All knowing and seeing, yes he is.

 

the one mans word you can honestly trust to tell you the truth

 

quote="turbowarp"]All knowing and seeing, yes he is.[/quote]


:roll:

Let me look into my crystal ball........ :wink:

OK, if you already have product that you are hauling, it seems that you only need loads to get you back to haul more of your own product. I have known of some farm boys who have done very well for themselves. It may make more sense for you to have one operating authority and each use the same MC number. I know of a guy who owns a truck and several family members also own trucks. They all operate under the same authority but operate autonomously. Each contributes a small percentage into a pool to pay for someone to do the paperwork and keep them legal. Each gets their own loads. Basically, it is like everyone is in business for themselves, but uses the same motor carrier number. The cleanest and easiest way to make it work would be for everyone to contribute a percentage to a pool and have someone do all the paperwork, and even help find loads. If everyone has their equipment in their own name, then it might be best to put a lease together and everyone lease their truck to the carrier. Everyone pays their own expenses and you could do the same with the insurance.

If you haul freight commercially, you need to have authority. There are some exemptions for agriculture products, but from what you have mentioned, I don't see that you would qualify.

 

(The part about the authority is one of the questions I had with regards to keeping us as one business unit or each individual business units. Is there any advantage to one business unit or individual business units? With whatever business model we decide upon I will control the title of the vehicles one way or another.)


The advantage of keeping each unit seperate is liability. If one truck kills someone in an accident and you get sued the other truck can still keep working.

The advantage of keeping them as one unit is your gross sales will be greater making it easier to get credit.

 

And all of that will depend on how well you all work together. One slacker will make for one hell of a mess. My family, through the years, have had a business or two.

 

It costs $300 to get your Federal authority. You will save some money by doing it all under one name and authority. You can have one set of books if you operate under one name. If everyone runs separately, then each has to set up their own books. From an economics standpoint, I would think it makes more sense for everyone to share one company. If you have an accident they will come after the driver, owner of the equipment, carrier and insurance company. They will go after the deepest pockets. You could do a lease with them if you plan on keeping title yourself anyway. If you all are going to be sharing business contacts and everything else, it seems to me as though a single corporation and authority is probably the way I would likely go.

 

Turbo,

I'm not sure what type of trailers you will be running, but in Texas with intrastate authority and a DOT number you can run agricultural and exempt products without having Federal authority. Produce, cotton, hay, drilling mud are just a few exempt commodities that I know of in Texas that can keep you busy. Also talk to other farmers about trucking for them. Also, lease your trucks and trailers to your corporation and keep a copy of the lease with each unit that will be titled to you. Good Luck trucking and welcome to the board.

 

I agree with Gman. Find other landscape commodities that need hauling to/from nurseries and rake in the cash. use your competition to your advantage