Hotshot startup cost calculator

How it is calculated

1. Truck and trailer payments use standard loan amortization on price minus down payment, at your APR and term. Paid in cash means no payment.
2. One-time costs = truck down + trailer down + insurance down payment + registrations and authority + ELD + securement gear.
3. Fixed monthly costs = truck payment + trailer payment + insurance per month + other fixed monthly costs.
4. Working capital = months of cushion x (fixed monthly costs + fuel, tires and repairs per month).
5. Cash to start = one-time costs + working capital.

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Worked example

HOTSHOT STARTUP, EXAMPLENO. 0220

EXAMPLE

Truck $75,000, $15,000 down, 9%, 60 mo

$1,245.50/mo

Trailer $18,000, $6,000 down

$249.10/mo

Insurance $1,200/mo + other $300/mo

$1,500/mo

One-time costs

$29,450

2 months x ($2,994.60 + $4,000 running)

$13,989

Cash to start$43,439

The defaults are EXAMPLE numbers built from the line items in our hotshot startup cost guide. The authority filing fee is a real one: FMCSA charges $300 per operating authority. Insurance varies most. One 2026 industry guide puts most for-hire hotshot insurance at about $600 to $2,500 a month, with new authorities near the top (LogRock, checked Oct 2026). Replace every default with your own quotes.

Assumptions and limits

• Loans: fixed rate, equal monthly payments, no balloon. Dealer fees, taxes and title fees aren't included unless you add them to the down payment.
• Registrations: one number for authority, BOC-3, UCR, business entity, plates and permits. UCR and plate costs depend on your state and fleet size.
• Drug and alcohol testing applies only to CDL drivers. Non-CDL hotshots aren't in the DOT testing program; CDL owners should add consortium enrollment and a pre-employment test to the one-time line.
• Not included: your own living costs, a backup truck, major repairs or a slow first month. Working capital is the buffer for those.

Reading your result

• Cash to start is the number to have in the bank before you take your first load, not the number you hope to have after.
• Fixed costs per month is the bill that comes whether you run or sit. Divide it by about 4.3 to see what each week's loads must cover before fuel. Then turn it into a rate floor with the trucking cost per mile calculator.
• If working capital looks thin, the fix is usually a cheaper truck, a bigger down payment or a lower-cost trailer, not fewer months of cushion.

Ways to lower the number

1. Buy used, inspected. A sound used truck and trailer cut both the down payments and the monthly bill.
2. Get three insurance quotes with the same limits before you buy the truck. Insurance can change which truck makes sense.
3. Start non-CDL if your freight allows it. Lighter trucks and trailers cost less, though they limit loads.
4. Buy gear for your freight, not every load type at once; see hotshot setup for the list.
5. Line up loads early. The fastest way to shrink working capital needs is getting paid sooner.

From startup to first load

Once the authority is active and the insurance is on file, every week without loads eats the cushion you just calculated. Our hotshot dispatch service starts the week you're active: brokers set up, loads matched to your truck and trailer, rates countered, and each load sent to you for a yes or no. The broker sends the rate confirmation directly to you. More on the TruckQuick desk is on the home page.