Haulin Assets

#193. Building Your Trucking Business (Legal and Tax Deep Dive)

Too many owner-operators focus on loads, trucks, and revenue—but overlook the foundation that determines how much they actually keep. In this episode, we break down the legal structures, tax strategies, and partnership decisions that can either cost you thousands or help you build a profitable, protected business.

Why most owner-operators focus on revenue instead of structure
How your setup protects your income and reduces taxes
Who this episode is for: new owner-operators, aspiring owners, and small fleets

Partnerships in trucking: when they work and when they fail
The importance of shared values, vision, and complementary skills
Key decisions to define upfront: roles, money, and exit plans
Why everything needs to be documented in a detailed operating agreement

LLC vs Corporation explained
Why LLCs are the most common starting point
When a corporation might make more sense
Common mistakes: mixing finances, choosing the wrong structure, skipping legal guidance
How the right setup protects your truck, income, and future

Tax strategy basics for truckers
Self-employment tax and payroll tax explained simply
What an S-Corp actually is and why it matters
How S-Corp elections can reduce your tax burden
The importance of reasonable salary and working with a tax professional

Real-world example: $100K owner-operator scenario
Sole proprietor vs S-Corp tax comparison
How an S-Corp can save roughly $7,000+
What that savings means in real terms: fuel, repairs, and profit

Key takeaways
Your business structure directly impacts your profit
LLC is a strong start but not always the finish line
S-Corp can be a major advantage when set up correctly
Partnerships require serious planning and documentation

Share the episode with another driver
Follow the show and connect on social media
Check out Episode 2 for a deeper dive with tax experts
Big milestone coming soon—stay tuned for Episode 200

#192. Understanding DOT Numbers and MC Authority

Starting a trucking company sounds simple—until you hit the paperwork. DOT numbers, MC authority, IFTA, IRP… it’s where a lot of new carriers get stuck, overpay, or make costly mistakes before they ever haul a load. In this episode, we break down exactly what you need, what you don’t, and how to set your authority up the right way from the start.

Want a deeper dive? Check out Episode 3 for a more detailed breakdown of authority and setup.

#191. Removing Resistance for Your Customers (So You’re Easy to Work With)

Running a trucking business is already hard. What makes it even harder is when your own systems are working against you.

In this episode, we break down the concept of “friction” in your business—those small inefficiencies that slow things down, frustrate customers, and quietly cost you money. From communication gaps to messy invoicing, we cover where friction shows up and how to eliminate it so your operation runs smoother, faster, and more profitably.

We also tie it all back to real numbers with a look at February’s financials and what’s driving strong performance right now.

What You’ll Learn:

• What “friction” actually means in a trucking business
• How small inefficiencies compound into lost time and revenue
• Where friction commonly shows up (communication, onboarding, billing)
• Why anticipating customer needs is a competitive advantage
• How cleaner systems directly improve cash flow and repeat business

Key Takeaway:

If your customers have to guess what to do next, chase you for information, or deal with unnecessary steps, you’re creating resistance—and that resistance is costing you.

February Snapshot:

• Total Miles: 101,755
• Revenue: $251,077.05
• Rate per Mile: $2.48
• Net Profit: $44,496.50

Call to Action:

Ask yourself: Where am I making this harder than it needs to be?

If you’re not sure—or you want help building systems that actually make your business run smoother—that’s exactly what we do at MCHQ and Haulin Assets. Reach out and let’s fix it.

#190. Financing a Truck & Trailer the Right Way

Buying a truck is exciting. Signing the wrong financing deal? Not so much.
In this episode, Chris and Craig break down how to finance a truck and trailer the right way, so your equipment works for you instead of trapping you in bad payments and cash-flow stress.

What We Cover

We kick things off with January 2026 performance numbers, then dive into the financial realities every owner-operator should understand before shopping for equipment.

Topics include:

• Knowing your numbers before talking to lenders

• New vs. used truck math — payments, depreciation, and maintenance tradeoffs

• Financing options explained: banks, equipment lenders, dealer financing, lease-purchase, and SBA loans

• How down payments impact your break-even point and freight flexibility

• Financing (or renting) trailers strategically

• Hidden startup and compliance costs most new operators overlook

• When you should not finance a truck at all

• A real-world example breaking down payments, miles, and revenue required to make a truck profitable

Key Takeaway

The truck payment alone won’t sink your business, poor planning will. Understanding costs, cash flow, and financing terms is what separates sustainable operators from those forced to run nonstop just to survive.

#189. 3 Things I was Dead Wrong About When I Started

In this episode of Haulin Assets 2.0, we look back at the rapid growth from 1 truck to 12 in just 2.5 years—right before the freight market flipped. What seemed like momentum quickly turned into hard lessons. This episode breaks down the three biggest assumptions that didn’t hold up and how they reshaped the way the business runs today. 

Top 3 Things I Got Wrong

1. Direct shipper relationships would be easy to land.
I thought showing up and doing great work would be enough. In reality, most shippers don’t change carriers unless they have to—and it can take dozens of conversations just to get a shot.

2. Being financially conservative was the main key to success.
Important? Absolutely. But it’s not even top three. Strategy, relationships, and timing matter just as much—if not more.

3. Broker freight could carry us long term.
Maybe as an owner-operator. Not if you want to grow. Market cycles expose that weakness fast.

What’s Changed

After growing too fast heading into a freight downturn, the approach shifted: slower, controlled growth, bringing on a partner, and building smarter through market volatility.

What to Expect from Haulin Assets 2.0

More energy. More entertaining content. More focus on the operator’s day-to-day life—not just ownership, but life on the road and how to make it better.

Final Thoughts

Growth without strategy will humble you. Relationships take longer than you think. And broker freight alone isn’t a long-term plan if you want to build something that lasts.

If this episode resonates, share it with another driver or fleet owner in the grind. Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

We’re just getting started.

#188. Haulin Assets 2.0: Welcome Back to the Podcast

After seven years and one of the toughest freight markets anyone can remember, Haulin Assets is back — refocused and ready for the next chapter.

In this relaunch episode, we look at why the podcast started, what it was meant to solve, and what’s changing as we move into Haulin Assets 2.0.

Why Haulin Assets Exists

Haulin Assets has always been about owner-operators.

An owner-operator isn’t just a driver. You’re a business owner who also happens to operate the truck. When I owned Motor Carrier HQ, I saw drivers come through with the same goal — becoming owner-operators. The ones who struggled usually had one thing in common: they didn’t understand the business side of trucking.

This podcast started as a way to change that by letting drivers follow along with my own journey in real time.

My Journey

I got my CDL in early 2019, bought my first truck shortly after, and hit the road in April of that year. I drove for a full year before hiring my first driver in May 2020.

By the end of 2020, I had bought a second truck. In 2021, Nate joined as a partner, and during the COVID boom, the business grew fast. The last three years have been survival mode, but even in this market, we recently hit a revenue record while running one fewer truck.

Lessons Learned

You don’t know what you don’t know. Learning what it really means to slide your tandems, realizing you can’t control everything, getting hit by a deer, and spending a year behind the wheel all shaped the fleet owner I am today.

Driving gave me perspective on what it actually means to be both an operator and an owner.

What to Expect in Haulin Assets 2.0

This isn’t a reinvention — it’s a refocus.

Expect more fun, more entertaining content, giveaways, and more attention on the operator side of owner-operator life. We’ve covered ownership well. Now we’re spending more time on what makes life better on the road.

Story From the Road

Getting scammed out of $742 — and the lesson that came with it.

Call to Action

If you’ve been with us since Episode 1, thank you. If you’re new, this is the perfect time to jump in.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and send us your funniest or toughest trucking story. It might be featured on a future episode.

This podcast isn’t just about my journey anymore. It’s about yours. Let’s haul some assets together.

#187. Update And Relaunch

After an extended break, Haulin’ Assets is back.

In this episode, I explain where we’ve been, why the podcast went quiet longer than expected, and what’s changing as we relaunch. Quarter four was busy, the market shifted quickly, and between operational changes and a major accident, it was time to pause, reassess, and reset.

This episode will feel familiar, but it also marks a more focused direction going forward.

Where We’ve Been

Q4 snowballed faster than expected.

I talk through:

• Why I needed to step away
• How the break stretched longer than planned
• What we’ve been rebuilding behind the scenes

The goal wasn’t just to restart the show, but to make sure it continues to deliver real value.

Financials: The Real Numbers

Here’s how the business performed late last year:

• September: $23,428 profit | $2.16 per mile
• October: –$6,143.88 | $2.26 per mile
• November: $12,877 profit | $2.18 per mile
• December: $27,818 profit | $2.16 per mile

All P&L documents are available in the show notes.

Changes in How We Operate

In October, I took a hard look at our lanes, shippers, and loops.

The takeaway was clear: some lanes we ran regularly were significantly less profitable. As a result:

• We avoid underperforming lanes whenever possible
• We largely stay out of the Southeast
• When we do go there, we head straight back west instead of drifting northeast

That approach saves roughly 2.5 days of transit time, and with a truck costing about $400 per day to sit, those decisions add up quickly. This analysis is now a monthly process.

Market Shifts and a Major Loss

We also saw one of our strongest Q4 pushes in several years, along with new freight contracts coming online.

At the same time, we experienced a major accident that resulted in the loss of a truck and trailer—an event that had real operational impact and contributed to the reset.

The Relaunch

Going forward, Haulin’ Assets is refocusing on the owner-operator.

That means:

• More business-focused topics
• More attention to both the owner and driver side
• More discussion of the owner-operator lifestyle

#186. August 2025 Financials

It's Truck Driver Appreciation Week and before we get into the August 2025 Financials, Craig and I talk a little bit about what that means. I personally want to thank you all for being such a driving force in the economy of this great country. Without you we would not be able to live such blessed lives. I try to make sure my kids understand how important the trucking industry is, especially its drivers. Thank you!

What To Expect From Episode 186

This year is feel more like a regular freight market, something I don’t think we have felt for 6 years, since 2019. That is good and bad. Good, because I think we are going to feel a good 4^th quarter bump, which we haven’t seen in a long time. Bad because summer is always pretty tough, and August wasn’t super pretty for us. Let's take a look at the numbers:

• Total miles ran– 104,346
• Deadhead miles– 7,540 (7.2%)
• Total revenue- $209,337.10
• All-in rate-per-mile- $2.01

Haulin Assets had a loss of $6,767.91. We did not get enough miles. We really have to be over 110k to even have a fighting chance. Considering we were so far under, it could have been worse.

Here are the P&L Items we are going to discuss in more detail.

• Revenue
• Damages
• Fuel
• Repairs and Maintenance
• Taxes and Licensing

#185. Electric Trucks and Driverless Vehicles and English Mandates, Oh My

The last couple of weeks have actually been kind of slow, when it comes to the craziness of trucking so I don't have any really dramatic stories from the road. However, now that Break Safety Week has come and gone I do talk about how it affected our fleet. Leave a comment and let me know what your experience was like.

What to Expect in Episode 185

It’s a pretty normal reaction to be scared of the unknown. Just like Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow were scared of the unknown that lurked in the forest as they journeyed to Oz, changes lurking in the trucking industry can be scary too.  I thought it would be interesting to talk about some of the topics that seem to be getting a lot of attention these days. Here's how this episode breaks down.

Electric Trucks

I talk about my experience driving an electric vehicle for the last 7+ years and how I think it relates to trucks.

Driverless Vehicles

My Tesla has the "Full Self Driving" feature. It's good, but I think it's going to be a while before we see anything of any significance in capability and quantity in the trucking world. Craig and I talk about why.

The English Proficiency Mandate

A recent crash in Florida that killed 3 has brought this topic to the forefront of the highway safety discussion. Craig and I talk about some of the specifics and how this has the potential to have a significant impact in the not too distant future.

#184. July 2025 Financials

The financial challenges continue in July, but before we get into that I tell Craig about two stories from the road. One of them involves smelly onions. The other is about some spilt milk — buttermilk, to be exact.

What To Expect From Episode 184

June was a pretty rough month and July was even worse. The summer months are always hard to get through. I still think the market is in the very early stage of a rebound. The biggest problems we had in July are really driven by internal factors, not external ones. Let's take a look at the numbers:

• Total miles ran– 107,335
• Deadhead miles– 8,546 (8.0%)
• Total revenue- $235,064.03
• All-in rate-per-mile- $2.19

Haulin Assets had a loss of $8,939.48. We just did not get enough miles, especially considering the bump in expenses we had in a few areas.

Here are the P&L Items we are going to discuss in more detail.

• Revenue
• Damages
• Repairs and Maintenance
• Fuel