How to write a business plan for a transport company? Step-by-step instructions: how to open a freight transport company from scratch? Sample business plan with calculations for a transport company.

The freight forwarding business is developing dynamically. The flow of cargo transportation is constantly growing. There is a need to coordinate actions and timely delivery of goods. The link between the shipper and the consignee is the freight forwarding company. Properly organizing logistics is the primary task of the company’s employees. The reputation and profit of the enterprise depend on the quality of the services provided and the fulfillment of its obligations.

The freight forwarding business is associated with many risks, since several stakeholders are involved in the process. It is easiest to engage in forwarding activities for entrepreneurs who have experience in the transport sector, know the legislation, are able to correctly draw up accompanying documentation and resolve issues that arise at the border or in cargo storage areas.

Area of ​​activity

Before opening a transport company, decide which work scheme suits you best:

1. Creation of your own transport company with a fleet of trucks of various tonnage. The financial costs will be significant. You will need funds to rent or purchase cars, pay for qualified personnel (drivers, dispatchers, accountant, manager).
2. Creation of a company providing forwarding services. You will play the role of freight dispatchers and look for outsourced carriers. You don't need your own vehicle fleet. For intermediary services, companies charge from 5 to 10% of the total cost of transportation for 1 freight. The investment will be minimal, and the profit will be quite large.

A reputable transport company often provides additional services related to the delivered cargo:

• consolidation;
• warehousing;
• security;
• insurance.

It is advisable for a newly created company to begin work by organizing transportation by road. After familiarizing yourself with the nuances and developing a client base, you can move on to more serious types of transportation:

• using railway transport;
• by air transport;
• mixed types of transport.

Where to start

If you decide that you have enough knowledge and funds to open a transport company, register the chosen form of organizational and legal activity of your enterprise. Entrepreneurs prefer open () and closed () joint stock companies. The best option is a limited liability company. The risks of takeover by competitors are minimized and the interests of each shareholder are protected, regardless of what percentage of shares they own.

Your actions:

1. Draw up the decision and agreement of the founders on the creation of an LLC.
2. Form an authorized capital (minimum 10 thousand rubles or property equivalent to this amount).
3. Develop the LLC Charter.
4. Fill out the application for state registration of your company (form No. 11001).
5. Pay the state fee (4000 rubles).
6. Attach to the application a receipt for payment of the state fee and copies of the constituent documents.
7. If there are foreign citizens among the founders, an extract from the register of foreign legal entities of the Russian Federation will be required.
8. submit to the state registration authorities.

Financial costs

To engage in expeditionary services, you will need a fairly impressive start-up capital. Minimum 250 thousand rubles. you must have. What does this amount consist of:

One-time opening costs will be:

• LLC registration – 35 thousand rubles;
• purchase of office equipment, consumables, furniture, Internet connection – 100 thousand rubles.

In addition, monthly you will spend on:

• rent of premises of 20 sq. m – from 8 to 30 thousand rubles;
• utilities – up to 5 thousand rubles;
• salary for employees (with a staff of 2-3 people) - from 50 thousand rubles;
• advertising – up to 30 thousand rubles. As the company develops, this amount may decrease due to the establishment of personal contacts and the acquisition of a worthy reputation for your company;
• commercial expenses – up to 3 thousand rubles.

If you plan to engage in freight forwarding activities, you will have to rent or purchase vehicles, organize warehouse space, hire drivers and expand your staff of employees. Additional costs depend on:

• brand and carrying capacity of selected vehicles;
• storage area;
• number of personnel;
• office size and location;
• advertising costs;
• amounts of utility bills.

Freight forwarding services are among activities where there is a high margin. The average profitability ranges from 25–40%. By investing 250 thousand rubles, you will recoup the costs in a year.

A business plan for opening a transport company, drawn up by a competent economist, will allow you to calculate the costs specifically in your case, taking into account all aspects of the activity. Get ready for the fact that at first you will work at a loss. Based on a study of the work of transport companies, experts usually predict that the company will be unprofitable for the first three months. With the right approach, increasing the number of orders and expanding the customer base, the first profit may appear in six months. Income will increase from 600 thousand rubles in the first month to 3 million rubles in the sixth month of work.

Office opening

The location of the office depends on the availability of funds. For the prestige of the company and the convenience of potential clients, rent premises in the city center. You can open an office on the outskirts. Rental cost per 1 sq. m will decrease from 2 thousand rubles in the center to 400 rubles. in a remote area. This option is more convenient for carriers (the location is close to the highway).

The number of employees depends on the expected volume of business. If there is no client base, and at first you will be engaged in dispatch services, 1 dispatcher and you performing all other functions (director, accountant, manager) will be enough.

Be sure to equip your office with:

• a desktop with a computer with Internet access;
• telephone with multi-channel communication;
• office equipment: MFP, fax.

Buy quality software that allows you to:

• register contracts;
• take into account applications;
• calculate the cost of services, cost and profitability of services for each client;
• automate supply chain management;
• quickly and accurately write out primary documentation;
• generate reports;
• generate an extract at the request of the customer.

Staff

Look for workers with experience. It is advisable that the manager has his own client base. This way you will get back on your feet faster and will be provided with orders. For smooth operation, you will only need competent transportation managers. Their tasks:

• development of transport schemes;
• determination of the most profitable directions of transport flows;
• communication with clients;
• coordinating the actions of counterparties;
• prompt response to problems that arise and inform management if the manager’s competence and authority do not allow them to be eliminated.

The logistics manager must be:

• punctual;
• proactive;
• literate;
• sociable.

The salary of a transportation manager is from 20 thousand rubles. monthly (rate + percentage of profit). At first, use the services of a visiting accountant. They will cost you 10 thousand rubles.

As your business develops, expand your staff and purchase additional office equipment. To clearly separate functions, organize 2 departments:

1. Commercial. Specialists will accept applications, issue invoices, issue waybills, and inform customers about cargo delivery. Their responsibilities will include cargo insurance and searching for new contractors. 2-3 competent specialists will be enough.
2. Forwarding. Specialists monitor the condition of rolling stock, maintenance schedules, and carry out work on cargo dispatch and delivery. They are also engaged in providing additional services involving various modes of transport. At least 3 people will be required in this area.

Remember: reducing staff numbers and forcing employees to perform duties that they have only a vague understanding of can lead to fatal consequences for the business. The logistics of amateurism are unforgiving and hit the pocket hard. Penalties, fines, tarnished reputation are the result of any miscalculations or incompetence of both staff and management. Cargo transportation as a business requires maximum control over all stages of work.

How to attract clients

To get your first customers, you need to take certain actions:

• place an ad in the newspaper;
• print promotional products: business cards, booklets with a story about your company;
• place information on banners along busy highways and in the central part of the city;
• create a website on the Internet indicating the list of services provided and contact information;
• Call as many contractors as possible and express your interest in cooperation. Tell us about your benefits. There will definitely be interested parties;
• make personal connections to find your first clients.

Advice: be sure to conclude client agreements with carriers and contracts for forwarding cargo support. Never rely on your word. Oral agreements have no legal force. There are frequent cases of deception and fraud in the absence of concluded contracts. If you do not want to document your relationship, refuse to cooperate and remove the unreliable client from your database.

Opening time

Cargo transportation is a seasonal business. Peak season is autumn and spring. Experts recommend starting a freight forwarding business in the summer. By the time of the busy season, you should already have a work plan in place, the first clients have been found, and inconsistencies that arise at first have been taken into account and corrected.

To open a transport company, you will need the necessary knowledge, a well-thought-out business plan, a desire to work 24 hours a day and a desire for dialogue with all stakeholders.

Business plan for a transport company – get 5 steps to successful entrepreneurship in the cargo transportation market + 8 practical tips from the best marketers.

Capital investments in a transport company: RUB 4,255,000.
Payback period for a transport company: 24 – 30 months.

Have you been thinking for a long time about what production to invest in, but still haven’t decided?

The choice is very difficult; the Russian market is overflowing with manufactured products.

But you didn’t take into account the main thing: an entrepreneur is a person who can benefit from anywhere.

If there are more goods on the market, there is a corresponding need to increase the market for carrier services.

Transportation is an “eternal business”.

In such a huge country as Russia, goods travel millions of kilometers before they fall into the hands of the buyer.

You can make money from this.

Opening your own transport company means always being in demand.

Become better than others, provide quality services in the market - and your business will expand.

In this article you will receive detailed instructions on how to create transport company business plan.

It involves not just opening your own business in the transportation sector.

The goal of the business plan is to become a leader, learn to be the best in your industry!

List of required documents in the business plan of a transport company

To open a transport company, you must register with the tax service of the Russian Federation as an LLC (limited liability organization).

You've probably heard many times how difficult it is to register a business in Russia.

But this is only said by those entrepreneurs who themselves could not cope with this process.

Below is a step-by-step guide.

It describes how to properly register a transport company.

Step 1. Find founders and open a bank account

At the first stage, it is necessary to find the founders of the enterprise.

Starting a transport business alone is a bad idea.

The goal of a transport company is to establish strong connections with other businesses to work together.

No matter how experienced an entrepreneur you are, organizing your work correctly alone will be very problematic.

When the “core team” of the transport company has assembled, it is necessary to distribute shares of the start-up capital among the founders.

The next task is to draw up a charter.

The document clearly states the share of each founder of the initial capital, as well as the distribution of responsibilities and areas of control in the company.

The charter has been drawn up, and the next step is to choose a reliable bank.

When opening an LLC bank account, you need to be sure that the bank will not suffer an economic collapse in a couple of months.

Look at reviews of the work, test the online banking system, find out the total number of clients.

Create a list of leading banks based on these indicators, then make your choice together with the founders.

Step 2. Registration of a transport company

Registering an LLC consists of two stages: preparing documentation and submitting an application to the tax service of your region.

List of required documents for:

• name of the organization certified by Rospatent;
• a certificate from the bank where the current account is opened;
• information about the founders - passport details;
• contacts and information about the executive body;
• information about the company's chief accountant;
• a receipt confirming payment of the state duty;
• completed form sample P11001.

Within 5 days, if no errors were made when filling out the papers, the company will be officially entered into the appropriate tax register.

After which, the Federal Tax Service employee will hand over a package of documentation confirming the status of the company.

Don't forget to also register your cash register and order a seal.

The registration of a cash register is carried out by the Federal Tax Service, the maximum period for issuing a permit is 1 month.

After completing registration, you can “exhale” a little and get ready for the equally exciting work of establishing a transport company.

Marketing analysis for a transport company business plan

Business target audience

The target audience of the transport company will be regional retail chains.

Another business plan idea is to find regular customers.

The retail network is an ideal client; it corresponds to the overall marketing plan of the transport business.

What is the challenge facing the marketing campaign?

“A successful warrior is an ordinary person who can focus on a target like a marksman with a laser sight.”
Bruce Lee

Successful marketing of a company is the key to business success.

The main goal of any marketing campaign is to attract customers to the product.

In our case, the product is a transportation service.

As you understand, this is a multifaceted business.

Types of cargo transportation differ in volume, massiveness of transported material, localization of transport, type of goods (wood, iron ore, food products or even radioactive cargo).

The best option for a young business in the field of transportation is the transportation of food products of retail chains, localized within the federal unit.

Having determined the direction of the transport company’s work, you need to indicate in the business plan the selected categories of goods for transportation (the type of cargo determines the company’s vehicle fleet).

The task of marketing is to provide optimal conditions for business, while at the same time making it as competitive as possible.

Two similar problems can be solved using an original and non-standard approach.

Determining Competitive Advantages

So, the strategy of the business plan is as follows - to choose a difficult segment of the market for the transportation of food products.

At first glance, the idea is a little risky.

But if you take a closer look, you can see the competitive advantages.

List of potential benefits of the chosen business strategy:

Little competition.

There is a very small percentage of those willing to work in difficult conditions.

An irreplaceable experience.

In a few years, your company will be able to advise other aspiring entrepreneurs, and this is another source of income.

High demand.

This advantage comes from the first – little competition creates a monopoly.

A clear competitive advantage in terms of marketing.

The fact that a young transport company takes on complex tasks is sure to attract the attention of customers.

It's time to move on to real advice on how to build such a business model.

If it is based on the implementation of food cargo transportation, it is necessary to find one of the most difficult categories in this area.

For an experienced marketer or food industry worker, the answer is obvious - start transporting frozen products, as well as fresh meat and fish.

It is necessary to plan orders for a transport company in the following percentage equivalent:

Such a choice of products for cargo transportation will create maximum chances for the successful development of a transport company in the initial stages.

In the future, the profile of work can be expanded and the enterprise universalized.

Business plan for a transport company: methods of business promotion

All that remains is to use the planned plan correctly.

The main feature of the company is exclusivity.

It is justified by the fact that your company, a newcomer to the cargo transportation market, takes on complex orders and carries them out efficiently.

4 methods for promoting a transport company:

It will allow you to simply knock on the “doors” of your main clients.

Explosive actions.

Set shockingly low shipping rates, but only for one or two companies.

Determine the lucky one at random.

Insist on the exclusivity of your services.

Organize seminars and invite representatives of client companies to them.

Meeting face to face is the basis of close interaction.

Using the marketing plan specified in the article, the transport company will not only be able to create competition in the market, but also become a leader over time.

Choosing premises for a transport company

You should also invest in office rental.

Meeting clients in the garage is, of course, a bad idea.

The table below shows the parameters and required conditions of the garage space:

Requirements for a transport company office

An office space is just as important as a garage space.

This is explained very simply - negotiations with clients directly lead to business success.

It is at least indecent to receive representatives of large retail chains.

This approach will indelibly damage the reputation of the enterprise.

Rental prices

• rent of an area of ​​500 sq.m. will cost approximately 100,000 rubles;
• rent of office space with an area of ​​35 sq.m. costs 20,000 rubles.

Equipment for a transport company

The basis of the transport business is high-quality vehicles for transporting goods.

The business plan involves working with frozen and fresh animal products, i.e. it is necessary to purchase appropriate transport.

For the initial stage of development of a commercial business, 5 machines will be enough.

List of car dealerships + cost of each car:

Name of technical means	Quantity (pcs.)	Cost (RUB)
Total:	5	~3,900,000 rubles
Isothermal van (load capacity 8,000 – 10,000 kg)	2	800 000 – 1 000 000
Refrigerator (load capacity 10,000 – 14,000 kg)	2	800 000 – 1 500 000
Light-duty insulated van (3,000 – 4,000 kg)	1	700 000 – 900 000

The choice of cars was made according to the principle of division.

There are machines for transporting large loads (positions 1-2 in the table), as well as a lighter unit with a lifting capacity of 3-4 tons.

The refrigeration mechanism performs controlled cooling, therefore it is suitable for transporting any goods of the specified category.

Recruitment for a transport company

Given the specifics of working with automotive equipment, you will need a fairly large staff of employees.

But people are needed for more than just garage work.

There are also office workers who perform their important role.

When compiling the list of personnel, the requirements of the marketing department, the settlement sector, the management apparatus, and servicing the transport component were taken into account.

List of company personnel

The staff won't come cheap.

However, the importance of high quality service is difficult to overestimate, so the costs are completely justified.

The transport business is a costly industry.

If you want to become a leader, you can't do it without investment.

To open a successful transport company, we recommend watching the video:

Financial section of a transport company business plan

Let's move on to dry calculations and numbers.

To open your own transport company, you need to calculate the costs of premises, vehicle fleet, personnel, and investments in marketing campaigns.

Starting capital of the project

Monthly expenses of the transport company

After calculating the “losses”, we will calculate the possible monthly income of the company.

A properly equipped vehicle for transporting frozen and fresh products can count on an income of 80,000 rubles per month.

Monthly income at an early stage of enterprise development will be from 100,000 rubles. per month.

In the future, you should achieve a fleet of vehicles: within 2 years you will be able to receive revenue of 250,000 - 300,000 rubles.

The payback of the enterprise, with the right development strategy, will be 2 – 2.5 years.

Business plan for a transport company is your guide to successful entrepreneurship.

A feature of the transport business is its long-term nature.

Every year the organization’s vehicle fleet will expand and its relationship with clients will grow.

There will be no quick results; the payback period for the project is 2.5 years.

If you are willing to put in a lot of energy and effort, the result will be a leading company in your industry.

Expecting more at one moment is stupid - be patient and become a leader.

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When studying business areas in which today you can actively develop, aspiring entrepreneurs should pay attention to the field of cargo transportation. This industry directly depends on the growth of the industrial sector, as well as on the general economic situation in the state. When planning to open a transport company, a novice businessman must first of all monitor the local market, realistically assess his ability to compete, and also draw up a competent financial plan.

Registration

After making the final decision regarding the opening of a transport company, the businessman must go through the state registration procedure. To do this, he needs to determine in what status the commercial activity will be carried out:

1. Individual Entrepreneur.
2. Closed or Open Joint Stock Company.
3. Limited Liability Company

Important! Experts in the field of economics and law recommend that Russian citizens who decide to develop a cargo transportation business choose . Its main advantage is that the founders and managers of the company are not subject to legal liability. If problems arise with regulatory authorities, the Limited Liability Company will be liable only with personal property and assets listed on the balance sheet.

After studying this video, novice entrepreneurs will be able to learn how to properly organize document flow in a transport company:

If beginning entrepreneurs have chosen LLC as their legal form, then the best option for them would be to switch to the UTII tax regime (see also). In this case, they will be able to use up to 20 trucks. For individual entrepreneurs, tax form 3 of personal income tax is more suitable. Before starting work, company managers must open current accounts in any banking institution, since very often cargo transportation is ordered by both small and large companies that need to document their costs.

Attention! Today, Russian citizens can contact legal offices whose specialists open turnkey transport companies in record time. They can also purchase a ready-made company, with an open bank account and a full set of registration documentation.

Selection of premises

After completion of registration activities, business entities planning to work in the field of cargo transportation need to find premises for an office and a protected area for a vehicle fleet. When looking for premises where clients will be served, you can choose large business centers where offices are rented. When choosing an area for a truck fleet, you should pay attention to those places that have fences and a nearby transport interchange. Today, many companies rent out their warehouses and hangars, as well as administrative buildings in which offices for management and staff can be located.

Important! To operate a transport company, you need to purchase computers, printers, a scanner, a fax and a telephone, which are necessary to work with clients and process cargo transportation. Regular office furniture is suitable for furnishing offices.

If a novice entrepreneur has a large start-up capital, he can purchase office space. In this case, he will be able to make a profit from such real estate (rent out), even if there is no development in the field of transport services. The transport company must have its own garage, in which mechanics will repair cars and carry out their maintenance. It is also recommended to equip a warehouse in which customer cargo will be temporarily stored.

A business entity must approach the issue of personnel selection with full responsibility, since the financial result and prosperity of the company will ultimately depend on the qualifications and integrity of hired workers. When hiring drivers, you need to pay attention to their experience and length of service in this field. The number of such employees should match (or better exceed) the number of trucks. If the company operates daily, then one truck needs to have 2-3 drivers. A work shift schedule is drawn up for them, which includes days off.

If truck drivers have the opportunity to independently carry out maintenance and repair of vehicles, then they can save money on the position of mechanic (otherwise, such a unit should be added to the staff). It is imperative to hire qualified and sober loaders who can carry out loading and unloading operations either manually or using specialized equipment.

To work in the office, you will need to hire an accountant, cleaners, security guards and a secretary, a trade manager, a logistics manager (the number of these employees depends on the size of the fleet), who will place orders. A large logistics company must have a lawyer on staff who can handle insurance processing. If the manager cannot find suitable specialists for the positions of lawyer and accountant, he can turn to an outsourcing company and use the services of its employees. Today, many transport organizations employ full-time doctors who examine drivers before each trip.

Important! A business entity can save money if it hires drivers with personal cargo transport.

Freight transportation is a very popular business sector today. Transport companies will always be in the black if there is a need to transport goods or move. However, why do some companies go bankrupt? Simply because their owners initially pursued the wrong business policy. In the freight market, it is survival of the fittest, and that is a fact. But how to avoid going bankrupt and how to open a transport company from scratch? You will learn the answers to all these and many other questions in our article today.

Selecting a work plan

Before opening a transport company, you should determine a suitable work pattern. There are two options in total:

1. Organizing your own transport company with your own fleet of trucks. In this case, you can rent cars or purchase them in the required quantity, re-registering them to an individual or legal entity. In addition, if you expect a large share of cargo transportation, you should hire qualified workers (mainly drivers). If the company's budget is small, you can hire a driver with a personal car. This way you save not only time searching for suitable personnel, but also money on purchasing your own fleet of vehicles.
2. Providing forwarding services. In this case, your company turns into a freight dispatch service. The essence of her work is to find outsourced carriers. Thus, companies receive quite high profits. On average, they charge from 5 to 10 percent of the total cost of transportation (per 1 freight). And this is despite the complete absence of its own vehicle fleet and a minimum recruitment of working personnel. In general, the business is also very profitable.

How to open a transport company providing dispatch services? Pitfalls and more

The work pattern of a company providing forwarding services is quite simple: cargo owner - dispatcher - cargo carrier. What does it mean? The dispatch company connects the cargo owner with the carrier for the purpose of mutually beneficial cooperation. In this case, the forwarding company takes into account all the interests of these two parties.

How to recruit your carrier base?

In order to make a profit, the company must first have its own base of carriers, otherwise there will be no one to cooperate with. Here you can make a list of transport companies and private carriers - owners of freight transport.

This database must be compiled in such a way that you can organize not only road types of cargo transportation, but also sea, air or rail. Most modern forwarding companies operate according to this scheme. However, at first you can try yourself in only one type of transportation (preferably, it should be road transport).

Documents

All companies and drivers with whom you will cooperate must have a full package of registration and permits. An agreement should be concluded with the owner of the cargo transport, since without it the dispatch company will be responsible for the delivery and safety of the cargo. What should be included in this document? When drawing up a contract, pay attention to the following points:

1. Name of the cargo.
2. Its mass.
3. Type of cargo transported.
4. Volume.
5. Loading/unloading area.
6. Type and number of the vehicle.
7. Penalties for failure to deliver (penalty).

At the bottom of the contract, indicate the signature and seal of both parties (the carrier and the dispatch company). Documents can be exchanged in several ways: by fax or email. Delivery of cargo can also be paid in several ways: in cash (upon loading/unloading) or by bank transfer.

In the latter case, payment is made within 7-14 banking days. But, as practice shows, money via bank transfer may not arrive even after a month (fortunately, this happens very rarely).

How to open a transport company for cargo transportation?

First of all, you will have to think about purchasing transport, since in this case you simply cannot do without it. How does a transport company work? The whole essence of your company’s work will be to search for orders (this can be done through the same dispatch services) and deliver goods in various directions.

Thus, trucks will be the main “gear” in the operation of the entire huge mechanism of the carrier company. Many start-up companies rent a fleet of vehicles. But if your company’s initial capital is large enough, it is best to buy your own trucks and not pay monthly rent, as in the previous case.

When the number of cars in your fleet is 15 or more, think about building your own service station or working closely with a specific company engaged in the maintenance of such equipment.

How to open an office?

Where exactly your office will be located does not matter. And if you decide to equip it, be sure to connect a multi-line telephone to it. Next, you should think about purchasing furniture, office equipment and connecting to the Internet. In general, an office for such a company that delivers goods is not a mandatory aspect.

Most often it is needed by dispatch companies that simply do not have their own fleet of vehicles. If you are a private carrier, open a website instead of an office. There you can provide all the detailed information about your company, tariffs, and also post photos of your fleet. This way you will definitely interest the customer who will want to cooperate with your company.

Company staff

When drawing up a business plan for a transport company, it is impossible not to touch upon the problem of employing employees in your company. Is it even worth hiring people for your company? The question is very ambiguous. And the exact answer to it depends on the scale of transportation and the number of units of equipment. Agree, why hire a dozen people if you only have one car.