Another option I was looking at would be also getting a flatbed gooseneck for brokered loads. That is something I have thought about as well.
I'd do both, you can pick up gooseneck flatbeds for cheap.. We bough a 22gn Bigtex nothing fancy 25'with 5' beaver tail for $7400 Hauled all sorts with that thing.
But there was a good point made about income vs investment. I'd make a target range to where your back into the black with quantity of loads (income) per month to hit your mark and see just how practical it is. Also gives you a good baseline to set your budget for equipment and repairs while having that equipment to stay profitable.
Example, initial investment of DRW Megacab $45k, Enclosed trailer $40k Flatdeck $10k Insurance 1st year 5k misc costs $5k
So with an initial investment you will be at 105k to start your first year of operation.
To recoupe that investment you will need to run 105k miles of hauls if your cost is $1.00 per mile and you are charging $2.00 average run will prob be 1000 miles so that is roughly 100 runs, which I would say is about the max you could do with no down time per year. those numbers are all made up but gets my point across.
Me starting a business like this I would look at wanting a 3 year return on paying off my equipment, Granted you can get loans and figure all that in and interest and such but I was just laying out a simplistic idea of a plan.
It also may sound crazy but I'd also buy a nicer truck then a bottom end bare min truck. one it will have a higher resale value when the warranty is up and more comfortable to operate. and I'd convert the seat to air ride
