehouse district, an office complex, an urban setting, or a busy neighborhood, etc. Discuss how your location might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your transportation marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your transportation business, including cleaning the vehicle, any necessary mechanical needs the vehicle may require, fueling the vehicle, and informing clients of location and status updates.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to obtain your XXth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your transportation business to a new location.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your transportation business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing transportation businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a transportation business or is connected to a wide network of professional associations.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you take on one new client at a time or multiple new clients with multiple vehicles and drivers ? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your transportation business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. 

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a transportation business:

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your vehicle lease or cost, types of customer you will be targeting, and the areas your transportation business will serve.  

Putting together a business plan for your transportation business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the transportation industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful transportation business.  

Transportation Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my transportation business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Transportation Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of transportation business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a transportation business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of transportation businesses?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan advisors can give you a winning business plan.  

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Business Plan Template & Guide For Small Businesses

Transportation, Travel & Logistics Business Plans

Did you know each of these plans was created in LivePlan? Learn More

Airline, Taxi & Shuttle Business Plans

Auto Sales & Parts Business Plans

Auto Services Business Plans

Bicycle Products & Services Business Plans

Car Wash Business Plans

Delivery Services Business Plans

Import & Export Business Plans

Shipping, Freight & Trucking Business Plans

Travel Agency Business Plans

If you’re looking to develop a more modern business plan, we recommend you try LivePlan . It contains the same templates and information you see here, but with additional guidance to help you develop the perfect plan.

Garrett's Bike Shop

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

business plan for a transportation company

Plan, fund, and grow.

Easily write a business plan, secure funding, and gain insights.

Achieve your business funding goals with a proven plan format.

business plan for a transportation company

business plan for a transportation company

Trucking Business Plan Template

Trucking company business plan.

You’ve come to the right place to create your trucking business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their trucking companies.

Trucking Business Plan Example

Below is a sample trucking business plan template to help you write a trucking business plan for your own company.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

On The Road Trucking (OTRT) is a new trucking company located in Dallas, Texas. The company was founded by Michael Williams, a trucking and logistics professional who has over 20 years of management experience in trucking and logistics. Michael is confident in his ability to effectively negotiate contracts, oversee drivers and employees, and minimize costs as he ventures out to start his own trucking company. Michael plans on recruiting a team of highly qualified drivers, sales representatives, client relationship managers, and dispatchers to carry out the day-to-day operations of the company.  

On The Road Trucking will provide a comprehensive array of trucking and logistics services for any business or individual in need of freight distribution. OTRT will use the latest technology to ensure that every shipment is distributed efficiently and handled with the best of care. On The Road Trucking will be the ultimate choice in the Dallas, Texas area for customized trucking services.

Product Offering

The following are the services that On The Road Trucking will provide:

Customer Focus

On The Road Trucking will target all businesses and individuals in need of freight services. OTRT will begin by targeting small business owners in need of distribution services and individuals in need of shipping services who may not be able to get service from a larger trucking company because their shipment size is too small. No matter the client, On The Road Trucking will deliver a customer-centric experience where they will customize each shipment to match the customer’s specific requirements. 

Management Team

On The Road Trucking will be owned and operated by Michael Williams. He has recruited another experienced trucking professional and former CPA, Steve Brown to be the CFO of the new company and manage the financial oversight of the accounting department. 

Michael Williams is a graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He has been working at a local trucking company for over two decades as a Transportation Manager, and is well-versed in all aspects of the trucking industry. Micheal’s organizational skills and customer-first approach have garnered his reputation for being a cost-effective logistics manager with high standards for customer service. 

Steve Brown has been the accounting manager for a local trucking company for over ten years. Prior to his experience in trucking, Steve worked as a CPA in a local tax firm. Michael relies strongly on Steve’s attention to detail, diligence, and focus on cost-saving solutions.

Success Factors

On The Road Trucking will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

Financial Highlights

On The Road Trucking is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to launch its trucking business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the warehouse and purchasing the trucks. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for On The Road Trucking.

successful trucking company financial highlights

Company Overview

Who is on the road trucking .

On The Road Trucking is a newly established trucking company in Dallas, Texas. On The Road Trucking will be the most reliable, secure, and efficient choice for small business owners and individuals in Dallas and the surrounding communities. OTRT will provide a personalized approach to trucking services for anyone in need of freight transportation. Their full-service approach includes comprehensive truck driver oversight, short-distance distribution, small shipments, and customized service.   

  On The Road Trucking’s team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in trucking and logistics operations. OTRT removes all headaches that come with dealing with trucking companies and ensures all issues are taken care off expeditiously while delivering the best customer service.

On The Road Trucking History

OTRT is owned and operated by Michael Williams, a long-time trucking and logistics professional who has a Business Management degree. He worked at a local trucking company for over two decades where he served as Lead Transportation Manager for the last five years, and is well-versed in all aspects of the trucking and transportation industry. Micheal used his industry expertise to reach out to potential customers who may need small-size distribution services that are not offered by larger trucking businesses and letting them know about the services OTRT will offer. 

Since incorporation, On The Road Trucking has achieved the following milestones:

On The Road Trucking Services

The following will be the services On The Road Trucking will provide:

Industry Analysis

As the primary source of land freight distribution in the United States, the trucking industry is a $730B industry. 

There are approximately 900,000 available truck drivers across the country. The demand for drivers is much higher than the supply, which means there is a lot of opportunity for new companies to recruit people to become truck drivers by offering them better incentives than currently being offered by larger trucking companies. Additionally, a new trend in trucking is the increasing popularity of shorter or local hauls compared to long-distance. This poses an opportunity for companies to cater to the customers demanding short-distance hauls. 

Some challenges for trucking industry operators include rising fuel costs and an increased use of online booking and monitoring technology, which can leave traditional companies behind if they are using outdated systems. New entrants can benefit from using the latest technology from the outset, providing drivers with incentives to work with them, and implementing cost-effective solutions to reduce their fuel costs. 

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

On The Road Trucking will target anyone in need of trucking services in Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas. Primarily, the company will target small businesses and individuals that may need local distribution or have small size hauls.  Below is a snapshot of this market.

Customer Segmentation

OTRT will primarily target the following customer profiles:

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

On The Road Trucking will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A company description of each competitor is below.  

Texas Truck Services

Texas Truck Services provides trucking services, logistics services, freight distribution, and warehousing services. Located in Dallas, Texas Truck Services offers local service to the Dallas area. Texas Truck Services’s team of experienced professionals assures the hauls are run smoothly, freeing the customer from worry over whether their shipments will arrive on time and in good condition.   

US Trucking & Logistics

US Trucking & Logistics is a Dallas-based trucking and logistics company that provides freight distribution services for small businesses across Texas. The management team is composed of former truck drivers and business management professionals who are familiar with the trucking industry in Texas. US Trucking & Logistics uses electric vehicles to reduce its fuel costs, which allows the company to pass these savings on to its customers.   

Best Trucking

Best Trucking is a trusted Dallas-based trucking company that provides superior trucking and logistics service to customers in Dallas and the surrounding areas. Best Trucking provides shipping, receiving, packaging, and disposal services. The Best Trucking team of logistics experts ensures that each shipment is delivered with the highest security standards and that the entire freight process is smooth and seamless for its customers.   

Competitive Advantage

On The Road Trucking will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

On The Road Trucking will offer the following unique value propositions to its clientele:

Promotions Strategy 

The promotions strategy for On The Road Trucking is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals Michael Williams has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and expertise to his clients. Once Michael advised them he was leaving to open his own trucking business, they committed to follow him to his new company and help spread the word of On The Road Trucking.

Professional Associations and Networking On The Road Trucking will become a member of Texas Trucking Association (TTA), and American Trucking Association (ATA). They will focus their networking efforts on expanding their client network.

Print Advertising On The Road Trucking will invest in professionally designed print ads to include in industry publications.

Website/SEO Marketing On The Road Trucking will utilize their in-house marketing director that designed their print ads to also design their website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all their services. The website will also list their contact information and provide information for people looking to become drivers. The marketing director will also manage the company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Dallas trucking company” or “trucking near me”, On The Road Trucking will be listed at the top of the search results.  

The pricing of On The Road Trucking will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing their services. 

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for On The Road Trucking.

Operation Functions:

Milestones:

On The Road Trucking will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

7/1/2022 – Finalize lease on warehouse

7/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the management team

8/1/2022 – Finalize contracts for sales representatives, dispatchers, and initial drivers

9/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events 

10/22/2022 – Begin moving into On The Road Trucking warehouse and securing trucks

11/1/2022 – On The Road Trucking opens for business

Michael Williams is a graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He has been working at a local trucking company for over two decades, most recently as a Transportation Manager, and is well-versed in all aspects of the trucking industry. Micheal’s organizational skills and customer-first approach have garnered his reputation for being a cost-effective logistics manager with high standards for customer service. 

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for On The Road Trucking are the trucking fees they will charge to the customers for their services. Most trucking companies charge a per-mile rate. Average per-mile rates vary, but are typically between $2.30-3.30. 

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a trucking operation. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, fuel and maintenance for the trucks, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, trucking business plan faqs, what is a trucking business plan.

A trucking business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your trucking business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your trucking business plan using our Trucking Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Trucking Companies?

There are a number of different kinds of trucking companies, some examples include: For- Hire Truckload Carriers, Less Than Truckload Carriers, Hotshot Truckers, Household Movers and Inter-Modal trucking.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Trucking Business Plan?

Trucking companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Trucking Business?

Starting a trucking business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Trucking Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed trucking business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your trucking business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your trucking business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Trucking Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your trucking business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your trucking business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Trucking Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your trucking business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your trucking business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful trucking business:

© 2023 PlanBuildr.com

Testimonials

print this

5 Components of A Successful Transportation Business Plan

Success Direction

Business Planning for Transportation Businesses Using Invoice Factoring

No matter if you are just starting a transportation business or if you are looking to expand your current transportation business into a new market, you should have a plan. We have compiled 5 must-have essentials to include in your business plan to ensure that you can reach any venture with ease.

1. Vision Statement

The first and most important element of your transportation business plan is your vision statement. A vision statement, or sometimes known as a mission statement, is a statement that acts as a road map to your company’s future.

You want your vision statement to be a guide to transformational initiatives. This can be accomplished by defining the direction that you want your company to grow in.

A vision statement can be a series of statements starting “My business will…” or one statement starting with the goal and ending with a “My business will…” statement that acts as the action you will need to take to get to your goal.

A vision statement is the key to fully understand what you want from your transportation business and fully understanding what it will take to get it to that point.

2. Description of Your Company

Being able to describe your company in its entirety in a brief, concise statement will make it clear to yourself, your partners, and your employee what it is that you do. This is more than just stating, “my business is a transportation business”. Dig deep and find out exactly what your company is and what it provides to your customers that your competitors can’t.

3. Description of Your Services

Just as you would with your company, you should be able to able to give a detailed description of the services your transportation business provides. As you are drafting descriptions, remember to include reasons why your services are different from other transportation businesses.

Another element to include when describing your services is pricing, rates and other financial factors. This will help you mark the current pricing of your services so when you refer back to your business plan, you can see whether or not it would be beneficial to increase your pricing to meet your goals.

4. Market Analysis

If you are planning on expanding into new markets, it is crucial to do a market analysis of the market you are currently in and the market you are expanding into. Discuss the marketing you are trying to ensure, the competitors in that market, where you fit into the market, and what type of market share you believe you can secure.

5. Budgeting Using Transportation Invoice Factoring

To accomplish any goal, you’ll need to establish a budget. Because of the invoice based nature of your work, you are constantly waiting for invoices to be paid and processed, putting limits on your working capital. With transportation invoice factoring , you will be able to get immediate payment for your invoices. An invoice factoring company will purchase your outstanding invoices to give you a 96% advance in just 24 hours or less. With this, you will have access to more working capital to increase your transportation business plan’s budget.

Se Habla Español

About the author: peter amundson.

author image

Google Posts View More Posts By Robert Bernfeld

Improve Your Cash Position

Request your quote online or call us at 1-800-672-3844 .

BETTER CASH FLOW WITHIN 24-48 HOURS ON APPROVAL

Our account executive has worked closely with us since the start of our relationship to make sure that not only we understand exactly what is occurring with our finances but so that we are completely comfortable with the process. What makes it especially easy to work with our account executive and the Business Factors team is the fact that no matter how urgent the matter is, they always handle my problems as a top priority and make me feel like my company is there most important concern.

 in 4 quick minutes.

Recent News

Get In Touch

Secured Finance Network

13+ SAMPLE Transportation Business Plan in PDF | MS Word

Transportation business plan | ms word, 13+ sample transportation business plan, what is a transportation business plan, advantages of a good public transport, types of transportation business, how to start a transport business plan, is the transportation business profitable, is doing business risky, who can decide and oversee public transportation.

Regional Public Transportation Business Plan

Regional Public Transportation Business Plan

Transportation Business Plan Example

Transportation Business Plan Example

Printable Transportation Business Plan

Printable Transportation Business Plan

Transportation Divisional Business Plan

Transportation Divisional Business Plan

Transportation Network Company Application Business Plan

Transportation Network Company Application Business Plan

Transportation Business Plan in PDF

Transportation Business Plan in PDF

Transportation Authority Business Plan

Transportation Authority Business Plan

Transportation Services Business Plan

Transportation Services Business Plan

Basic Transportation Business Plan

Basic Transportation Business Plan

Transportation Strategic Business Plan

Transportation Strategic Business Plan

Standard Transportation Business Plan

Standard Transportation Business Plan

Transportation Business Plan Update

Transportation Business Plan Update

Transportation Business Plan Format

Transportation Business Plan Format

Transportation Business Plan in DOC

Transportation Business Plan in DOC

Tip 1: determine the goals., tip 2: explain your services and company., tip 3: determine the projected budget., tip 4: smoothen out the logistics., share this post on your network, you may also like these articles, 14+ sample project assessment plan in pdf.

project assessment plan image

Businesses and organizations with high project management see optimal results on their respective projects. Many project managers use effective project assessment plan to practice high project management in their…

8+ SAMPLE HACCP Development Plan in PDF | MS Word

haccp development plan image

One of the fundamental requirements of using HACCP is having a detailed knowledge of the product, raw material, and manufacturing processes, plus an understanding of whether any event or…

browse by categories

Information

Protecting your broker business: Navigating risk, compliance, and regulations Watch now ×

Search active loads by location and equipment type. FIND LOADS ×

Specialized

Ltl/partial.

10 Steps to Create a Trucking Business Plan

How to create a trucking business plan

Make more on every load.

Learn how to maximize profits with the truckstop load board..

View Webinar

In his book Bounce Back: Survive and Thrive in a Business Crisis , author and long-time business broker Richard Mowrey advises: “Never operate your business without a written business plan.” If you have your own trucking business, even as an independent owner-operator , you need a business plan just like any other small business.

If you’re like many trucker entrepreneurs, you might never have created a trucking business plan or even know what goes into one. But they are vital roadmaps to the most important thing to any business: profit .

And if you need to approach lenders, investors, or partners to finance your trucking business, the first thing many of them will want to see is your business plan. Let’s look at how to create a trucking business plan.

Steps to take before writing a business plan for your trucking company

Believe it or not, your new trucking company should be an official business before you start writing a business plan. Start here:

This seems like a lot of steps, and it is. But it’s important to know what each step means. For example, the UCR is how you pay fees to supplement motor carrier registration, education, and safety. Be aware that annual and/or ongoing costs may be associated with each step.

Information you need to create your trucking business plan

Once you’ve registered, it’s time to research even more deeply so that you’re fully equipped to write a business plan. Educate yourself on industry basics and general business knowledge like cash flow, profit and loss (P&L), return on investment (ROI), and other standard terms. If you haven’t already, also do the following:

All these steps are especially necessary if you will be seeking financing. Lenders will want to know how you plan to make money, as well as your backup plan if things get bumpy.

Two trucks parked side by side.

Learn more about the Truckstop Load Board.

What to include in a trucking company business plan.

More than just a roadmap of how to run your business, business plans show financial institutions, lenders, investors, and potential partners that you’re an excellent person to do business with. You are essentially selling them on you, your business, and why investing in you and your plan is a good idea.

According to the SBA, there are standard things to include in any plan. Here are two of the most important:

Demonstrate that you have what it takes to start a trucking business. You are not only a truck driver. You are a professional, capable of running a successful trucking company, and understand what it will take to operate a business, be profitable in the trucking industry, and find business success. Make sure you outline how you will stand out from your competition. Avoid buzzwords like friendlier, faster, on-time, reliable, etc. Everyone uses those.

Simon Sinek probably says it best: “People buy from you because of why you do what you do, not because of what you do.” You likely got into trucking for a reason. Maybe there’s a passion beyond just making money. That “why” and the reason you want to run a trucking business needs to come through in everything you do and say. That will set you apart and hopefully get investors and other financial backers excited.

Before they invest in your company, financial backers will be investing in you and who you are. Most of all, your business plan should include you.

How to write a trucking business plan

If you’re going to include yourself in your business plan, you also need to set your strategy apart from others. Tailor it to showcase who you and your company are, what you’re doing, and how it’s different. Keep the above section in mind, but also know that it’s somewhat of a formula. Investors expect to see specific elements in a particular format and order.

The business plan you create is for investors and financial backers, but also you. Set it up in a way you understand and can refer to often. Here are the essential parts and what each one means.

Executive summary

This is a brief description of your company but also yourself. Why are you starting a trucking company? Showcase who you are and what sets you apart. This is your chance to make a great first impression, and you won’t get a second one. Consider hiring a professional writer or editor to help with your executive summary and give your plan a final polish once you’ve got the basics down. For best results, write this section last.

Company description

This is the “About Us” section. Here, you can go into more detail about who you are and your business experience and knowledge. Finally, reiterate what sets you apart from your competition. Sample details:

Use this section to describe your ideal client and how you plan to connect to them and build a client base. This is the meat and potatoes of what your business does or will do.

Operational plan

If the company description is the “who” behind your business, the operational plan is the “how” and the “what.” What are the critical roles in your company? How will you handle routing and dispatch? Will you be both operating a route and running the business? Will there be other drivers?

Secondly, describe how you will use technology to keep your business profitable. For example:

Trucking has become a high-tech industry. It’s essential to show how you will take advantage of advanced routing and other tactics to make your business as profitable as possible. Using technology will help set your trucking company apart from your competition.

Here, include the details of the services you provide to your customers. There are two vital things in this section:

Market analysis

The trucking market is crowded. What need do you meet, and how well do you understand it? This is what you explain here. Talk about your target market, how large or small it is, who your competition is, and what your customers need that you will provide. Demonstrating a thorough understanding of your competition illustrates your ability to “beat” them.

You’ll also need to know how much of the market you can expect to gain and how you plan to get there. Include profit and loss projections and how you came to those conclusions. Finally, show that you understand government regulations and how they affect your business.

Management and personnel

Your business plan should cover your approach to hiring people if you plan to have staff or additional office help. Explain your hiring process and how you will onboard new employees. Owner-operators and carriers will have to follow the compliance standards of the shippers and brokers they work with.

Make sure you get ahead of this and understand basic industry standards, regulatory compliance, and safety records before taking on additional carriers. If you hire a non-compliant carrier or one with a less-than-stellar safety record, you could be putting your entire business at risk before it ever gets off the ground.

Hiring good, qualified drivers with solid performance records will go a long way toward helping you grow your business, so you can expand your operation to additional freight lanes. You should also have a plan for retaining them since the market is highly competitive and good drivers are in high demand.

If managing people and doing paperwork is not your strong suit, you might think about hiring management or other personnel to help you run your business. Discuss how you plan to add people in management roles as your needs grow.

Sales and marketing strategies

In a crowded market, getting noticed is the number one issue. Explain your marketing strategies. Detail how you will reach new customers and build a loyal base.

At the same time, you must explain how you will handle sales—going out and landing new customers. You can use brokers or other services, or you could hire sales personnel to call potential customers for you. Whatever your method, you need to have a sales strategy and outline it here.

Person reviewing charts and graphs.

Financial projections

How far out do you need to predict your finances? The general rule is five years. You can always adjust your plan as the industry changes, but you need to show your investors that you have a plan. This also gives you a roadmap to follow. Evaluate future opportunities based on your business plan.

For example, let’s say you want to purchase a new truck to serve a new territory, but it’s a type of truck and cargo you didn’t have in your business plan. Do you have enough of that specific experience to meet those needs realistically? Is this an opportunity or a distraction? How will it affect your finances, both short and long term?

Funding request

Not all business plans include this section. But if you need money, investors or partners will want to see how much you need. Calculate this by subtracting the money you currently have from your total projected costs. List your assets and what you’re contributing to jumpstart the business. Investors like to see that you have a stake before investing their money in your venture. You can include a cash flow statement and a profit and loss statement to help present your situation.

Putting it all together

A trucking business plan is just like any other small company business plan. You need to know your industry, show that you understand it, and provide a solid financial plan for running a profitable business.

But a trucking business plan is not only for investors. It’s also a roadmap from now to where you’ll be in five years and beyond. If you need help writing your business plan, the SBA and other small business groups offer some great free resources to get you started.

When you’re ready, we’re here to be your trucking business partner. Founded in 1995, Truckstop built the internet’s first digital load board to help carriers find loads to move. Today, Truckstop is one of the largest and most trusted brands in the freight transportation industry, connecting tens of thousands of carriers and brokers with technology solutions to manage the entire freight lifecycle.

business plan for a transportation company

Truckstop solutions include freight matching , marketplace rates, partner screening and monitoring tools, freight tracking and visibility, transportation management systems (TMS), integrations with most major industry software partners, and complete payment solutions.

We are constantly evolving to help you manage every step of the freight lifecycle. Get started today or check out our blog for successful trucking business tips.

Related Blogs

business plan for a transportation company

9 Tips to Control Expenses in Your Trucking Business

business plan for a transportation company

3 Ways to Increase Business Efficiency as an Owner-Operator

business plan for a transportation company

5 Ways Owner Operators Can Maximize Profits with a Load Board

Browse by Topic

business plan for a transportation company

Schedule a demo.

Find out how our platform gives you the visibility you need to get more done.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Get helpful content delivered to your inbox.

Thank you for subscribing to the Truckstop newsletter.

We are sorry, something went wrong. Please try again later.

business plan for a transportation company

Get started for just $39

Basic searching and posting on the internet's most trusted load board.

USD/User/Month**

Apple App Store Icon

Review Truckstop on G2

Please review your entries above and fill in a valid value for each required field.

checkbox

One of our sales reps will be in touch with you shortly with more information.

business plan for a transportation company

How to Write a Business Plan for Your Trucking Company

How to Write a Business Plan for Your Trucking Company Guide Cover Image

Have you always wanted to own a trucking company and become your own boss, but you don’t know the first thing about starting a business? We can help you! We’ll explain the elements commonly found in a traditional business plan, give examples to help complete it, and take a deep dive into planning for your trucking company’s finances.

The “How to Write a Business Plan for Your Trucking Company” Whitepaper will help you:

Download The Free Guide:

Watch our video series to follow along.

Our How to Write a Business Plan video series goes over the key points of writing a business plan to help you get a 360-degree picture of your trucking company.

What’s in this Guide to Write a Business Plan for Your Trucking Company

Section 1 | getting started with your trucking company business plan.

A business plan is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a plan for your business’s future. It’s a way to think through how you want to run your trucking business and come up with strategies for how to be successful.

In this section, we’ll talk about some business components in your plan and give some examples to get you started. There’s a Business Plan Template provided when you download the guide.

Section 2 | Trucking Company Executive Summary and Mission Statement

In section 2, we’ll cover creating an executive summary and mission statement for your trucking company. We’ve included the Business Plan Executive Summary template in the guide. Follow along and complete each field using your answers on the Business Plan Questionnaire as a starting point.

Section 3 | Trucking Company Business Plan Financials

Finally, in section 3, we will go through some financials. There are worksheets to help you create an income statement projection, estimate your revenue and expenses, calculating your break-even point and desired monthly profits.

If you follow along and complete the templates, you will have completed a business plan for your trucking company! So, what’s next? Learn more about how the Apex Startup Program can help you get started and check out our other resources.

BusinessPlanTemplate.com - The World's Leading Business Plan Template Directory

The World's Leading Business Plan Template Directory

 width=

Trucking Business Plan Template

I. executive summary.

This Section's Contents

Business Overview

Products served, customer focus, management team, success factors, financial highlights.

[Company Name] offers transportation services throughout the U.S. With a total of [x] trucks ranging from light to heavy, [Company Name] can meet any transportation need and works with small to large sized businesses. Timeliness, security, and cost-efficiency are the main driving factors for the success of [Company Name]. Through advanced technology, all transactions and deliveries are monitored to make sure that there are no delays or damages on the goods that are being transported. Every delivery is handled with the highest form of professionalism by a responsible and well-trained crew that strives to provide the best service and experience to every client.

[Company Name] will be able to provide local and long-distance transportation services:

[Company Name] will primarily serve manufacturers and distributors within the U.S. The demographics of these customers are as follows:

[Company Name] is headed by its founder, [Founder’s Name] who graduated from [University] with a degree in Business Administration. Prior to starting [Company Name], [Founder’s Name] worked as an operations manager at a freight logistics company [x] years where he was able to learn the ins and outs of the transportation industry. This experience will be the company’s most valuable asset.

[Company Name] is uniquely qualified to succeed for the following reasons:

[Company Name] is seeking a total funding of $230,000 of debt capital to open its trucking business. The capital will be used for funding capital expenditures and location build-out, hiring initial employees, marketing expenses and working capital.

Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

Comments are closed.

Trucking Business Plan Home I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

download business plan template

IMAGES

  1. Trucking Transport Business Plan Template Sample Pages

    business plan for a transportation company

  2. 😊 Business plan for transport company. A Sample Logistics Company Business Plan Template. 2019-02-28

    business plan for a transportation company

  3. Business Plan Template for a Transport Company

    business plan for a transportation company

  4. Trucking Transport Business Plan Template Sample Pages

    business plan for a transportation company

  5. Transport business plan sample

    business plan for a transportation company

  6. Trucking Transport Business Plan Template Sample Pages

    business plan for a transportation company

VIDEO

  1. BUSINESS PLAN

  2. Have you already started your transportation business?

  3. Strategic Plan

  4. Life In uk vs Canada

  5. Slowly getting into the produce transportation business🏌

  6. Transportation companies making plans for 2020 DNC

COMMENTS

  1. Transportation Business Plan Template & How-To Guide [Updated

    Discuss the type of transportation business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of

  2. Transportation, Travel & Logistics Business Plans

    Shipping, Freight & Trucking Business Plans · Art Packaging Installation Business Plan · Freight Brokerage Business Plan · General Freight Trucking Business Plan

  3. Trucking Business Plan Template & Example (2023)

    Develop A Trucking Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed trucking business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture

  4. 5 Components of A Successful Transportation Business Plan

    Business Planning for Transportation Businesses Using Invoice Factoring · 1. Vision Statement · 2. Description of Your Company · 3. Description of Your Services · 4

  5. 13+ SAMPLE Transportation Business Plan in PDF

    How to Start a Transport Business Plan · Tip 1: Determine the Goals. · Tip 2: Explain Your Services and Company. · Tip 3: Determine the Projected Budget. · Tip 4:

  6. 10 Steps to Create a Trucking Business Plan

    Executive summary · Company description · Operational plan · Services · Market analysis · Management and personnel · Sales and marketing strategies.

  7. BUSINESS PLAN

    Shred Sled plans to become a profitable provider of transportation to the Colorado ski areas for ... transportation company may object to our business.

  8. How to Write a Business Plan for Your Trucking Company

    Section 1 | Getting Started with Your Trucking Company Business Plan · What types of services will you provide? · Who will you hire? · What products/services do

  9. Trucking Business Plan Template & Example [Updated 2023]

    Timeliness, security, and cost-efficiency are the main driving factors for the success of [Company Name]. Through advanced technology, all

  10. Transportation Management Center Business Planning and Plans

    Business Planning and Plans Handbook. Developed for. TMC Pooled Fund Study. Federal Highway Administration. By. Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. and.