Starting a haulage business — what it actually takes
Buying the truck is the easy part. Then comes what the forums do not tell you: the operator licence, the certificate of professional competence, proof of financial standing, insurance, tolls, employer contributions and a cost per kilometre most new carriers do not work out until their first loss. Here is the whole list, without decoration.
The operator licence — Regulation (EC) 1071/2009
You cannot haul commercially in the EU without one. Four conditions, the same in every member state: a real establishment in the country of registration, good repute, financial standing (about €9,000 for the first vehicle and €5,000 for each additional one), and the certificate of professional competence — held by you or by a transport manager you employ.
The money you need BEFORE the first load
Financial standing is not a deposit but proof the company can pay its way: capital, a bank guarantee or an insurance instrument. Then insurance: compulsory motor cover, own-damage, and carrier's liability (no serious forwarder gives freight without it). Then tolls, fuel cards, parking, an accountant.
Cost per km — where new carriers burn
€1.20/km looks fine until you add the lease, the insurance, the service, the tyres, the wage with employer contributions, empty running and detention. The service folds it all into one figure per kilometre and tells you the minimum rate you must not go below. Free to work out, no signup.
How much money do I need to start?
Beyond the truck: financial standing of about €9,000 for the first vehicle (proof, not spend), company registration, the licence, insurance, a fuel card, and two to three months of working capital — forwarders pay 30–60 days after the job.
Can I run foreign plates on an EU licence?
No. Regulation 1071/2009 art. 5 requires the vehicles to be registered in the state that issued the licence. The service warns you when the company's country and the plates' country do not match.
What is the CPC and can I skip it?
The certificate of professional competence. No CPC, no licence. Either you sit the exam or you employ an external transport manager — a monthly cost that also belongs in your cost per km.