Are you thinking of having your own delivery truck for the items that you produce or manufacturer, instead of paying a logistics company to manage all of the transfers? If so, be sure to weigh the costs so you know it will be worth the investment for your company, and so you know it isn't going to affect your profits.
There are a lot of things you'll want to take into consideration with having a truck and getting a driver to do the loads. Here are a few prices you'll want to look into so you know the risk before you start investing money.
The Cost of a Truck
The cost of a truck to do the hauling doesn't just mean the sale price. Here are a few things to think about:
- Down payment and monthly fee
- Annual maintenance like tires and brakes
- Unexpected auto repairs and emergencies
You have to pay to keep the truck running so you can keep running your business, and you have to pay to keep up the exterior when you pull into your clients or customers locations.
Insurance
Commercial truck insurance will be one of your biggest expenses, because you have to be liable for the products inside the truck, the truck, other property and other people on the road. Get quotes for commercial truck insurance from companies such as Metropolitan Insurance Service Consultants to see how much you have to pay to haul the value of goods that will be traveling, along with all the liability insurance you need in case you get sued or there is a bad accident.
Driver Expenses
Are you going to hire a driver or have someone in your company go through the training to become a driver? Paying for training, the hours they are on the road, or the costs of a new employee is something that you have to take into account when deciding if it's more affordable to do the logistics in house, or if they should be outsourced.
If dealing with the logistics companies and paying the high rates for shipments is getting to be a burden and you think you can do it on your own with a truck and a driver for a lot less, start adding up the costs. Once you have added up the costs you can figure out if it's time to start looking for a used truck, and if you should start prepping a driver for the loads.
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