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Curriculum · Operations
Bretton and Dan on one of the biggest capital decisions in the business — when to stop renting and start buying, lease vs. buy, total cost of ownership, and why a truck is a cost center you should turn into a rolling billboard.
“A truck is a cost center, not a profit center. Every dollar tied up in a vehicle is a dollar not buying you leads. Rent until the math forces you to own — not a move sooner.
— Bretton & Dan, LocalMovers.com
Don't buy a truck early. Renting avoids the headache and the dead cost of an asset sitting idle in a lot on the days you have no jobs.
Ownership only pencils out once you're consistently hitting roughly 20 moves a month. Below that, utilization is too low to beat rental.
Leasing gets you newer vehicles and warranty coverage; buying a ~$10K used truck saves cash if you can handle your own maintenance. Pick based on your wrench skills.
Budget the hidden costs: financing, insurance spikes after an incident, and ~$1,000/month set aside for maintenance. The sticker price is the smallest number.
Idling for AC all summer and high mileage on long-distance jobs quietly eat your margin. Track fuel per move, not just per month.
A truck never makes money — it only spends it. Every dollar in the vehicle is a dollar not in high-ROI marketing. Keep the fleet lean.
Early-stage founders will usually have to personally guarantee vehicle notes against their own credit. Know what you're signing before you sign it.
Turn the necessary asset into a marketing win: a standout wrap makes the truck a free local billboard on every job and every highway mile.