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Expediter services transport time-sensitive freight for manufacturers around the country. Often a company needs to send products quickly. Expediter vehicles can deliver to areas that large vehicles are unable to because of regulations or limited space. You can start your own expediter company if you have a van or small truck, but you must make sure you have the necessary licenses before you begin.

Talk to other expediters about their work. A successful expediting company requires dedication and you could be away from home for days delivering freight. Talking with others will help you decide if expediting is right for you. You can find expediters to talk to by going to local truck stops and online forums.

Apply for a free Employer Identification Number . Your EIN is your business Social Security number for taxes. File for your EIN using your business name.

Incorporate your company. According to the Internal Revenue Service, “LLCs are popular because, similar to a corporation, owners have limited personal liability for the debts and actions of the LLC.” An LLC will suffice in most states for personal asset protection although as the owner, you will have to guarantee any debts that the company incurs. Apply for incorporation through the secretary of state in your home state. The cost varies from state to state.

Apply for a U.S. Department of Transportation number. Each motor carrier must have a USDOT number. File for your USDOT number under your business name. There is no cost to receive a number.

Contracting with an established company (lease-on) with your small truck or van to gain first-hand knowledge about everything from paperwork to potential earnings. As a lease owner, you will have the opportunity to know the load’s gross revenue. Do not contract with a company with the intention of stealing their client base. Most company’s have a “no-compete” clause in their contracts, which prevent you from legally obtaining freight from one of their customers for at least two years. Look in your local newspaper’s classified ad section to find local company to lease with, or apply with a company online.

Apply for operating authority . The U.S. government requires all interstate carriers to obtain Motor Carrier (MC) number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. After you receive your MC number, you will need insurance as well as hiring process agents. A process agent represent your company and cab accept legal documents for you in every state. It costs $300 to apply for your MC number. The cost of insurance will depend on the amount of coverage, your driving history and the amount of time you’ve been in the business. You can locate a service that provides process agents through the FMCSA. A process agent service will cost $50 or less.

Apply for any local permits your city or county requires.
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Commercial trucking companies are part of the US economic infrastructure, moving goods across the United States 365 days a year. There are no direct government grants for commercial trucking companies, however there are federally-funded grant programs to help commercial trucking companies obtain the financing needed to operate their businesses.

Industry Statistics
According to www.truckinfo.net, in fiscal year 2008-2009, the total revenue for the American trucking industry was estimated around 225.5 billion dollars. Common carrier and for hire commercial trucking companies generated 97.9 billion dollars of revenue which out-gained air transportation by 19 billion dollars. Private trucking fleets generated revenue estimated at 121 billion dollars.

DOT Certification
THE DOT provides grant funding to state DOT agencies for business development. This funding creates financial programs for businesses that do commercial trucking. A requirement is that commercial trucking companies be certified and approved by the USDOT to operate as a commercial or private carrier.

Types of programs
There are several types of programs funded through the USDOT and the SBA. An example of a grant funded program is the DOT Short Lending program. To apply for this program, a commercial trucking or transportation business must not be a start-up business and must have obtained special certifications through the USDOT and SBA. The maximum loan amount for commercial trucking companies is $750,000. The loan is treated as a revolving credit line.

SBA financing programs
The SBA has several programs that are financed by federal funding to help commercial trucking companies obtain operating funds. The 7(a) Loan Guaranty program can be used to assist in annual operating cash and the 8(a) Loan program can be used to obtain working capital loans and loans for fleet management and maintenance equipment.

Government procurement contracts
Your commercial trucking business can use the government procurement system set up by the USDOT. You can participate as a contractor or sub-contractor, which opens your firm up to many financial opportunities. Many commercial trucking companies funded their business with a basic procurement contract while establishing business relationships with vendors. If your company needs a loan, a procurement contract can act as collateral to obtain a loan or line of credit.

Take Advantage
If you own a trucking company, the best financing is through affiliation with the programs developed by the federal government. These programs also have provide business development modules in areas of technical training and import and export development services to the transportation industry. Become affiliated with a USDOT specialist by contacting your state or federal DOT office.

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A G1 test is the written theoretical test that drivers must take before getting behind the wheel of a car in Canada. The test is the first step in getting a full license. After the G1 test is completed, the driver must drive with an experienced driver until the G2 test has been completed. The G1 test does not give drivers a full license and a driver cannot drive alone based on passing the G1 license

Contact the Ministry of Transportation in the province of residence to learn the minimum age for taking the G1 test. While it is usually 16 in most provinces, it is better to be sure before beginning preparation for studying. You can find the telephone number of your province’s Ministry of Transportation in the telephone directory or by doing a Google search online.

Read the driver’s handbook for the province in which the G1 test will be taken. It is important to read the right handbook, as there may be different rules for each province. For example, tractors are more common in the prairie provinces than in Ontario and there are specific rules regarding passing them on the road.

Take notes while reading the handbook. Focus on basic driving maneuvers, meanings of traffic signs, the responsibilities of the driver, basic rules of the road and emergency situations.

Attend driving education classes to put the theory into practice, if feeling unsure about the theoretical handbook material. These courses may be offered by school districts, community programs or driver’s education courses offered through the Ministry of Transportation. Research each program available in the local community. The courses are often required before taking the G2 test, which is the actual road test.

Contact the local department of the Ministry of Transportation to schedule your test. Depending on where the test is taken, there may be specific times when you can take the test. In some places, you can just walk in and take the test on the spot.

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Pickup truck tires are rated and tested by many automotive and consumer research companies. To rate the tires you need or are considering, decide how you use your truck (off-road, for instance), the everyday driving conditions you encounter (freeway traffic, inner city driving) and other factors, such as tread wear warranties and price. A good baseline when shopping for and rating tires for your pickup is to ask yourself how you would rate your current tires. Decide the pros and cons of your current tires especially the cost and decide what you need and want in a new tire.

Choose a tire based on how you spend the majority of the time driving. If you spend a lot of time off-roading, compare and rate tires in this category. If you spend most of your time commuting to and from work on the freeway, consider such factors as road noise, tread wear and all-weather characteristics.

Pick a tire model based on the wheels you have. If you ride on custom rims, you’ll probably want a sportier look in your tire. The overall look of your truck also is a consideration. If it’s a work truck, chances are you’ll want a tire that tests well in mud-stick tests but don’t care about high noise levels on the freeway. For example, Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road says Pitbull Maddog Mud Tires are “built for heavy-duty trucks with a high load rating, and, like any good hound, they’re not afraid to make some noise. All things considered, we’ll keep them around and will surely put many more miles on them, but, like a special needs critter, they’re not for everyone.” These are not tires for a truck that spends its time driving the kids to soccer practice every day.

Buy a tire that has good steering response, cornering ability and traction on wet pavement if you drive a lot on winding country or mountain roads. You wouldn’t choose the Dunlop Signature CS, which Tire Track rates as having “quiet and comfortable ride quality” but is lacking in “steering response, cornering stability and wet traction.”

Compare the load capacity ratings of tire reviewers. Nothing will impact your tire performance more than the weight of both your truck and payload.

Read reviews. There are hundreds of magazines and online sites that rate pickup truck tires. Know what you want and what you can spend, then read some reviews. The amount of material available is staggering.

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Insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the insurance; the insured, or policyholder, is the person or entity buying the insurance policy. The amount to be charged for a certain amount of insurance coverage is called the premium. Risk management, the practice of appraising and controlling risk, has evolved as a discrete field of study and practice.

Age
Age has a great effect on all types of insurance policies. In auto insurance, your age helps to determine your driving experience and potential risk. In general, auto insurance companies consider young, inexperienced drivers to be higher risks than older, more mature drivers. Life insurance policies generally rate younger policyholders with less risk than older policyholders. Younger policyholders generally have a less expensive life insurance policy because they are generally thought to be healthier, and therefore, a healthier risk.

Location
Location can be an important factor for many policies. Insurance companies often research and analyze locations for statistical information. If you reside in an area whose statistics show a high rate of criminal activity and theft, your business and auto insurance costs may increase. These rate increases are due to the rise in insurance risk. The same business or auto insurance policy may be substantially less in a community with little criminal activity and theft.

Career
Your career or overall industry can have an effect on your insurance rates as well. While your position may affect one policy, it may not affect another. For instance, an air traffic controller experiences high stress levels on a daily basis. This continuous stress can have an effect on the individual’s overall health. Therefore, this individual may find subtle increases in life and health insurance policies. However, the same air traffic controller may have an inexpensive auto insurance policy because this aspect does not affect his or her driving abilities.

Insurable Asset
Insurable assets have a great effect on your policy’s rates. These aspects vary from policy to policy and person to person. In auto insurance, the insurable asset is the policyholder’s vehicle or vehicles. Sports cars, sport utility vehicles and expensive luxury vehicles are generally highly rated and result in higher premiums. However, the policyholder’s combination of other factors, discounts and coverage selections can result in a lower premium. Sports cars and sport utility vehicles usually result in high premiums because they are more apt to be involved in accidents that result in excessive damages and injuries. In life insurance, the insurable asset is the person. The healthier the person, the less expensive the premium will be. If the person is a nonsmoker who exercises regularly and visits their doctor routinely, the person will be more likely to obtain a less expensive policy. In home policies, the age of the home, the type of roofing and security features help to determine the premium rates. The home is the insurable asset, and its risk is dependent upon its specifics.

Credit
Although credit is not used as a rating factor, credit can be used to determine the payment plans made available to the policyholder. Insurance carriers use an insurance credit score, which is generated by using factors from your credit report. Each carrier has the opportunity to use their own criteria and credit report selections. Additionally, each carrier uses its own combination of rating factors to determine your score. Therefore, your insurance credit score can be different with each carrier.

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Teens are the most inexperienced and dangerous drivers on the road. Teaching them to drive cautiously and responsibly, while founding driving rules are essential in helping your teen become a safe driver. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), “In 2003, teens were involved in 1.7 million vehicle crashes nationwide.”

Cell phones and friends are common distractions that can lead to accidents, but there are other factors affecting teen drivers like sleep deprivation, alcohol use and not wearing seat belts. “Teens are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident as older drivers,” says a report by the NTSB. As a parent, you can set particular rules, in addition to supporting driving laws, to help your child stay safe on the road.

Before you teen begins to drive on a regular basis with a certified driver’s license, sign a contract. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company recommends building a strong basis of rules by designing a contract that both the teen and parents sign. On their website they provide the means of creating this contract that will provide a clear description of what is expected and how the teen driver agrees to behave behind the wheel.

The contract on Liberty Mutual’s website, which was established by SADD (Students Against Drunk Drivers) can be used to establish the parents’ expectations of the teen’s driving habits.

Encourage your teen driver to avoid speeding. Driving too fast is very common among teens and is perhaps the easiest traffic law to break. However, if parents explain the dangers of speeding (whether the teen is the driver or not), they will help the young driver understand the safety issue.

One of the first topics on the contract is speeding because it is so important. Not only does the teen need to agree to refrain from speeding, but he or she is also required to promise not to ride in a car with anyone else who speeds.

Require your teen to always wear a seat belt. Whether your child is driving or not, the teen needs to agree to always wear a seat belt. If the teen driver is old enough to have passengers in the vehicle, you must insist that they passengers where seat-belts too. Remind your teen repeatedly that he or she must wear a seat belt even as a passenger.

Always set limits on passengers. You and your teen driver must agree on a set number of teens as passengers. The number of teens is ultimately up to the parents, but the amount should not exceed the number of seat belts that are in the car.

Set a curfew. There should be a clear set hour when the teen will need to be home. According to Youth Development.org, accidents involving teens driving after 10 p.m. increase. The statistics increase even more after midnight. Make sure your teen abides by the set curfew and be sure to enforce it.

Never let your teen drink and drive. It is illegal for teenagers to drink alcohol. If your teen driver drinks and drive you must administer a severe punishment because driving under the influence at any age can be fatal.

Agree that texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving. Make sure your young driver accepts this as a rule in your contract because it is very important to his or her safety, along with others on the road.

Actively help your teen avoid being overtired. Teenagers are busy and often they need to be reminded that they need adequate sleep. Driving while tired has shown to be just as dangerous as driving under the influence or texting and driving.

Create definite agreements against using any drugs or alcohol. While some teens may drink it is imperative that they understand if they do, they are not allowed drive. In addition your teen will not be in a car with a driver who has used drugs or alcohol.

Go over all distractions. Things like using cell phones, eating, and other distracting activities should be avoided while driving.

Lay out the rules regarding the finances. Costs such as gas, insurance, maintenance, tickets and accidents are some of the many costs associated with teen driving. Be clear on who will pay for each item.