One of the great things about the USA is that each individual state can make its laws when it comes to a lot of things. That makes some states better for different kinds of businesses. Trucking is one of those industries which is affected by the state laws.
There are a lot of different factors which you need to consider when starting a trucking business, and the state where you register is one of them. Another thing is where, how, and from whom to buy a truck.
Factors
When it comes to starting a trucking business, you need to consider several factors that will affect you. First of all, there are the environmental laws. States which enforce stricter laws are going to require you to update your fleet every so often and potentially impose an additional tax on trucks. Several states have these laws which make them very unsuitable for truckers.
Driving hours can also cause problems for a trucking company. Some states have very strict caps on how many hours a day or a week a driver can operate the truck. In those states, trucking companies need to hire two drivers to do the job of one man which immediately puts a strain on a budding small business. The wages, taxes, and other benefits which need to be paid to the new employee could go into keeping the business afloat.
There are other factors in play, like the taxes and road tolls, but the environmental laws and the work hours cap are the most cited causes of displeasure among owner-operators as well as larger trucking companies. The list compiled below comes from a survey which included thousands of truckers about their own experiences, so the information is first hand.
The Best
States which rely heavily on exports like Tennessee and Washington came at the top of the list. Their governments recognized the importance of trucking business for their economy, so they make doing business as easy as possible.
Other states where trucking is a breeze and which treat their truckers the best are Oklahoma, Texas, and Indiana. The essence of the good ranking of these states are their regulations which are more lax in these states and give more freedom to the companies to regulate themselves.
The Worst
On the other side of the spectrum are the worst states to be a trucker. California is ranking at the very bottom, largely due to its elaborate and well-defined workers’ rights and emissions regulations. What it means for trucking companies is more taxes for polluting the environment and shorter routes which a single driver can drive. While these regulations are good for the environment and the workers, they are stifling the business competitiveness of the companies.
Other states which have ranked very poorly in this survey are Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Despite being export oriented, Ohio and Virginia were ranked at the bottom of the list.
The Future of Trucking
Regardless if the regulations and different laws in different states, the trucking business is booming and companies are always looking for more drivers to meet the demands. So, despite more stringent rules and poorer business climate in some states, the industry is growing across the board and isn’t expected to slow down.
If you are thinking about pursuing this career choice, it is the right time to start your own company and become an owner-operator. All you need is a good financing company and you can be on your way to success.
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