If you’ve decided to enter the trucking industry because you love driving, enjoy assisting people and businesses, and want to play a vital role in today’s economy, ABJ Dispatch is here to assist you. Whether you are looking to start a trucking company but are unsure of the process or if you are familiar with it but seek support to ensure everything is done correctly, we’ve got your back. ABJ Dispatch can aid you in establishing your company, registering your trailers and vehicles, and obtaining all the necessary documents and paperwork to set you on the path to success. We’re happy to support you, no matter where you are in the process.

When creating your company, there are a number of steps to take according to the General Corporation Code, including:

• Picking the company’s name and carrying out a business name check

• Choosing a type of corporation based on your business model and structure — sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, corporation, and limited liability company are the most common

• Filing the Certificate of Incorporation

• Appointing a registered agent, preparing corporate bylaws, appointing directors, and holding the first board meeting

While we can’t provide legal advice, we can certainly help you handle all the filings and documents.

Whether you buy or lease them for your business, all trailers must be titled in Delaware and registered. Only then will the state permit them on highways. 

The title for the trailer process typically starts at the DMV — but you can fill in forms online to save time. If you have purchased or leased the trailer, the prior owner/seller or lessor should have completed a transfer of title into your name. This is proof that you own the trailer. If you bought the trailer brand new from the manufacturer or dealership, you will need to fill out a title application.

Trailer registration is simply a matter of providing the DMV proof of ownership (the title or bill of sale of your trailer) and filling out the registration application. You will, however, have to prove that you have paid all applicable taxes and obtained the proper insurance for your trailer.

Assuming there is no lien on your trailer, the fee for the title is $55. The yearly registration cost for trailers — going by weight — is as follows: $15 for up to 1,000 pounds; $20 for 1,001 to 2,000 pounds, $40 for 2,001 to 5,000 pounds; and for trailers weighing more than 5,000 pounds, there is an additional $18 for every 1,000 pounds.

Note that if you are going to move loads through different states, you will need to obtain “apportioned registration.” You complete this registration in your home state so that you can hop through other jurisdictions without having to get multiple permits or registrations. You pay fees everywhere you operate, proportional to however many miles you log in each state.

In addition to your regular business taxes, as a carrier, you will need to remit a heavy highway use tax return to the IRS every year. This tax applies to operations involving vehicles with a gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more on public highways.  

The Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax return or HVUT is a yearly federal tax paid to the IRS for operating heavy vehicles at a gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more on public highways.

Taxable vehicle gross weight is calculated as follows: (1) the fully equipped, unloaded vehicle weight; (2) the fully equipped trailer or semi-trailer; and (3) the maximum load weight carried on the vehicle and attached trailer or semi-trailer.

If you are going to be hiring drivers for your trucking business, you will request a motor vehicle record check for each person. There are two ways to get a motor vehicle driving record of someone other than yourself: in person or via mail. You can choose to obtain a three-year, five-year, or full driver record, and each report will cost you $25.Any questions about the process, or want to know how ABJ Dispatch can get your business on the road? Contact us today.